Vallorbe border crossing: importing a vehicle from France, cleared in Chavornay
By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:
Via Vallorbe we import vehicles from France in the Basic package for CHF 350 incl. VAT. Clearance does not take place at the crossing but in Chavornay, about 14 kilometres inland as the crow flies. The office there clears vehicles Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00, not on Saturdays.
Where is the Vallorbe border crossing?
Vallorbe is in the Vaud Jura, on the road from Pontarlier via Jougne into Switzerland. On the Swiss side the A9 towards Lausanne starts here.
We have vehicles cleared in Chavornay, on the Orbe plain near Orbe. The office «Chavornay» (CH005031) is at Rue de l'Industrie 4c.
Who is Vallorbe a good fit for?
Vallorbe is on your way if the vehicle is in the Doubs or the French Jura, for instance in Pontarlier or Besançon. On the Swiss side the crossing suits Yverdon, northern Vaud and Lausanne.
Why Chavornay?
Our orders via Vallorbe are cleared in Chavornay. That is where you collect the assessment notice and the inspection report 13.20 A. Allow for the drive from the crossing to Chavornay in your plans, and note the lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00.
How customs clearance works with Finsler Customs
- Enter the order online. In the import calculator you choose the Basic package and the Vallorbe crossing. Then you upload the purchase contract, registration certificate and COC and set the day you will cross the border.
- Declaration. We file the electronic import declaration for the vehicle. On site, a customs partner we work with handles the clearance for us.
- Collect the papers. On the agreed day you cross at Vallorbe and drive on to Chavornay. There you collect the assessment notice and the inspection report 13.20 A at the counter.
- Charges. The 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT go through our customs account and are passed on without mark-up; import duty has been CHF 0 since 1 January 2024. Our flat fee: CHF 350 incl. VAT, the same at every crossing.
Export formalities in the country of origin are not part of the Basic package: the export declaration is made there by the seller or a customs agent. If you want us to handle transport and export as well, choose Comfort or Premium. With the inspection report 13.20 A you then book the vehicle inspection (MFK) and registration in your canton.
Opening hours for vehicle imports
| Day | Import and clear a vehicle |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 08:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:00 |
| Saturday | closed |
| Sunday, public holidays | closed |
Retrieved on 28 October 2026 from the FOCBS directory of customs offices (Dienststellenverzeichnis des BAZG) for the office Douane Ouest – Chavornay (CH005031), service «Strassenfahrzeug direkt bei der Einfuhr verzollen» (clear a road vehicle directly on import). The directory is always authoritative.
The Swiss customs office
| Address | Rue de l'Industrie 4c, 1373 Chavornay |
|---|---|
| Customs office | Douane Ouest – Chavornay (CH005031) |
| Phone | +41 58 465 54 00 |
| douane.vaud@bazg.admin.ch |
Crossings nearby
The price is the same everywhere. These crossings are the nearest:
- Geneva-Bardonnex (France)
- Boncourt–Delle (France)
- Great St Bernard (Italy)
Read on
- All 17 border crossings on the map
- Thayngen customs office: our head office and the border procedure in detail
- Importing a car from France
- Import calculator: work out the charges and choose your crossing
Frequently asked questions
Can I clear the vehicle directly in Vallorbe?
Not with us. Vehicles we import via Vallorbe are cleared in Chavornay, at Rue de l'Industrie 4c. That is also where you collect the papers.
Where is Chavornay?
On the Orbe plain in the canton of Vaud, near Orbe and about 14 kilometres as the crow flies from the Vallorbe crossing.
When can I import a vehicle via Vallorbe?
The customs office in Chavornay clears vehicles Mon–Fri 08:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:00, closed on Saturdays, never on Sundays or public holidays. The hours come from the FOCBS directory of customs offices. Plan your trip so you are not at the counter just before closing time.
What does customs clearance via Vallorbe cost?
Our Basic package costs CHF 350 incl. VAT, the same as at every other crossing. On top come the charges: 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT; import duty is CHF 0. The import calculator shows what that means for your vehicle.
Sources and legal basis
The statements on this page rest on the following official publications. The wording of the enactments in force is always decisive.
- FOCBS – Importing vehicles into Switzerland
- FOCBS – Customs declaration and taxes on a vehicle import
- Automobile Tax Act (AStG, SR 641.51) (German text)
- Federal Act on Value Added Tax (VAT Act, SR 641.20)
- FOCBS – Frequently asked questions on clearing vehicles through customs
- FOCBS – Passar, the goods traffic system for customs declarations
- FOCBS – Opening hours of the customs offices
Company
Services
- All services
- Vehicle import DE→CH
- Customs clearance
- Vehicle sourcing
- Document service
- Import advice
- Vehicle detailing
Calculators and tools
- Import calculator
- Swiss customs fees
- CO₂ calculator
- CO₂ penalty
- Transport calculator
- Car transport to CH
- Check the Stammnummer
- FlexiMoto.ch
Location
Import by country of origin
- Importing a car from Germany into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Austria into Switzerland
- Import a car from France into Switzerland
- Import a car from Italy to Switzerland
- Import a car from the Netherlands into Switzerland
- Import a car from Belgium to Switzerland
- Importing a car from Luxembourg into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Czechia into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Poland into Switzerland
- Import a car from Sweden into Switzerland
- Import a car from Norway to Switzerland
Import by vehicle type
- Importing a passenger car into Switzerland
- Importing a motorcycle into Switzerland
- Importing a van up to 3.5 t into Switzerland
- Importing a motorhome into Switzerland
- Importing a caravan into Switzerland