Expatriating to Switzerland with your own car

Question

I'm going to expatriate to Switzerland. I have a car which I'd like to take with me. From what I've heard you're allowed to take one car with you, and you have one year to change plates and security to Swiss one, but you need to report that car to the customs when you enter Switzerland.

Is it true? If so, it's problematic, because I don't know if I keep that car or sell it withing first year and buy more decent one in Switzerland (in that case I'd like to sell the car in Poland). If it's really necessary to declare I want to take that car with me already at start, am I allowed to change my mind, and what are the consequences?

Answer 1

I am living in Liechtenstein, but the country shares the same customs law of Switzerland (Customs union).

I moved here with my car, and I register at the custom as a moving item, so I paid no tax on importation. I changed my matriculation plate for a temporary one, and I am allowed to use it.

But moving a car here it can be tricky; I had to bring special paper and get my car checked by an "Expert" and paid the road taxes. In the end, it cost me around 850 CHF.

After more than a year, I am going to bring back my car and sell it to take a new car on a leasing in Switzerland, because the leasing agreement here is worth it.

It will certainly depend on how long you are going to stay in Switzerland and which type of residential permit you got to make a proper decision.

You will find more information here:

https://www.ch.ch/en/importations-cars-switzerland/

Answer 2

Do not bring the car to Switzerland. Just sell it and rent one if you need one for the first week or so. When you import the car you will pay a huge Swiss tax. If you don't have a strong reason to keep the car then forget this idea.