Importing a classic car into Switzerland: what applies, what has changed
By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:
In short: A classic car pays the same import charges as any other vehicle: no customs duty, 4 % Automobilsteuer (vehicle tax) and 8.1 % import VAT. No CO₂ penalty applies. From thirty years of age the veteran entry becomes possible; since 1 August 2026 the ASTRA directive no longer requires the car to be in original condition, only in technically sound condition.
The charges are the same as on any car
One misunderstanding first: a vehicle's age does not lower the import charges. A Mercedes from 1972 is assessed exactly like an estate car from 2023 — the difference lies in the value alone.
| Charge | Classic car |
|---|---|
| Customs duty | CHF 0 — industrial tariffs abolished in 2024 |
| Vehicle tax | 4 % on customs value plus transport |
| Import VAT | 8.1 % |
| CO₂ penalty | none — it only hits vehicles that count as new for customs |
The customs value is the price paid. With collector vehicles in particular it is often well above what a valuation list shows — the purchase contract still governs. How that is determined in detail is in the guide determining the customs value.
The veteran entry: what it is worth
Once the vehicle is over thirty years old, the cantonal road traffic office can enter code 180, "Veteranenfahrzeug", in the vehicle licence. That has three consequences:
- Inspection interval. Instead of every two years, the MFK roadworthiness test falls due only every six years.
- Tax. Most cantons charge the annual road tax for veteran vehicles at a flat and considerably lower rate. The rates differ by canton — Schaffhausen calculates differently from Zurich.
- Mileage limit. In return the vehicle may cover at most 3,000 kilometres a year and only for private use.
The entry is applied for at the cantonal road traffic office as part of the inspection. The date it is granted and the odometer reading go into the licence; at every later inspection the office checks whether the conditions are still met.
What changed on 1 August 2026
The ASTRA directive on veteran vehicles was revised together with the umbrella association SHVF and the association of cantonal road traffic offices, and has applied since 1 August 2026. The main change: the requirement that the vehicle correspond to its original specification has been dropped. The demand for a visually flawless condition has gone as well.
What remains is a technically sound condition. In practice that means:
- Dull original paint, worn chrome and visible signs of use no longer stand in the way of the entry.
- Technical modifications — disc brakes instead of drums, for instance — can be approved if they have been inspected and entered.
- Technical defects remain an obstacle. A torn seat cover that affects safety counts as one.
For an import that is good news: an honestly aged second-hand vehicle has an easier time than before, and a cleanly documented modification is no longer a knock-out criterion.
Emissions maintenance and papers
Vehicles first registered before 1 January 1976 are not subject to the emissions maintenance obligation at all. Younger classics without an OBD system need an emissions maintenance document — details in the guide emissions maintenance document.
Papers often get tight on old vehicles: there is no COC certificate for a car from 1968. The route then runs through individual approval, based on the foreign registration and, where needed, on documents from the marque club. If no evidence of emissions and noise exists at all, the vehicle is measured — and that is only possible at the two recognised bodies.
What we take on
We collect the vehicle, handle the export, clear it through customs and take it to the inspection. For vehicles that no longer drive reliably under their own power we recommend enclosed transport — what the transfer costs depends on distance and transport type. Whether a veteran entry is realistic for your vehicle we clarify beforehand; get in touch.
More information
- Import calculator — duty, vehicle tax, VAT and CO₂
- Guides on importing a car into Switzerland
- Frequently asked questions
- About Finsler Customs
- Contact and advice
- Car import Switzerland — start here
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