Import Vehicle When Moving to Switzerland

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hello everybody,

I've imported my vehicle as household effect in January. As my foreign car insurance will expire beginning of June, I followed up with the Road Office in Zurich to arrange a meeting for car examination.

Also, the officer at the customs office gave me the following document and underlined that I need to bring the documentation needed when moving to Switzerland (Bei Wohnsitznahme in der Schweiz): https://www.isc.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:e6b84...mber_plate.pdf

At the customs office, I was told to have the following documents ready to get an appointment at the Road Office:

1. Form 13.20 A

2. Form proving import of vehicle (stamped at the customs office)

3. Foreign car documentation

4. Proof of car insurance in Switzerland

I've got all of those except the insurance which I'll get end of May.

I followed up with the Road Office in Zurich and was told to provide the following documentation:

- Ausländische Zulassungspapiere (1. Inverkehrssetzung ersichtlich) (z.B.:

Kraftfahrzeugschein und Brief)

- Formular 13.20A welches Sie bei der Verzollung erhalten haben

- COC (EU- Übereinstimmungsbescheinigung)

- Neue Personenwagen (≤ 6 Monate im Ausland zugelassen) benötigen die

Bescheinigung des ASTRA betreffend CO2-Abgabe. Antragsformular:

www.astra.admin.ch/auto-co2

- Erklärung vom Zollamt für Übersiedlungsgut (z.B. Formular

18.44d/18.45d/18.46d) oder Zollveranlagungsverfügung mit dem Stempel

für die Fahrzeugabfertigung versehen

- Nachweis über die Einhaltung der Abgas- und Geräuschvorschriften durch

eine anerkannte Prüfstelle https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-

compilation/19950161/index.html#app2ahref0

- Schweizerisches Abgaswartungsdokument (nur bei Fahrzeug ohne OBD)

- Schweizer Versicherungsnachweis

The list the Road Office provided relates to the importing a vehicle to Switzerland but not when moving into the country (please refer to the website above).

Could you share your experience with importing a vehicle in Switzerland as household effect? Were those the only documents you needed?

Many thanks for your help!

2
Edit:

The vehicle is new, not a second-hand one, bought on June 19 2020 and registered with license plates abroad on June 23 2020

3
it's usually an unpredictable, time consuming, and generally mammoth procedure. it can sometimes be very straightforward but sometimes very complicated. you don't seem to want to share what the car is or where it comes from, both of which are important considerations, so about all i can suggest is that you let a garage handle it for you.

4
How long did you own it before moving here?

Tom

5
Hello everybody,

Apologies for not sharing where the car is from. I'm not familiar with the procedure and don't know which information is relevant.

The car has been purchased in Croatia (EU) on June 19th 2020 as new and not second-hand.

It's a Toyota C-HR, 1.8 Hybrid.

I've got a double nationality - Italian and Croatian - and am registered in Switzerland as Italian (not sure if this is relevant).

Before moving to Switzerland, I owned a car for more than 6 months which was the main condition to be able to import it as household effect.

6
This is key. When did *you* move to Switzerland? Also in January? The date on your permit should do. If that's more than 6 months registered outside of Switzerland then there's no customs or VAT to pay on it and you import it as part of household goods. The list looks fine to me, except of course for the part "in the case of less than six months...." Also you very likely need no abgas certificate. All the info is available easily if you google it. "Importing car as part of household effects with certificate of conformity"

7
also as you've now said what the car is and from where, it can be seen that it is a car also sold in switzerland and from an EU country. therefore, in all probability only the EU COC will be required to register it in CH.

if you don't have a COC you can order one from here:

https://www.eurococ.eu/en/checkout/?product=37530727

8
Seems earlier:

The exact date is important!

"The car has been purchased in Croatia (EU) on June 19th 2020"

Thus, if you moved here before 19th December 2020, you will have to pay taxes and duty.

Tom

9
I got mine, for free, from the home-country office of the manufacturer (BMW)

10
This part has been sorted out already.

Edit: I purchased the car on June 18th and not on the 19th, came to Switzerland on December 19th and at the customs, they allowed me to import it as household effect without having to pay any extra duties or VAT as it has been used for more than 6 months abroad before being imported to Switzerland.

11
Did they ask you to provide one?

Check out the first row of this document: https://www.isc.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:e6b84...mber_plate.pdf

Apparently, they shouldn't be asking for a COC if you've moved to CH and brought your vehicle with you as household effect.

12
With CoC is much easier and cheaper. At least where I live inspection without CoC is more expensive.

Check all your car documents and books, you probably have CoC. If not, order a replacement. In general procedure is very clear and easy. Go with all documents to registration office, you fill in few forms, they will send you invitation for inspection. Once you pass inspection you get CH plates.

13
My experience - more than 10 years ago - is that those are the documents required. I did it on my own to save some money but I remember it was a huge pain and I had the help of a German-speaking friend.

If I were to do it again, I would probably ask a garage to do this for me.

14
CoC should NOT be required if vehicle is a) previously registered and b) part of your move.

Otherwise, CoC or a major inspection (not a simple MKF) are required.

Tom

15

That's no longer true or it varies canton by canton. In Zurich, the CoC is required (or at least strongly recommended) when obtaining Swiss plates for a car registered as household effects. Both me and my friend needed to have a CoC and a MFK for cars brought to Switzerland when moving in.

Perhaps they will still allow you to register the car without CoC, but it makes life much easier for them?

16
You need the

18.44 - original and stamped. This should mention the imported vehicle

13.20 - completed

Self import vehicle data - some sections completed by the official garage

COC - contact an official garage you can get the first copy for free

Get a quote for insurance and ask them to send quote to MFK. This will be your Swiss insurance policy.

You current insurance is probably not valid unless your residency status is updated with you current insurer along with your address. Swiss insurers will not insure without Swiss plates. You can ride without insurance to your first MFK but remember to remove non swiss number plates.

17

When I looked into it for BS it seemed to be much easier with a CoC and I was able to get one easily. When I went to the testing station they asked for it then told me that I have to keep it with the grey card as if it were an extension/supplement to the grey card.

18
You get CoC from garage and by garage you mean a looker BMW dealer for example? Is it better to get in UK?

19
I have an entry in grey card that I should carry coc with me At least that is the way I understand the note.

20
I never said garage. My car was sold new in the UK and I got mine from BMW head-office or similar in the UK. I did some searching around at the time and stumbled across a post that said to fax them so I did. Dealerships are exactly that - they deal in BMWs and they are not BMW themselves.

Dear Mr. Landers

Just a quick message in regards to your fax regarding a CoC for your vehicle.

The duplicate EC Certificate of Conformity will be sent out today via airmail.

In this case the CoC will be free of charge.

Kindest Regards

Gary Forrest

BMW Group UK

Gary Forrest

Technical Support Analyst

Ellesfield Avenue

Bracknell

Berkshire RG12 8TA

Phone: +44 (0) 1344 480698

Fax: +44 (0) 1344 480 173

Mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Url: http://www.bmwgroup.com/