Vehicle Import from Germany to Switzerland

By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:

Short answer: Finsler Customs handles imports from Germany in three packages. Basic is customs clearance: CHF 350 incl. VAT plus charges. Komfort adds transport and, on request, the purchase for your account; Premium adds the MFK and registration. Charges (4 % automobile tax, 8.1 % VAT) and fees: about 13–15 % of the net price from CHF 55,000, more for cheaper cars.

Rates checked on 8 October 2026: automobile tax 4 %, Swiss VAT 8.1 %

Finsler Customs handles the vehicle import from Germany to Switzerland – transport, customs clearance, MFK and registration in your canton of residence. You buy the car yourself; if you commission us, we handle the purchase on your behalf and for your account.

The company is based in Thayngen (SH), about a kilometre from the Thayngen customs office; the clearance itself usually takes half a day.

The quote shows the Swiss final price item by item: automobile tax (4 %), Swiss VAT (8.1 %), official charges and our fee.

What the Komfort and Premium packages cover

How does the import work?

An import with Komfort or Premium follows a fixed sequence: you name the vehicle (the link to the listing is enough) or let us search, request the offer in the import calculator (valid for 7 days), place a binding order in your customer account; once we accept, the invoice follows and confirms the order. Then come the purchase (if you have handed it to us; you then pay the invoice beforehand), transport, customs clearance, MFK and registration; without purchase handling the invoice is payable within 5 days of the border crossing. Finsler Customs does not sell vehicles itself. From the decision to buy to handover, expect 2–4 weeks as a rule. The guide The import process step by step explains the whole sequence together with every document involved.

Costs at a glance

As a rule of thumb, duties and fees add roughly 13–15 % to the net purchase price of cars from CHF 55,000 (automobile tax, VAT, transport, customs declaration, MFK), more for cheaper cars, because transport and clearance are fixed amounts – import duty has no longer applied since 1 January 2024. Before you buy, you receive an offer by e-mail listing every cost item and valid for 7 days; the car import calculator gives you a free estimate up front. On two of our orders the import price came in about CHF 14,140 (Mercedes GLS) and CHF 9,120 (BMW X5) below a comparable Swiss listing. Whether an import pays off depends on the model.

Going deeper: three fully calculated cost examples and the guide Warranty on imported vehicles.

Other services

If the counter for commercial goods is closed when you reach the border, you can enter with the temporary certificate form 15.25 and clear the vehicle inland within 2 working days.

Sources and legal basis

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

Frequently asked questions

Which import packages are there?

Three. Basic: a fixed import fee of CHF 350 incl. VAT plus duties and taxes for a car you have bought yourself, with customs documents, the declaration at the customs office and Form 13.20 A; the charges run through our customs account, and you handle the purchase, collection and the drive across the border. Komfort: purchase handling (if you commission us), transport, clearance through our customs account, exchange-rate protection and delivery to your door; the MFK and registration are up to you. Premium: as Komfort, plus the MFK, registration, Swiss number-plate holders and the digital motorway vignette. The fee for Komfort and Premium depends on the net purchase price in francs: 3 % up to CHF 70,000, 3.5 % up to CHF 100,000, 4 % above that, each applied to the whole price. For a car costing CHF 40,000 that is CHF 1,200 with Komfort. With Premium it comes to CHF 1,450 in the same example, because the MFK test, registration, plate holders and vignette are included. VAT is added; the quote states the exact amount.

Can I book a single step only?

Only customs clearance: clearance on its own is the Basic package, a fixed CHF 350 incl. VAT plus duties and taxes. All other steps of an import, including transport across the border, come only as part of Komfort or Premium. We offer pure vehicle transport within Switzerland separately; the transport calculator shows the guide price. The import consultation is free and not tied to any package.

What does an import with Komfort or Premium cost?

As a rule of thumb for cars from CHF 55,000, around 13–15 % of the net purchase price in duties and fees (4 % automobile tax, 8.1 % VAT, transport, customs declaration, MFK); for cheaper cars the share is higher, because transport and clearance are fixed amounts. Import duty has no longer applied since 1 January 2024 – whatever the country of origin. The fee for Komfort and Premium depends on the net purchase price in francs: 3 % up to CHF 70,000, 3.5 % up to CHF 100,000, 4 % above that, each applied to the whole price. For a car costing CHF 40,000 that is CHF 1,200 with Komfort. With Premium it comes to CHF 1,450 in the same example, because the MFK test, registration, plate holders and vignette are included. VAT is added; the quote states the exact amount. Customs clearance on its own is the Basic package: a fixed CHF 350 incl. VAT plus duties and taxes.

Can I pick the car myself?

Yes – a link to the listing on mobile.de or AutoScout24 is all it takes. Finsler Customs checks condition, history, VAT status and whether the car can be imported before you commit.

Which makes do you import?

We regularly import BMW, Audi, Mercedes, VW, Volvo, Porsche, Tesla, Skoda, Seat, Cupra and others, including collector's and classic cars, provided they can be registered in Switzerland.

How long does the complete import take?

Typically 2–4 weeks. The biggest time factors are the MFK appointment in your canton of residence (1–8 weeks' waiting time) and sourcing a missing COC document, the European certificate of conformity (one to four weeks from the manufacturer).

Who bears the transport risk?

In the Komfort and Premium packages the transport is covered by comprehensive insurance, and we report any damage to the insurer. In the Basic package you drive yourself, so your own insurance applies. At the end you receive complete handover documentation.

Does the manufacturer's warranty apply in Switzerland too?

Yes, the factory warranty applies across Europe and can be claimed at any official brand dealership in Switzerland – no matter which EU country the vehicle was bought in.

Google reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 13 Google reviews (as of October 2026)

As of October 2026

  • Roger Bührer
    «Das ist Dienstleistung pur. Auch bei nicht alltäglichen Aufgaben stets die Lösung gefunden und zielorientiert kommuniziert. Besten Dank.»
  • Patrick Weberin French
    «Très professionnel, très réactif. A recommander et je n'hésiterai pas à faire à nouveau appel à eux.»
  • Miriam
    «Habe mein Auto über Finsler Customs erhalten und war mit dem Prozess sehr zufrieden. Der Ablauf war sehr schnell und ich konnte mein Auto dadurch wesentlich günstiger erhalten als in der Schweiz. Vielen Dank, gerne wieder :)»

Google reviews, quoted word for word in the original language (German or French).

All reviews on Google

Finsler Customs GmbH

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Finsler Customs GmbH · Rebbergstrasse 6 · 8240 Thayngen · +41 77 246 76 37 · info@finsler-customs.ch · Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00

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