Removals to Switzerland from the UK
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Switzerland sits outside the EU, so every move there goes through Swiss customs. Used household goods still enter free when you move your home. Here is how the declaration works, when a lorry can cross, and what to sort before you arrive.
Last updated: October 2026 · 4 min read
Written and fact-checked by the Removly editorial team · How we research prices
Do you pay customs moving to Switzerland?
Not on household effects, as long as you are moving your home there. Moving your domicile to Switzerland is the main condition. Each item must have been in your own use for at least six months, and you must keep using it after it arrives.
You declare the goods on Form 18.44, with an inventory, at the customs office where they enter. Bring the goods close to the date you move. If more will follow later, tell customs at the first import, not when the second load turns up.
Source: Swiss Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), October 2026.
What happens at the Swiss border?
Your removal firm can send the relocation file to the regional customs office at least two working days before the crossing. That office checks it in advance, which speeds up clearance. The lorry must then cross at that same office.
Timing matters more than on most European routes. Customs offices clear household goods on weekdays, 8am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 5pm. Lorries over 3.5 tonnes may not drive in Switzerland from 10pm to 5am, or on Sundays and certain public holidays. A lorry that reaches the border late on a Friday waits until Monday.
Proof that you are moving your home there goes with the form. EU and EFTA citizens can use an employment contract, a lease or the notice of departure from their old country. Ask your removal firm which documents your crossing needs.
Sources: BAZG relocation procedure; Federal Roads Office (ASTRA), October 2026.
How do removals to Switzerland travel, and what do they cost?
By road. The lorry crosses the Channel on a Dover ferry or through the tunnel from Folkestone, then drives through France or Germany to a Swiss border crossing. Heavy lorries pay the Swiss heavy vehicle charge, which the firm builds into its price.
A part load shares the lorry and costs less, with a delivery window rather than a fixed day. A dedicated vehicle runs on your dates, which helps when the weekday border rules leave little room. We don't publish a price: a survey of your volume and your access gives a fixed figure.
Moving to Switzerland from the UK: what to sort first
Check your residence permit first. The rules depend on your nationality and your reason for moving, so confirm them with the Swiss authorities before you book a date. We are a removals site and don't advise on permits.
Once you arrive, register with your new commune within 14 days and apply for your residence permit there. Keep Form 18.44, the inventory and your proof of address together. You may need them again if customs asks about the goods.
Pets need a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and a pet passport or animal health certificate. Dogs with docked ears or tails cannot be imported. Pets arriving by air must use an approved airport.
Sources: ch.ch; Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV), October 2026.
Moving back from Switzerland to the UK
The same lorry routes run the other way. On the UK side, Transfer of Residence relief usually removes duty and VAT on your belongings. You must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 months and owned the goods for at least six.
Apply before the goods arrive, and bring everything in within 12 months of moving back. Goods brought in under the relief cannot be lent, hired out or sold for 12 months. If you need somewhere to put things while you find a home, storage bridges the gap.
Source: GOV.UK, Transfer of residence to the UK, October 2026.
Removals to Switzerland: FAQs
Do I pay customs duty moving my belongings to Switzerland?
Not on household effects, if you are moving your home there. The goods must have been in your own use for at least six months, and you must keep using them in Switzerland. You declare them on Form 18.44 at the border.
What is Form 18.44?
The Swiss customs form for clearing household effects when you move your home to Switzerland. You present it, with an inventory of your goods, at the customs office where your belongings enter the country.
Can my removal lorry cross into Switzerland at night or on a Sunday?
Not normally. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes may not drive in Switzerland between 10pm and 5am, or on Sundays and certain public holidays. Swiss customs offices also clear household goods on weekdays only, so plan the border crossing for a weekday.
Can I bring my dog or cat to Switzerland from the UK?
Yes, with a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and a pet passport or animal health certificate. Dogs with docked ears or tails cannot be imported.
Do I need to register when I arrive in Switzerland?
Yes. Register with your new commune within 14 days of arriving, and apply for your residence permit there. Check the permit rules that apply to you with the Swiss authorities before you book the move.
Do I pay UK duty moving back from Switzerland?
Usually not, under Transfer of Residence relief: you must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 months and owned your goods for at least six. Apply before the goods arrive, and bring them within 12 months of moving back.