Import a car from Belgium to Switzerland
Why Belgium?
Belgium has a remarkably large vehicle market for its size, because many company cars reach the trade after three to four years. They are usually well equipped, with a full service record and a clear history. VAT is 21 %.
Car-Pass — in Belgium the mileage is documented by law
Belgium is one of the few countries where a Car-Pass is mandatory for every used-car sale: an official document listing every odometer reading taken at a garage visit. Buying in Belgium therefore gives you a mileage history that does not exist in this form in Germany or France. For an imported car that is a tangible advantage — odometer tampering is the most common disappointment in a cross-border purchase. Ask for the Car-Pass before you pay a deposit; it costs the seller a few euros and is required by law anyway.
What you get back
You reclaim the 21 % VAT from the seller after export, provided the car was sold under the normal VAT scheme and the export is declared correctly. We prepare the export documents the seller needs.
What the Swiss side costs
Swiss charges are the same for every country of origin. No import duty has applied since 1 January 2024 — with industrial tariffs abolished, the rate for vehicles is CHF 0.00 regardless of origin. No proof of preferential origin (EUR.1) is needed. The customs declaration remains mandatory.
| Charge | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Automobile tax | 4 % | vehicle value plus incidental costs to the border |
| Import VAT | 8.1 % | as above, plus the automobile tax |
| CO2 penalty | CHF 95 per gram | only for vehicles new under customs law |
| Import duty | CHF 0.00 | since 1 January 2024 |
The 4 % automobile tax does not apply to every vehicle: motorcycles and caravans are not covered by the Automobile Tax Act, and neither is a van over 1,600 kg unladen weight. With a motorhome, the CO2 penalty falls away instead.
What to watch when buying
Belgian plates are tied to the person and stay with the seller; you cannot drive the car home on its existing plate. With company cars, check the mileage: four years of heavy use is not four years of private use.
Transport and process
We drive from Belgium regularly, often in groupage transport with cars from the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The process is the same in every country: you choose the car, we obtain the papers and handle the export, collect the vehicle, clear it at the Thayngen customs office and take you through MFK (the Swiss roadworthiness test) and registration in your canton of residence. Allow two to four weeks.
What it costs
The final price for your car comes out of the import calculator — origin, vehicle type, all charges and transport from your collection point. No account, no email address. The items are explained in calculating import costs, three worked cases under cost examples.