Registration

What happens during vehicle registration?

Vehicle registration in Switzerland is a systematic process that ensures all motor vehicles are officially document and authorised to driven on Swiss roads.

It involves several steps and requires the vehicle owner to provide specific documents and information to the cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt). Here’s an overview of what happens during vehicle registration in Switzerland:

1. Insurance Confirmation: Before registering a vehicle, the owner must obtain mandatory third-party liability insurance. The insurance company will issue an insurance certificate, which is sent directly to the cantonal road traffic office as proof of insurance. With a lease, it is mandatory to get fully comprehensive insurance.
2. Vehicle Inspection: New vehicles typically do not need an inspection for registration. However, used vehicles may need to pass a technical inspection to ensure they meet safety and environmental standards. This inspection is known as the "Motorfahrzeugkontrolle" (MFK) in Switzerland or MOT in the UK. Whether the car needs inspection depends on when the last inspection was carried out. For new vehicles, the first inspection is due 4 years after first registration. For used vehicles, inspection is required every two years.
3. Providing Necessary Documents: The vehicle owner must submit several documents to the cantonal road traffic office, including a valid ID or passport, and proof of residence.
4. Payment of Taxes: The registration process involves paying fees, including the registration fee and possibly a road tax, which varies depending on the canton.
5. Receiving the Registration Documents and Plates: Once the registration process is complete and all fees are paid, the cantonal road traffic office issues the official registration document ("Fahrzeugausweis" in German) and licence plates. The registration document contains important information about the vehicle and its owner.
6. Mounting the Plates: The vehicle owner is responsible for mounting the issued plates on the vehicle before it can be driven on public roads.
7. Periodic Vehicle Inspections: After the initial registration, vehicles must undergo periodic technical inspections at intervals specified by the cantonal authorities to remain registered for road use.

The entire process ensures that vehicles on Swiss roads are safe, comply with environmental standards, and are covered by insurance. Vehicle registration in Switzerland is canton-specific, so some details of the process and the fees involved may vary slightly from one canton to another.

When getting a lease with gowago.ch, customers have the option to have the car registered by the Gowago delivery team.