International: Switzerland

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

EU/EFTA Routes Covered by the Domestic Lizenz

Yes. As covered on the Switzerland page, the domestic Lizenz already permits cross-border transport into the EU/EEA and other EFTA states under the bilateral Land Transport Agreement, without needing an additional permit for that traffic specifically. The Lizenz and the permits below attach to the company operating the vehicles; where a mover subcontracts the road transport, the carrier’s own licences and permits cover the transport it performs.

Bilateral Transportbewilligung Required for Genuine Third Countries

Yes

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles on those routes. For routes to or from a country outside the EU/EFTA, a separate Transportbewilligung is required, issued under a bilateral agreement between Switzerland and that specific country. These arrangements are often reciprocal but asymmetric in practice: a Swiss carrier may need a permit issued by the destination country, while that country’s carriers need a Swiss-issued permit to operate in Switzerland.

CEMT Permits for Multilateral Third-Country Transport

Yes, where applicable. For transport through multiple countries within the CEMT zone (roughly 43 member countries), a CEMT permit is required: an annual permit (CHF 900) for regular multilateral transport, or a specifically named CEMT-Umzugsgenehmigung (CEMT moving permit, CHF 50). The moving permit is a distinct, moving-industry-specific category within the CEMT system, separate from the general annual permit.

CMR Does Not Cover Furniture Removal: Domestic Code of Obligations Liability Continues to Apply

Switzerland is a contracting state to the CMR Convention, and CMR generally governs international road carriage. However, Article 1(4)(c) of the Convention excludes furniture removal from its scope, as confirmed in the Convention’s own text and by UNIDROIT (its custodian body). A genuine international household-goods move therefore does not fall under CMR liability terms; domestic Code of Obligations liability (covered on the Switzerland page) continues to apply by default.

Switzerland Has Not Ratified the e-CMR Protocol

Correct. Unlike Germany, France, and the Netherlands, Switzerland has not ratified the electronic CMR (e-CMR) protocol. This is a general fact about Switzerland’s transport-law landscape relevant to general freight carriage. Since CMR itself does not cover furniture removal, this ratification gap does not directly affect a household mover’s core liability question.

LSVA (Heavy Vehicle Charge) Applies to Trucks Over 3.5 Tonnes

Yes, where the mover operates its own trucks over 3.5 tonnes in Switzerland. Any truck over 3.5 tonnes operating in Switzerland, domestic or foreign-registered, is subject to the Leistungsabhängige Schwerverkehrsabgabe, a distance-based charge collected via an onboard unit. This is a registration and equipment requirement distinct from the Lizenz itself.

OverviewOverview & Scope

International relocations involving Switzerland build on the domestic Lizenz covered on the Switzerland page, which already extends to EU/EEA and EFTA cross-border work under the bilateral Land Transport Agreement. Genuine third-country routes require additional permits: a bilateral Transportbewilligung for a specific country, or a CEMT permit for multilateral transport across the CEMT zone, including a distinct, moving-industry-specific CEMT-Umzugsgenehmigung. Separately, any truck over 3.5 tonnes operating in Switzerland, regardless of registration, is subject to the LSVA, a distance-based heavy-vehicle charge requiring an onboard unit. These permits and the LSVA attach to the company operating the vehicles; where a mover subcontracts the road transport, the carrier’s own permits cover the transport it performs, and the mover uses carriers that hold them. On liability, domestic Code of Obligations liability continues to apply by default to genuine international furniture-removal moves, because CMR excludes furniture removal from its scope even though Switzerland has ratified it. Switzerland’s separate non-ratification of the electronic CMR protocol is a real fact about its transport-law landscape generally, but it does not change which regime applies to a household move.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Movers that carry goods across borders by road in their own vehicles must:

1. Hold the domestic Lizenz, which covers EU/EEA and EFTA routes under the Land Transport Agreement.
2. Obtain a bilateral Transportbewilligung for routes to or from a genuine third country outside the EU/EFTA, confirming the specific reciprocal arrangement with that country.
3. Obtain a CEMT permit (the annual permit or the specific CEMT-Umzugsgenehmigung) for multilateral transport across the CEMT zone.
4. Register for and install an LSVA onboard unit for any truck over 3.5 tonnes operating in Switzerland.

Movers that subcontract the road transport must:

5. Use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• Swiss Lizenz held, covering EU/EEA and EFTA cross-border routes under the Land Transport AgreementWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles on cross-border road moves)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Bilateral Transportbewilligung obtained for each genuine third-country routeWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles to or from a country outside the EU/EFTA)Verified by DocumentRequired
• CEMT permit (annual or CEMT-Umzugsgenehmigung) obtainedWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles on multilateral transport across the CEMT zone)Verified by DocumentRequired

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• LSVA registration and onboard unit installed for each truck over 3.5 tonnesWhere applicable (mover operates its own trucks over 3.5 tonnes in Switzerland)Verified by DocumentRequired