Importing a car from Poland into Switzerland
Why Poland?
Poland has one of Europe's largest used-car markets and the lowest price level of all the countries listed here. VAT is 23 %.
The akcyza stays in the price — it is not refunded on export
Anyone registering a vehicle in Poland for the first time pays the excise duty akcyza: 3.1 % for engines up to 2 litres, 18.6 % above that. This tax sits in the price of every vehicle registered in Poland and is not refunded on export. On a large-engined car it is a noticeable amount, and it eats up the apparent price advantage. So do not measure a Polish offer against the Polish list price, but against a comparable German offer — the calculator shows you both final prices.
What you get back
You reclaim the 23 % VAT from the seller after export, provided the car was sold under standard VAT and the export is correctly declared. We produce the export papers the seller needs.
What the Swiss side costs
The Swiss levies are identical for every origin. No import duty has applied since 1 January 2024: with industrial tariffs abolished, the rate for vehicles is CHF 0.00 whatever the origin, and no EUR.1 proof of origin is needed. The customs declaration itself remains mandatory.
| Levy | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle tax | 4 % | vehicle value plus costs to the border |
| Import VAT | 8.1 % | as above, plus the vehicle tax |
| CO2 penalty | CHF 95 per gram | only for cars that count as new under customs law |
| Import duty | CHF 0.00 | since 1 January 2024 |
The 4 % vehicle tax does not hit every vehicle: motorcycles and caravans are absent from the Automobile Tax Act, as is a van over 1,600 kg unladen weight. For a motorhome, on the other hand, the CO2 penalty falls away.
What to check when buying
The Polish market lives largely on cars imported from Western Europe. Check the history especially carefully and insist on the papers from the country of first registration.
Transport and process
We arrange transport from Poland on request. The distances are long, so costs run higher than from Germany.
The process is the same for every country: you choose the car, we obtain the papers, handle the export, collect the vehicle, clear it at the Thayngen customs office and see you through MFK and registration in your canton. Allow two to four weeks; from Poland we arrange the transport on request.
What it costs
Calculate your final price in the import calculator: origin, vehicle type, all levies and transport from your collection point. No sign-up, no email. The items are explained in calculating import costs; three worked cases under cost examples.