Swiss customs moving: clearing your household goods without duty

Bring your belongings into Switzerland under the moving-goods relief, with the paperwork prepared and checked before it reaches the border.

Swiss customs moving has a specific relief for people who transfer their residence to Switzerland: your used household goods can enter the country free of customs duty and import VAT, provided you meet the conditions and file the right declaration. Getting this wrong is expensive and slow, because customs treats an incomplete inventory or a missed condition as grounds to tax the whole shipment, not just the item in question.

My Swiss Relocation prepares the inventory, completes Form 18.44 with your carrier, and stays available while your container or truck is cleared, so the administrative side does not become a second move on top of the physical one.

Who qualifies for duty-free household goods customs clearance in Switzerland

The relief is built around a genuine change of residence, not around the goods themselves. You need to show that you lived abroad and are moving your actual home to Switzerland, and that the items travelling with you are the used personal and household effects of that home, not new purchases or stock for resale.

Swiss authorities expect a period of residence abroad before the move and a period after arrival within which the goods must be imported. Both are checked against your registration and travel documents, so the dates on your rental contract, employment start, or commune registration should line up with what you declare to customs.

You are transferring your domicile to Switzerland, not visiting or opening a second home
You lived abroad, in your own household, before the move
The goods are used, owned by you, and intended to continue serving your household in Switzerland
Import happens within the window customs allows after your arrival
New items, gifts still in original packaging, and anything meant for sale are excluded from the relief

Form 18.44 and the documents customs will ask for

Form 18.44 is the Swiss customs declaration for moving goods (Übersiedlungsgut / biens de déménagement). It records who is moving, where from, where to, and lists the goods being imported so customs can check them against the relief conditions.

The form itself is short, but it is only as good as the inventory attached to it. Customs works from what is written down: an item left off the list, or described too vaguely to identify, is not covered by the exemption even if it clearly belongs in the shipment.

Form 18.44, signed and dated
A detailed, itemised inventory of the shipment, ideally by room or category
Proof of your previous address and of your new Swiss address
Proof of your arrival date, such as a residence permit application or commune registration
Passport or ID and, where applicable, your work or residence permit

Keep a copy of the signed inventory yourself. If an item is questioned during clearance, being able to point to its exact line on the list is often the fastest way to resolve it on the spot.

Goods that need special handling

Most household items move through customs without individual scrutiny once the inventory is accepted, but a handful of categories are treated separately regardless of the moving-goods relief. Planning for these ahead of time avoids a shipment being held while a specific item is sorted out.

Categories that typically need extra steps
Category	What to expect
Alcohol and tobacco	Subject to quantity limits and separate duty; declare them explicitly rather than folding them into general household goods
Food	Some categories face restrictions or require declaration; check before shipping perishable or animal-origin products
Plants and wood packaging	Can require phytosanitary checks; untreated wood pallets or crates may be queried
Medicines	Personal quantities are generally tolerated, but prescription medication should be documented
Firearms and weapons	Require a separate permit process independent of the moving-goods relief
Vehicles	Cars, motorcycles and boats follow their own import and registration procedure, not the household-goods relief

Do not assume an item is covered because it is packed with the rest of the household. Restricted categories are assessed on their own rules even when the general relief applies to everything else in the shipment.

What happens after the goods are cleared

Once your shipment is cleared under the moving-goods relief, the goods are expected to remain in your household use, not be sold, lent, or given away, for a period customs may still check. If circumstances change, for example you decide to sell a car or a significant item shortly after import, it is worth confirming the position with customs or your consultant before doing so, rather than assuming the exemption is unconditional once granted.

What's Included

Preparation of a detailed, customs-ready inventory of your household goods
Completion of Form 18.44 in coordination with your freight forwarder
Review of your file against the relief conditions before the shipment departs
Guidance on restricted categories such as food, alcohol, plants and medicines
Availability during the clearance itself to resolve questions on the spot
Coordination between your moving company, the customs office and your arrival timeline

Steps and Timeline

Inventory your household

We help you list your belongings by room or category, with enough detail that each item can be matched to a line on the customs declaration.

Complete Form 18.44

We prepare the moving-goods declaration together with the supporting documents that show your change of residence and your arrival date.

Check the file before departure

We review the inventory and paperwork against the relief conditions so that nothing is discovered as a problem only once the shipment has left.

Support during clearance

When your goods reach the Swiss border or a customs office, we stay reachable to help your carrier resolve any question about the declaration.

Common Mistakes

Sending an incomplete inventory, so items not listed lose the benefit of the exemption
Presenting new purchases or unopened gifts as used personal effects
Missing the window customs allows for importing goods after your arrival in Switzerland
Packing alcohol, tobacco, plants or medicines into general boxes without declaring them separately
Assuming a vehicle travels under the same relief as household goods
Selling or giving away recently imported goods without checking whether the relief conditions still apply

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Form 18.44?

Form 18.44 is the Swiss customs declaration used for moving goods. It records your previous and new addresses, your arrival date, and an inventory of the household items you are importing, so customs can assess them under the moving-goods relief rather than as a standard commercial import.

Can I bring my car into Switzerland under the same customs relief as my furniture?

No. Vehicles, including cars, motorcycles and boats, follow their own import and registration process, separate from the household-goods relief. Plan the vehicle import as its own step, with its own documents, alongside your general moving goods.

Do I need to declare food, alcohol or tobacco separately when I move to Switzerland?

Yes. These categories face specific limits and duties that sit outside the general moving-goods relief. Declare them explicitly rather than including them in the general household inventory, and check current quantity limits before you ship or travel with them.

What happens if I forget to list an item on my customs inventory?

An item that is not on the inventory is not covered by the moving-goods relief, even if it is packed with everything else. Customs can require duty and VAT on it, or ask for a corrected declaration, which can delay the release of the whole shipment while the question is resolved.

How long do I have to import my belongings after arriving in Switzerland?

Customs sets a window after your arrival within which your household goods must be imported to qualify for the relief. Because the exact timing depends on your personal situation, confirm your dates with your consultant or the customs office before your moving company books the shipment.

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