Have your car imported: Komfort and Premium from Finsler Customs

By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:

The short answer: Having Finsler Customs import a car from Germany costs 4 % automobile tax, 8.1 % import VAT and a fee from 3 % of the net purchase price. Komfort covers transport and customs clearance; Premium adds the MFK test and registration. You buy the car yourself or, if you instruct us, we buy it for you.

Rates checked on 8 October 2026: automobile tax 4 %, Swiss VAT 8.1 %

Two ways to start an import

Your situationHow it works
You have already found your car (mobile.de, AutoScout24, a dealer)Send us the link – we check the COC (Certificate of Conformity) and the VAT status and give you the final price. You buy the car yourself, or you commission us: then we handle the purchase on your behalf and for your account.
You are still lookingDefine a search profile – our vehicle sourcing service combs the German market and puts forward only cars we have vetted.

What does it cost to have a car imported?

For cars from CHF 55,000, roughly 13–15 % of the net purchase price in duties and fees, more for cheaper cars, because transport and clearance are fixed amounts; plus, with Komfort and Premium, a fee from 3 % of the net purchase price, CHF 1,200 with Komfort on a CHF 40,000 car. The duties are 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT; there is no import duty, as the tariff rate has been zero since 1 January 2024. The quote states the exact amount and is valid for 7 days.

The quote lists every item: vehicle price, transport, customs clearance, customs declaration, MFK and registration. The zero tariff rate applies whatever the country of origin and without proof of origin; the customs declaration itself remains mandatory. For cars that count as new under customs law — never registered, first registered no more than 6 months ago, or 6–12 months ago with under 5,000 km — the CO2 penalty is added on top. Customs clearance on its own, for people importing a car themselves, is the Basic package: a fixed CHF 350 incl. VAT plus duties and taxes. For concrete figures: three worked cost examples, or go straight to the car import calculator.

Four steps to a registered car

  1. Quote: fill in the import calculator with the vehicle link or your search profile, click “Get a quotation” and receive the quote with the final Swiss price by email (valid for 7 days).
  2. Purchase & transport: you buy the car yourself, or we handle the purchase on your behalf; then fully insured transport to the border at Thayngen.
  3. Customs clearance: cleared at the Thayngen customs office, about a kilometre from our office – usually in half a day, with the inspection report (Form 13.20 A).
  4. MFK & handover: registration in your canton of residence, with the MFK beforehand unless the car is a passenger car registered abroad for at most one year and driven at most 2,000 km. With Premium, number plate holders and the vignette are included.

Have it imported, or import it yourself?

Importing the car yourself saves roughly CHF 1,000 to 2,000 but takes two to four working days for viewing, the transfer, border formalities and the MFK. Then there are the familiar pitfalls: a missing COC, a margin-scheme purchase with no VAT refund, defects at the MFK. You will find an honest comparison, with a checklist of criteria, in our guides import service or import it yourself and comparing car import providers.

Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to have a car imported from Germany?

On top of the vehicle price, duties and fees come to roughly 13–15 % of the net purchase price as a rule of thumb for cars from CHF 55,000 (4 % automobile tax, 8.1 % VAT, transport, customs declaration, MFK); for cheaper cars the share is higher, because transport and clearance are fixed amounts. No import duty is added: the tariff rate for passenger cars has been CHF 0 since 1 January 2024. The fee for Komfort and Premium depends on the net purchase price in francs: 3 % up to CHF 70,000, 3.5 % up to CHF 100,000, 4 % above that, each applied to the whole price. For a car costing CHF 40,000 that is CHF 1,200 with Komfort. With Premium it comes to CHF 1,450 in the same example, because the MFK test, registration, plate holders and vignette are included. VAT is added; the quote states the exact amount. There are no hidden costs.

How long does it take to have a car imported?

Typically 2–4 weeks from order to handover of the registered vehicle. The biggest time factors are the wait for an MFK appointment in your canton of residence (1–8 weeks) and obtaining a missing COC (one to four weeks from the manufacturer).

Can I have a car imported that I have already bought?

Yes. Even if you have already signed the purchase contract, Finsler Customs takes on transport, customs clearance at the Thayngen border crossing, the MFK and registration. What matters is that the COC is available – if it is missing, our document service obtains it.

Is having a car imported worth it compared with importing it yourself?

Usually yes, once you count your own effort honestly: viewing the car, driving it home and dealing with the authorities cost several working days. An import with Komfort or Premium also avoids the expensive mistakes – buying without a COC, a margin-scheme purchase with no VAT refund, or an underestimated CO2 penalty on young vehicles.

Sources and legal basis

The information on this page is based on the official publications listed below. What is legally binding is always the wording of the enactments in force.

Finsler Customs GmbH

Company

Services

Calculators and tools

Location

Import by country of origin

Import by vehicle type

Finsler Customs GmbH · Rebbergstrasse 6 · 8240 Thayngen · +41 77 246 76 37 · info@finsler-customs.ch · Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00

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