The FEDRO confirmation when importing a vehicle
The short answer: The FEDRO confirmation is the Federal Roads Office's proof that the CO₂ enforcement procedure for an imported vehicle has been completed. The cantonal road traffic office asks for it whenever a vehicle counts as new under customs law — first registered less than six months ago, or six to twelve months ago with fewer than 5'000 km on the clock. Older used cars do not need it.
By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director of Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated: 15 July 2026 · Rates as at July 2026: automobile tax 4 %, Swiss VAT 8.1 %
Anyone importing a late-model vehicle from Germany runs into a document at registration that appears in no purchase contract: the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) confirmation on CO₂ emissions. Without it, the cantonal road traffic office will not issue licence plates. For older used cars, nobody asks for it.
When you need the confirmation — and when you don't
The dividing line is the same one that governs the CO₂ sanction: if the vehicle counts as new under customs law, the CO₂ enforcement procedure applies, and with it the duty to obtain the confirmation.
| Condition of the vehicle | CO₂ enforcement | FEDRO confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Never registered (factory new) | yes | required |
| First registered less than 6 months ago | yes | required |
| First registered 6–12 months ago, under 5'000 km | yes | required |
| First registered 6–12 months ago, 5'000 km or more | no | not required |
| First registered more than 12 months ago | no | not required |
| Vehicle was already registered in Switzerland | no | not required |
Electric vehicles are a special case: they go through the procedure like any other late-model vehicle, but at 0 g CO₂/km they never pay a sanction. They still need the confirmation if they count as new under customs law.
How to obtain the confirmation
The route does not run through customs but alongside it. Clearance settles the import duties and taxes, FEDRO handles the CO₂ side — two separate procedures at two federal bodies.
| Step | What happens | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Import notification | Report the vehicle data from the COC (certificate of conformity) to FEDRO | Importer or keeper |
| 2. Check | FEDRO compares the CO₂ figure against the kerb weight and works out the target value | FEDRO |
| 3. Sanction ruling | If the figure is above the target, an invoice from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) follows | SFOE |
| 4. Confirmation | Once enforcement is settled, the confirmation is issued | FEDRO |
| 5. Registration | Submit the confirmation together with Formular 13.20 A and the COC | Cantonal road traffic office |
For this you need the figures from the COC document: the WLTP CO₂ value (item 49) and the kerb weight (item 13). Without a COC it turns laborious — an individual technical assessment is then required, and the whole sequence slips by weeks.
What the confirmation costs
This is where the most widespread piece of misinformation on the subject circulates. The FEDRO fee ordinance contains no item for the CO₂ confirmation on a single import. We checked the full text of the annex to that ordinance (GebV-ASTRA, SR 172.047.40, as at 1 January 2026) — the list is exhaustive, and no such fee appears in it.
| Item in the fee ordinance | Amount | Does it apply to a single import? |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1.8.1 Disclosure of vehicle data, motor cars | CHF 5.50 | yes |
| 4a.1.1 Type approval, administrative processing | CHF 200 | no — type approval procedure |
| 4a.1.2 Granting of a type approval or data sheet | CHF 100 | no — type approval procedure |
| 4a.4.1 Conformity check, up to 4 hours | CHF 500 | no — type approval procedure |
The CHF 500 under item 4a.4.1 is regularly mistaken for the fee on an import. Item 4a has been in force since 1 January 2026 and governs the type approval procedure — the case in which a vehicle type is admitted in Switzerland for the first time. A single import with a valid COC does not go through that procedure.
What that means for you: if a provider bills you CHF 500 as a "FEDRO fee" or an "official confirmation charge" without which registration would supposedly be impossible, that is not a government fee but their own handling charge. They are entitled to ask for it — but they have to declare it for what it is. If in doubt, ask which item of the fee ordinance they mean.
