Importing a car from Austria into Switzerland

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

In short: An import from Austria into Switzerland attracts 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT, plus the CO₂ penalty on vehicles that count as new under customs law. Import duty has no longer applied since 1 January 2024. The 20 % Austrian VAT comes back after export if the car is bought under the standard VAT scheme.

Why Austria?

Austria is the neighbouring market with the shortest routes to Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg. Prices sit below Swiss levels, the cars are usually well kept, and with willhaben.at there is one large, clearly laid out platform to search. Austrian VAT is 20 % and comes back on a standard-rated purchase.

The NoVA, and what changed on 1 July 2026

The Austrian price of a vehicle contains the NoVA, the Normverbrauchsabgabe or standard consumption levy. On export it can be refunded under § 12a NoVAG, which lowers the price a seller is able to accept. Since 1 July 2026 this refund is heavily restricted: under the Betrugsbekämpfungsgesetz 2025, the Austrian anti-fraud act, it covers only vehicles no more than four years old. The claim goes through the Austrian tax office, has to be filed within five years, and proof is required that the vehicle was in fact taken abroad. What matters for you as the buyer: the party entitled to claim is the registered keeper, meaning the seller, not you. On a young vehicle that is an argument in the negotiation; on an older one there is nothing left to get.

How much tax comes back from Austria?

A standard-taxed offer at EUR 36,000 contains 20 % VAT, which is EUR 6,000; the net price is EUR 30,000. If the car is sold under the margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung), the invoice shows no VAT and there is nothing to reclaim after export. So ask before any deposit whether the dealer will show the tax on the invoice.

On the Swiss side, origin makes no difference, not even for a car from Austria: a zero duty rate, 4 % automobile tax, 8.1 % import VAT and, on cars that count as new under customs law, the CO₂ penalty. How the amounts are worked out is set out in the country comparison; motorcycles and caravans pay no automobile tax.

Which papers does export from Austria need?

In Austria a vehicle is deregistered at a registration office, free of charge. The deregistration is noted on parts I and II of the registration certificate, and part I then stays with whoever deregistered the car. For the NoVA refund the seller later has to prove that the car really went abroad, so a copy of the export papers belongs with him too.

What to watch when buying

Ask to see the Pickerl, the § 57a roadworthiness inspection: it says a lot about condition. Austrian plates are tied to the person and stay with the seller; for export the vehicle is deregistered.

How far is it from Austria to Switzerland?

From Vienna to Thayngen it is 684 km, from Salzburg 414 km. Both routes run via Munich, the A96 and the northern shore of Lake Constance onto the A81 and to the Bietingen–Thayngen crossing. From Innsbruck (295 km) the shortest route goes over the Arlberg and through the Rhine valley straight into Switzerland.

We run transports from Austria regularly; from Vorarlberg and Tyrol the distances are short enough for a single vehicle to pay.

As a rule, you buy the car in Austria yourself. What stays with you after that and what we take on, up to MFK and registration, depends on the package (package overview). The import calculator works out the final price for a car from Austria.

Frequently asked questions

Do I get the NoVA back if I import a car from Austria?

Not you — only the registered keeper in Austria may file the claim. Since 1 July 2026 the refund has also been limited to vehicles up to four years old. On a young vehicle it is worth raising the point with the seller: he gets part of the NoVA back and can price accordingly.

How high is Austrian VAT, and does it come back?

20 %. You get it back if the vehicle is sold under the standard VAT scheme and the export is declared correctly. On used cars sold under the margin scheme there is nothing to reclaim.

Is importing from Austria cheaper than from Germany?

Usually not on the vehicle price — the German market is bigger and therefore cheaper. From Vorarlberg and Tyrol, on the other hand, transport costs less. Add the two together; the calculator does that for you automatically.

Is any import duty payable on an import from Austria?

No. Since the abolition of industrial tariffs, the Swiss duty rate for vehicles has been CHF 0.00 since 1 January 2024 — whatever the country of origin, and with no proof of origin required. Automobile tax, import VAT and, on new vehicles, the CO₂ penalty remain payable. The customs declaration itself is still mandatory.

How long does an import from Austria take?

Reckon on two to four weeks from the purchase contract. We drive to Austria regularly, so collection can usually be scheduled within a week. Customs clearance we normally handle the same day at the Thayngen customs office.

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.

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