Importing a car in the canton of Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is the canton with the longest border with Germany — and the only one that lies mostly north of the Rhine. For a vehicle import that is a tangible advantage: what elsewhere means a day's travel is a few kilometres here.
The three stations in the canton
| Station | Where | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Thayngen–Bietingen customs office | Zollstrasse 87, 8240 Thayngen | customs clearance, vehicle tax, import VAT, inspection report 13.20 A |
| Strassenverkehrs- und Schifffahrtsamt (road traffic office) | Rosengasse 8, 8200 Schaffhausen | MFK roadworthiness test, registration, number plates |
| Finsler Customs GmbH | Rebbergstrasse 6, 8240 Thayngen | handling from sourcing to handover |
Customs office and road traffic office are about 15 minutes apart by car. A vehicle cleared in the morning can go to the inspection the same day — provided the appointment is booked.
Why the Thayngen crossing matters
Thayngen–Bietingen is the main crossing for vehicles from southern Germany and is staffed for commercial goods throughout. Anyone importing from Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria passes through here anyway. The difference from a service provider in the Mittelland: no standing days arise, because the vehicle does not first have to be driven across the whole of Switzerland.
What actually happens at the border, which papers are demanded and how long it takes is on the page Thayngen customs office.
The roadworthiness test in the canton of Schaffhausen
The road traffic office in Schaffhausen is a border-canton authority and has the routine to match with imported vehicles. Appointments by telephone on +41 52 632 75 70 or online; waiting times are usually shorter than in the large cantons.
| Document | What for |
|---|---|
| Inspection report Form. 13.20 A | proof of a proper import — without it, no registration |
| COC certificate | technical conformity with the European type approval |
| Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II | the German vehicle title document |
| ASTRA confirmation | only for vehicles that count as new for customs purposes |
| Proof of insurance | sent electronically by the insurer to the office |
The full sequence with deadlines is described in the guide roadworthiness test and registration after an import; when the ASTRA confirmation is needed has a guide of its own.
Who benefits most from the short route
The location advantage works hardest when the vehicle enters via Thayngen anyway — that is, on purchases in southern Germany. Buy in northern Germany and the transport leg is the bigger cost factor; the clearance still happens here, because the route via Schaffhausen is the most direct into eastern Switzerland.
For keepers resident in the canton of Schaffhausen there is the added point that registration takes place in their own canton — no detour via an office elsewhere. What it costs is worked out before you buy by the import calculator.
Municipalities in the catchment area
The canton has around 84,000 inhabitants. Besides the town of Schaffhausen it includes Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Thayngen, Stein am Rhein, Beringen and Hallau among others. From anywhere in the canton the Thayngen customs office is reachable in under half an hour.
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