Was wondering is it possible to keep my car registered in switzerland (so plates, insurance) and de-register my residence, leave to non-eu country (temporary import up to 1 year, then cross border and repeat again) and have it like this until i want to sell the car? Or is car registration strictly tied to residency?
Most insurances require you to be resident here; so I think your challenge will be insurance
How will you manage to do it more than once? The second time the new country will realise that you have already temporary imported the same car 1 year earlier?
Are you planning to sell in Switzerland or the new country? If the second there will be customs issues to settle. Actually, it may be better to change the plates right away, as countries usually waive customs for goods imported due to a change or country, but this has to be as soon as you move.
As for the legality of having a registration and not live here, there are some options… Some cantons eg VS allow it if you have an economic attachment such as a holiday home and you use the car when you visit. Otherwise there are special types of plates, short-term plates, export plates, temporary plates (ending with Z) which are exactly for that. Keeping the usual plates is problematic, you need a valid address to receive documents (bills, fines…) and the insurance will need a correct address. Using export or temporary plates solves this problem at least. (Mind you in many cases if is way easier administratively to sell here and buy at the new place, but of course it depends on what type of car we are talking about.)
I know a number people who have Swiss registered cars that they leave at their chalets. i.e. Resident abroud but a car here. Seeing as car registration is Cantonal you should check locally.
You can’t import your car multiple times. I don’t know the rules of the country you are going to, but you can normally only import tax free for a short time after you move there.
For the non-eu country we are allowed to enter with foreign cars by leaving a deposit (which is a large sum in my case 15,000chf), then deposit will be returned once the car leaves again, and this can be repeated as many times as we want (because essentially if i do any manipulations like selling or smth or stay > 1 year, then deposit = import taxes will be just taken). So i wanted to keep my car until i am morally ready to sell it in Switzerland, i do not want to import anything as it is huge expenses, also additional equipment installation and i am not yet ready to sell. So I hoped that as long as there is some address i can give to insurance and strassenverkehrsamt, that car can stay with its plates. Question more if there is a strict requirement to be a resident to continue to have a car with swiss plates?
There are mail forwarding services that make it look like you have a Swiss address. Such as Address in Switzerland with Mail & Parcel Drop Box
Not recommending this one, just found it on a search.
For plates - I’m not aware of a strict requirement.
For insurance - my car insurance demands that I’m resident here (and asks for the permit type).
Plates are dependent of having insurance.
Mm ok, so like with banks more or less, under assumption they are not notified from officials about residency (and person has a swiss passport for example), might work
Also be cautious with the MFK - if you get a letter, you need to get the car to the MFK on the specified date/time or you lose your plates.