Importing a motorcycle into Switzerland
By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:
In short: Importing a motorcycle into Switzerland triggers neither automobile tax nor a CO₂ penalty — motorcycles fall under customs tariff heading 8711, and that heading does not appear in the Swiss Automobile Tax Act. The only levy due is the 8.1 % import VAT. Import duty has no longer applied since 1 January 2024.
No automobile tax — and the law says so
Almost every guide on the web quotes one flat figure for vehicle imports: 4 % automobile tax plus 8.1 % VAT. For motorcycles that is wrong. Article 2 of the automobile tax act lists three groups and nothing else: vehicles under tariff number 8702 up to 1,600 kg unit weight, passenger cars under numbers 8703.1000–9060, and goods transport vehicles under number 8704 up to 1,600 kg. Motorcycles run under 8711 and do not appear in that list. Directive 68 of the Swiss customs authority FOCBS, which spells out what counts as an automobile, does not mention them at any point. That removes 4 % on the entire vehicle value — on a machine costing EUR 15,000 roughly CHF 560, which elsewhere is wrongly built into the calculation.
The charges at a glance
| Charge | Motorcycle |
|---|---|
| Customs tariff number | 8711 |
| Import duty | CHF 0.00 (since 1 January 2024) |
| Automobile tax 4 % | no — not in the automobile tax act |
| Import VAT 8.1 % | yes |
| CO₂ levy | no |
| MFK (the cantonal roadworthiness test) | yes |
Basis: Art. 2 of the Automobile Tax Act lists the tariff numbers it covers exhaustively; number 8711 for motorcycles is not among them. FOCBS directive 68, version of 1 July 2026, does not mention motorcycles anywhere.
What does it cost to import a motorcycle worth CHF 15,000?
A motorcycle worth CHF 15,000 including transport to the border costs CHF 1,215 to import: only the 8.1 % import VAT is due. A passenger car of equal value would pay CHF 600 automobile tax and CHF 1,263.60 import VAT, CHF 1,863.60 in total. Pricing a motorcycle at car rates means overpaying CHF 648.60.
What should I check when importing a motorcycle?
For Swiss registration a motorcycle needs an MFK — the roadworthiness inspection at the cantonal road traffic office — and, like any imported vehicle, the COC (certificate of conformity). On older machines, check whether a Swiss type approval exists; without one the vehicle goes through individual approval, which costs time.
Modified exhausts, handlebars or lighting are the most common reason a machine fails the MFK.
Customs clearance and registration
A motorcycle is declared at the Thayngen customs office just like a car. Swiss customs (FOCBS) issues the Stammnummer, the Swiss vehicle number; it appears in inspection report 13.20 A, with which you register the machine for inspection and registration in your canton of residence. The import calculator works out the final price including transport once you select motorcycle as the vehicle type.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay automobile tax when I import a motorcycle?
No. Article 2 of the Automobile Tax Act lists only tariff headings 8702 (up to 1,600 kg), 8703 and 8704 (up to 1,600 kg). Motorcycles are classified under 8711, which is not among them. What remains is the 8.1 % import VAT.
Is a CO₂ penalty charged on a motorcycle?
No. The CO₂ emission regulations apply to passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, not to motorcycles.
What does importing a motorcycle cost in total?
On top of the 8.1 % import VAT on the customs value come transport, the customs declaration, the Swiss roadworthiness test and registration. With no automobile tax and no CO₂ penalty, importing a motorcycle works out considerably cheaper than importing a passenger car of the same value — run the figures for your own machine through the import calculator.
Does an imported motorcycle need a Swiss roadworthiness test?
Yes, as a rule. Registration without presentation, which has applied to young passenger cars since 2026, requires an inspection report from the type-approval holder for motorcycles, and a single import hardly ever has one. If the exhaust, the handlebars or the lighting have been modified, expect to have to put them right — that is the most common reason for a defect being recorded at the test.
Is import duty charged when importing a motorcycle?
No. Since industrial tariffs were abolished, the Swiss duty rate has been CHF 0.00 since 1 January 2024 — regardless of the country the vehicle comes from and without any proof of origin. The customs declaration itself remains mandatory.
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.
- FOCBS – Importing vehicles into Switzerland
- FOCBS – Customs declaration and taxes on a vehicle import
- Automobile Tax Act (AStG, SR 641.51) (German text)
- Federal Act on Value Added Tax (VAT Act, SR 641.20)
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Calculators and tools
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Import by country of origin
- Importing a car from Germany into Switzerland
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- 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
Import by vehicle type
- Importing a passenger car into Switzerland
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