Importing a Car to Geneva and the Canton of Vaud: The 2026 Registration Process

Do you live in Geneva or the canton of Vaud and are importing a vehicle — often from Germany? Once the vehicle has cleared customs, everything hinges on the cantonal vehicle service, and the procedures differ from one canton to the next. Here is the practical guide, updated for 2026, with the pitfalls specific to each canton.

This guide complements our general article on importing a car from Germany to Switzerland, which covers customs, VAT, and the automobile tax in detail.

The common starting point: federal customs

Before any cantonal steps, the vehicle goes through federal customs (OFDF). Once clearance is complete, customs issues form 13.20A — the inspection report bearing the customs stamp. This is THE proof of customs clearance that your canton will require next. Issuing it costs 20 CHF.

At this stage, the automobile tax (4%) and VAT (8.1%) are also settled. Form 13.20A then feeds directly into your cantonal file: it's the junction point between customs and the canton.

Geneva: the OCV procedure

In Geneva, everything goes through the Office cantonal des véhicules (OCV), route de Veyrier 86 in Carouge.

The step-by-step sequence

1. Customs clearance → obtaining the stamped 13.20A.
2. The OFROU stamp (the critical step): if the vehicle is subject to CO2 regulations, the 13.20A must be validated by the Office fédéral des routes (OFROU) in Bern, by mail, BEFORE the inspection appointment. You send a file (original COC, 13.20A, foreign registration certificate, CO2 certificate request form) and wait for it to come back stamped.
3. Booking an appointment at the OCV's technical inspection centre.
4. Inspection (identification and technical check) in Carouge.
5. Issuance of the registration certificate and plates.

The required documents

• Insurance certificate from a company registered in Switzerland (a German insurance policy is not enough).
• Customs authorisation (or tax assessment decision).
• Report 13.20A stamped by customs, and if applicable by the OFROU.
• Original European certificate of conformity (COC).
• The date of first registration (on the original registration certificate).
• The anti-pollution maintenance record issued in Switzerland.
• The vehicle's technical data (taken from the German Fahrzeugbrief).

Costs in Geneva

As a guide: inspection of a light vehicle around 160 CHF, registration certificate ~55 CHF, plates ~30 CHF. Note: Geneva's rates were revised on 1 January 2026 — check the current amounts on ge.ch.

Vaud: the SAN procedure

In the canton of Vaud, the Service des automobiles et de la navigation (SAN) handles registration. Important point: import files can only be submitted at the Lausanne centre (avenue du Grey), not at the Aigle, Nyon, or Yverdon centres.

The Vaud logic: the file comes first

1. Before buying, check that the vehicle can be registered in Switzerland.
2. Customs clearance (13.20A, taxes).
3. Put together the file with the corresponding form (form 1737 for an imported light vehicle without type approval, with the list of required documents on form 1712).
4. Submit the complete file in Lausanne → the SAN validates the file upfront.
5. Book the inspection appointment once the file is validated.
6. Registration after a successful inspection.

This is the difference in logic compared with Geneva: here, there's no OFROU stamp to send by mail yourself, but rather a file validated at the counter before you get the inspection appointment.

Costs in the canton of Vaud

Registration certificate: 45 CHF. Pair of plates (car): 60 CHF. The import inspection is billed after the check, by mail (amount to confirm with the SAN). Budget around 105 CHF for registration and plates, excluding inspection, insurance, and import taxes.

The cantonal inspection, in practice

The inspection is an identification and technical check before first registration in Switzerland. With a European certificate of conformity (COC), it's essentially limited to identification and a document check. Without a COC, it becomes considerably heavier and more expensive (requiring approved inspection bodies) — which is why it's essential to get the COC from the German seller before buying.

As for timing: it depends on how busy the cantonal service is; generally budget several weeks to get an appointment. For a precise schedule, contact the cantonal office directly.

Driving before registration: Z plates

To drive a vehicle that isn't registered yet (or hasn't cleared customs yet), there are temporary "Z" plates. It's a federal system, identical in both cantons:

• In the canton of Vaud: via form 211, with customs approval and a limited-term civil liability insurance certificate.
• In Geneva: via customs forms 15.30 / 15.40.

Their validity runs for up to one year. To bring the vehicle back from Germany, the other option is the German export plate (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) with transit insurance.

Geneva vs Vaud: the summary

Pitfalls to avoid

1. Geneva: forgetting the OFROU CO2 stamp before the inspection → a wasted trip.
2. Vaud: showing up anywhere other than Lausanne for an import file.
3. Arriving without a COC → a heavy inspection, with costs and delays spiralling.
4. A German insurance policy is not enough: you need civil liability cover from a company registered in Switzerland.
5. Forgetting part of the German paperwork (Fahrzeugbrief and Fahrzeugschein).

In summary

• It all starts with federal customs (13.20A), then moves to the cantonal service.
• Geneva: watch out for the OFROU stamp, which must be obtained by mail before the inspection.
• Vaud: file to be submitted only in Lausanne, validated before the appointment.
• Cantonal costs: around 150 to 250 CHF, excluding automobile tax and VAT.
• A COC and Swiss insurance are essential; Z plates let you drive in the meantime.

Amounts and timelines change: always check the latest information on ge.ch (OCV) or vd.ch (SAN). And if you'd rather hand over the whole process — customs, inspection, registration —, write to us: it's exactly what we handle for our clients in French-speaking Switzerland.