Using UK car while Swiss resident

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1

I am a UK national, resident in Switzerland with a C-Permit. I’ll be retiring at the end of December and plan to relocate back to the UK, permanently, in around 6 to 7 months’ time. i’ve had to hand back my company provided car and have bought a UK car. i plan to drive it over to Switzerland in January and keep it here until we relocate back to the UK…

i understand that i could keep it in Switzerland if i were a tourist for up to 6 months in any 12 month period, but, if I’m a Swiss resident, would i be required to formally import the car, switch it to Swiss plates, take out Swiss car insurance and then re-export the car when i leave ? Or could i just continue to use it on UK plates for 6 months?

Thanks

2

You have to import it and get new Swiss plates for it. Being a Swiss resident doesn’t give you any leeway.

I asked Swiss Customs a similar question as we plan to move back to the UK next year and will sell our Swiss car for a UK one. The answer we got back was for the UK car check at border control and you might get to bring it in import free for a couple of days.

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3

You’ll have to pay import tax on it as well. Does not seem worth it.

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4

Agree, it doesn’t seem worth it.

5

Thanks. Wow, just a couple of days import free. This may well change things.

6

See guidelines here:

https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/en/home/information-individuals/road-vehicles-and-watercraft/importation-into-switzerland/unverzollte-fahrzeuge-voruebergehende-in-der-schweiz-benutzen.html

Unfortunately, since you are are a resident, you have to permanently import it.

7

Yes. I was enquiring how long because my vague idea was we’d sell the Swiss car, fly over to the UK and pick up the UK one then drive back here for just a few days/a week to wrap up stuff before leaving permanently.

8

On the flipside my understanding is that as i could drive my Swiss car to the UK and leave it there / use it there for 6 months with no implications.

9

Yes.

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10

You can get an exemption for a few days from customs, not weeks or months.
I am amazed you found insurance in the UK as almost all require you to be UK resident

11

I’m in a similar conundrum, as buying a rally car in the UK… will end up renting a garage in DE, just over the border and ferrying stuff there

1 Like
12

Yes, the insurance thing is something I’ve often known people to blatantly lie about - Oh, as long as I have a UK address it’s fine, sort of thing. No, it’s not fine. Providing false details, even if it;s just the parental home where you genuinely used to live, means the insurance is invalid

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