All You Need To Know About Obtaining Swiss Number Plates

You can drive imported vehicles in Switzerland provided you have a valid national or international driving license. 

While all Swiss drivers with registered vehicles must have their Swiss license, foreign drivers are permitted to drive unregistered vehicles for only 12 months.

Foreigners who have lived in the country for over 3 consecutive months uninterrupted ought to have their Swiss number plates to continue driving on public roads.

If you intend to import new or used vehicles into Switzerland, here is all the information you need for registration and obtaining Swiss plates.

How Does The Swiss Car Registration System Work?

Registering your imported car in Switzerland involves two main parts; having the car inspected and providing the required documents. You cannot avoid inspection since you will need to provide a report for it during the documentation stage.

The Association of Road Traffic Offices (ASA) carries out the vehicle inspection so you can have yours in the Swiss canton where you reside.

The testing is to make sure the vehicle is safe for the road. If your imported car has any defects, it is best to check it before the test date.

Here are the documents you will need to register a vehicle from abroad:

• Custom clearance confirmation.
• Foreign vehicle registration document.
• Certificate of Conformity (COC) to show the vehicle meets European standards. Process your COC here so your registration process goes smoothly.
• The test report you receive from Customs.
• An identification document e.g foreign passport.
• Confirmation of your address.
• Proof of insurance from the insurance company.

The vehicle registration document may have the previous keeper’s name if it is a used imported car. You can contact the Road Traffic Office in your canton to know if submitting other documents like the vehicle manual is mandatory. 

How To Apply For Swiss Number Plates?

You will receive your Swiss license number at the road traffic office after completing registration. Plates are issued according to the canton where the vehicle is stationed and you must have paid the registration and tax fee.

Fees

Registration fees vary from canton to canton.  Both the registration documents and license plates cost around CHF 50 (€51) and CHF 100 (€102). You can get more information on the breakdown of the registration fees from the licensing office in your canton. 

What Do Swiss Car Number Plates Look Like?

Swiss number plates come in both the high and long format for rear plates, or the standard format which measures 300 x 80 mm. The optional rear plates are 520 x 110 mm while the standard models are 300 x 160 mm.

The rear plates contain two shields. The shield with the white cross on a red background represents Switzerland’s national flag. The other is the canton shield which differs depending on the canton where the vehicle was registered. These shields are positioned on each side of the plate.

Current Swiss license plates have black characters on a white background and a black frame. Some cantons make retro-reflective plates mandatory.

Format Of Swiss Number Plates

Swiss plates contain two letters and numerals which can be up to 6 digits. The two letters represent the canton; for instance, ‘BE’ stands for Bern while ‘GL’ stands for Glarus.

Some plates contain information about the garage where they were made underneath the plate registration characters.

What Types Of Swiss License Plates Exist?

In Switzerland, plates belonging to passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers stick to the standard format. However, there are plates with unique features.

For instance, utility vehicle plates have black letters on a light blue background. Also, license plates of road maintenance trailers do not contain the shields on regular plates.

Another unique type of plate is those given out during temporary registration. They contain a red stripe to show the plate’s expiry date.

Swiss Custom Number Plates

You can customize your Swiss plate if the vehicle licensing office confirms that the particular desired number is still available. These special numbers cost more.

Can You Change Your Swiss Number Plate?

Swiss license plates are interchangeable between vehicles. To do this, you must own both vehicles and keep them in the same canton. However, you cannot change the license number itself since it is assigned to you and not to the car.