The expensive part is not the confirmation but the sanction
The real cost does not arise from the paperwork but from the CO₂ sanction itself. It is calculated individually for each vehicle:
| Parameter | 2026 value |
|---|---|
| Base value | 93.6 g CO₂/km |
| Reference weight | 1'777 kg |
| Slope | −0.0144 per kilogram |
| Sanction per gram above the target | CHF 95 |
The individual target value is therefore 93.6 − 0.0144 × (kerb weight − 1'777). A vehicle with a kerb weight of 1'900 kg has a target value of 91.83 g/km; at 168 g under WLTP that gives an excess of 76.17 g and thus a sanction of CHF 7'236. How high it turns out in your case is something the CO₂ calculator works out in seconds.
Anyone importing late-model vehicles regularly can join an emission pool. There the figures are offset across a fleet, and the amounts per vehicle are often considerably lower than under individual assessment. For a one-off private import, the effort rarely pays off.
The three most common mistakes
| Mistake | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Buying a vehicle without checking its CO₂ figure | The sanction can swallow the entire price advantage — with heavy combustion-engine cars, several thousand francs in no time |
| Overlooking a first registration just under six months old | What looks like a used car counts as new under customs law and triggers the full enforcement procedure |
| Applying for the confirmation only after customs clearance | The vehicle stands idle until the paper arrives — storage days and a postponed MFK appointment (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle, the Swiss roadworthiness test) |
The second point is the most common one. A vehicle first registered five months ago with 3'000 kilometres reads like a one-year-old car in the listing, but under customs law it is a new vehicle — with a CO₂ sanction, a confirmation requirement and everything that goes with it. Check both before you buy, not afterwards.
How we handle it
On an import through Finsler Customs, we file the import notification with the data from the COC and obtain the confirmation before the vehicle goes to the cantonal road traffic office. Whatever sanction is due is in the quotation before you buy — not as a surprise after clearance. And we declare our handling charge as a service, not as a government fee.
The full sequence from purchase to licence plates is described in the guide The import process step by step; what the technical inspection requires is set out under MFK and registration.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FEDRO confirmation on a car import?
It is the Federal Roads Office's proof that the CO₂ enforcement procedure for an imported vehicle has been completed. The cantonal road traffic office asks for it when registering vehicles that count as new under customs law.
Do I need the FEDRO confirmation for a used car as well?
No. It is only required if the vehicle counts as new under customs law: never registered, first registered less than six months ago, or six to twelve months ago with fewer than 5'000 km. Older vehicles do not need it.
What does the FEDRO confirmation cost?
The FEDRO fee ordinance contains no item for the CO₂ confirmation on a single import. For the disclosure of vehicle data, CHF 5.50 is provided for. Anyone charging you CHF 500 as a government fee actually means their own handling charge — the CHF 500 in the ordinance relates to the type approval procedure, not to a single import.
Do electric cars need a FEDRO confirmation?
Yes, provided they count as new under customs law. At 0 g CO₂/km they never pay a sanction, but they still go through the enforcement procedure. The automobile tax of 4 % has also applied to electric cars since 1 January 2024.
How long does it take for the confirmation to arrive?
That depends on how complete the details are. With a valid COC document the process moves quickly; without one, an individual technical assessment becomes necessary and the sequence slips by weeks. So file the notification in parallel with customs clearance, not after it.
Who has to file the import notification — me or the dealer?
The importer, meaning the future keeper. If you are handling the import through a service provider, they file the notification with the data from the COC. On a direct import, you report the vehicle yourself.
Sources and legal basis
The information on this page is based on the official publications below. The wording of the legislation in force is always authoritative.
- FOCBS – Importing vehicles into Switzerland
- FOCBS – Customs declaration and taxes on a vehicle import
- Automobile Tax Act (AStG, SR 641.51)
- Value Added Tax Act (MWSTG, SR 641.20)
Further information
- Car import calculator – work out customs duty, automobile tax, VAT and CO₂
- Have a car imported – full service from the search to registration
- All services – import, customs, sourcing, documents, advice
- Guides – seventeen articles on vehicle imports
- CO₂ calculator – work out the sanction using the SFOE formula
- Transport calculator – guide price for delivery within Switzerland
- Thayngen customs office – opening hours, directions and procedure
- Importing in the canton of Schaffhausen – customs, MFK and registration on site
- For German dealers – selling vehicles to Swiss buyers
- About Finsler Customs – company, location and how we work
- Contact and advice