Re-importing a Swiss car
Discussion
Just wondering if anyone knows the rules around this and any inspections or duties involved. Or indeed where to find this info.
I have a 1972 merc which was originally supplied to a dealer in Zurich who are still in business so may hopefully be able to supply paperwork. The car has a vignette sticker from 2020 so hasn’t been out of the country long.
It’s my car but I’d like to keep it at my friends place in CH. Would I need to transfer ownership into her name? Is it possible to do this without incurring duties?
I have a 1972 merc which was originally supplied to a dealer in Zurich who are still in business so may hopefully be able to supply paperwork. The car has a vignette sticker from 2020 so hasn’t been out of the country long.
It’s my car but I’d like to keep it at my friends place in CH. Would I need to transfer ownership into her name? Is it possible to do this without incurring duties?
Guess you need to provide a bit more information to get a proper answer.
However, if you were living outside Switzerland and have owned the car for more than 6 months and are moving to Switzerland, you may import the car without any customs duty (like the rest of your personal belongings). If I'm corrrect you need to declare it at the customs and you will get a form that allows you to register the car. You must be Swiss resident and the customs declaration must be done within 12 months otherwise you loose the duty free import.
From which country is the car imported ?
Do you still have the original Swiss papers ?
However, if you were living outside Switzerland and have owned the car for more than 6 months and are moving to Switzerland, you may import the car without any customs duty (like the rest of your personal belongings). If I'm corrrect you need to declare it at the customs and you will get a form that allows you to register the car. You must be Swiss resident and the customs declaration must be done within 12 months otherwise you loose the duty free import.
From which country is the car imported ?
Do you still have the original Swiss papers ?
just seen this. i realise the post age so apologies for my lack of reply thus far.
i still have the car and i'm based in the uae. i don't have any swiss papers for it. i do spend a lot of time in switzerland hence i noted the vignette when i bought it and googled the dealer plate next to the VIN. they are still going and still a mercedes main dealer. hence if there is value in doing so i think i can pay them a visit next time i'm over [end of this month].
there may be a chance of me moving my residency to switzerland in the future, but the above situation would be to import and register it in someone else's name hence in the normal run of things duties would apply. it's worth more and an easier sale there than here, so if i got a couple summer's use out of it then sell it on, it would be ok. friend is perfectly ok with me keeping it at her place and registering/insuring it for our mutual use.
only i know someone who re-exported a car from uae to the eu without attracting duty as he got a letter from the supplying [porsche] dealer showing that eu duties and taxes were paid at the time of the original sale.
hence wondering if the swiss would be so accommodating?
i still have the car and i'm based in the uae. i don't have any swiss papers for it. i do spend a lot of time in switzerland hence i noted the vignette when i bought it and googled the dealer plate next to the VIN. they are still going and still a mercedes main dealer. hence if there is value in doing so i think i can pay them a visit next time i'm over [end of this month].
there may be a chance of me moving my residency to switzerland in the future, but the above situation would be to import and register it in someone else's name hence in the normal run of things duties would apply. it's worth more and an easier sale there than here, so if i got a couple summer's use out of it then sell it on, it would be ok. friend is perfectly ok with me keeping it at her place and registering/insuring it for our mutual use.
only i know someone who re-exported a car from uae to the eu without attracting duty as he got a letter from the supplying [porsche] dealer showing that eu duties and taxes were paid at the time of the original sale.
hence wondering if the swiss would be so accommodating?
I have certainly heard of simulate circumstances where a car previously registered in Switzerland can be reimported. If you happen to know in which canton the car might have been registered, it might pay to make inquiries there as each canton will likely have its own office/authority. Good luck!
I would email the authorities of the border in which you will enter with the car (officially speaking) - there is a website with the contact of the different border authorities. I have done so in the past and they were super nice (they helped with the filling of the import papers). Doesn’t mean you will get the answer you want, but they will likely answer it in short notice and be supportive where they can.
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