Switzerland - Register a Vehicle

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Procedure

1. Approach your local Road Traffic Office to have your vehicle registered.
2. Fill up the appropriate registration form.
3. You will receive your car tax bill once your car has been registered.

Personalised Number Plates

Personalised number plates are available at some cantonal road traffic offices. A list of unregistered number plates is available at the road traffic office or in some cantons online.

Vehicles marked "change of owner prohibited"

If you want to buy a vehicle marked with "change of owner prohibited", you must fill in the appropriate form so that you will be able to register it.

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Required Documents

• Insurance certificate (available from your insurance provider)
• Completed registration form:
  • For New vehicles: test report form 13.20A (from garage or dealer)
  • For Used vehicles: vehicle registration document of the previous owner (where appropriate with test report or form 13.20B, if the vehicle was registered)
• Foreign nationals: residence permit (when obtaining plates for the first time)

Note: Customs duty must be paid on cars manufactured abroad.

Office Locations & Contacts

The Road Traffic Offices are responsible for driving licenses, license plates and vehicle taxes, to search for their address and contact number follow link below.

• Road Traffic Offices

http://www.strassenverkehrsamt.ch/

Eligibility

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Fees

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Validity

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e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

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Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

In each canton there is a Road Traffic Office. The Road Traffic Offices are responsible for driving licenses, license plates and vehicle taxes.

Required Information

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e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the Document

Vehicle registration is a requirement by the state. It's purpose is to establish clear ownership and to tax motorist or vehicle owners.

Almost all vehicles bears a unique vehicle identification number, but only registered ones display a vehicle registration plate and carry a vehicle registration certificate.

A motor vehicle may only be driven on public roads if it is registered and displays a plate number. The vehicle must comply with regulations and meet road safety requirements and be covered by third party insurance.

Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Registering a Vehicle:

https://www.ch.ch/en/registering-vehicle

• Cars and Other Vehicles:

https://www.ch.ch/en/cars-and-other-vehicles/

Others

More information which might help people.