Was kostet ein kompletter Fahrzeugimport bei Finsler Customs?

Das Full-Service-Honorar liegt üblicherweise bei rund CHF 1'200; der exakte Betrag wird in der Offerte berechnet und hängt vom Aufwand ab. Dazu kommen die Abgaben: 4 % Automobilsteuer, 8,1 % Einfuhrsteuer und CHF 20 für den Prüfungsbericht 13.20 A. Der Einfuhrzoll beträgt seit dem 1. Januar 2024 CHF 0.

Kann ich einzelne Leistungen buchen statt des Komplettpakets?

Ja. Die Zollabwicklung gibt es als Einzelleistung pauschal ab CHF 250 — dann kaufen Sie das Fahrzeug selbst und geben nur die Grenzformalitäten ab. Auch der Dokumentenservice für fehlende COC-Papiere ist einzeln buchbar.

Wie lange dauert ein Import von der Bestellung bis zum Kontrollschild?

Kalkulation und Verzollung erfolgen jeweils am selben Tag, Kauf und Transport brauchen zusammen ein bis acht Tage. Der Engpass ist die MFK: Je nach Kanton dauert es eine bis vier Wochen bis zum Termin. Insgesamt sind zwei bis sechs Wochen realistisch.

Was kostet die Importberatung?

Nichts. Die Beratung vor dem Kauf ist kostenlos — sie soll klären, ob sich der Import für Ihr Wunschfahrzeug überhaupt rechnet. Bei jungen Fahrzeugen mit hohem CO₂-Wert kann die Sanktion den Preisvorteil vollständig aufzehren.

Vehicle import services

In brief: Finsler Customs offers five services around importing a vehicle from Germany: the full-service import for around CHF 1'200 as a rule, customs clearance as a stand-alone service at a flat rate from CHF 250, vehicle sourcing, the document service for COC (certificate of conformity) papers and the Fahrzeugbrief (the German vehicle title), and free import advice before you buy.

Finsler Customs GmbH, based in Thayngen (canton of Schaffhausen), handles vehicle imports from Germany into Switzerland – either as a complete package or as a single service. The company sits a few hundred metres from the Thayngen border crossing, the main customs crossing for vehicles coming out of southern Germany. That is why clearance is usually done the same day.

The five services at a glance

Service	Who it suits	Price range
Vehicle import Germany–Switzerland	Anyone who wants to hand the whole import over – purchase, transport, customs, MFK (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle, the cantonal roadworthiness test), registration	around CHF 1'200 as a rule, exact figure in the quote
Customs clearance	Anyone who has bought the vehicle themselves and hands over only the border formalities	flat rate from CHF 250
Vehicle sourcing	Anyone looking for a particular model who leaves the search at German dealers to us	included in the full service
Document service	Anyone who has to obtain a replacement COC or a Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (German registration certificate, part II)	according to the work involved
Import advice	Anyone who wants to know before buying whether the import pays off	free of charge

How an import runs

The sequence is the same in every case, no matter how many steps you hand over:

Step	What happens	Duration
1. Calculation	Record the vehicle data, work out the duties, taxes and incidental costs	same day
2. Purchase	Sales contract with the German dealer, prepare the export procedure	1–3 days
3. Transport	Collection from the dealer, run to the customs office	1–5 days
4. Customs clearance	Declaration in Thayngen, duties and taxes, Form 13.20 A inspection report	same day
5. MFK	Appointment at the cantonal road traffic office, technical inspection	1–4 weeks depending on the canton
6. Registration	Licence plates, handover of the road-ready vehicle	1–2 days

The financial picture comes beforehand from the car import calculator; the full sequence is described in the guide The import process step by step.

The services in detail

Vehicle import Germany–Switzerland

A complete vehicle import from Germany into Switzerland: purchase, transport, customs clearance, MFK preparation and registration from one hand.

Customs clearance

Professional customs clearance for vehicles at the Thayngen border: electronic declaration, customs certificate 13.20A, automobile tax and VAT – flat rate from CHF 250.

Vehicle sourcing

Have the vehicle you want found in Germany: market research, condition check, price negotiation and purchase handled by Finsler Customs.

Document service

Obtaining and checking every import document: COC certificate, customs certificate 13.20A, inspection report and registration papers.

Import advice

Personal advice before you import a car: a transparent calculation, the risks kept in view and an honest verdict on whether the import is worth it.

Frequently asked questions

What does a complete vehicle import cost at Finsler Customs?

The full-service fee is usually around CHF 1'200; the exact amount is calculated in the quote and depends on the work involved. On top of that come the levies: 4 % automobile tax, 8.1 % import VAT and CHF 20 for the Form 13.20 A inspection report. Import duty has stood at CHF 0 since 1 January 2024.

Can I book single services instead of the complete package?

Yes. Customs clearance is available as a stand-alone service at a flat rate from CHF 250 — you then buy the vehicle yourself and hand over only the border formalities. The document service for missing COC papers can also be booked on its own.

How long does an import take from order to licence plate?

Calculation and customs clearance each happen the same day, purchase and transport together take one to eight days. The bottleneck is the MFK: depending on the canton it takes one to four weeks to get an appointment. Two to six weeks is realistic overall.

What does import advice cost?

Nothing. Advice before the purchase is free — it is there to settle whether importing the vehicle you have in mind adds up at all. On newer vehicles with a high CO₂ figure, the penalty can swallow the price advantage entirely.

Figures and timeframes at a glance

Item	Value
Full-service import	around CHF 1'200 as a rule
Customs clearance as a stand-alone service	flat rate from CHF 250
Import advice before the purchase	CHF 0
Automobile tax / import VAT	4 % / 8.1 %
Import duty since 1 January 2024	CHF 0
Form 13.20 A inspection report	CHF 20
Typical total duration	2 to 6 weeks

Sources and legal basis

The information on this page rests on the official publications below. The wording of the legislation in force is always what counts.

More information

Car import calculator – work out duty, automobile tax, VAT and CO₂
Have a car imported – full service from the search to registration
All services – import, customs, sourcing, documents, advice
Guides – seventeen articles on importing vehicles
CO₂ calculator – work out the penalty using the SFOE formula
Transport calculator – guide price for delivery within Switzerland
Thayngen customs office – opening hours, directions and procedure
Importing in the canton of Schaffhausen – customs, MFK and registration on the spot
For German dealers – selling vehicles to Swiss buyers
About Finsler Customs – the company, the location and how we work
Contact and advice