Moving to Switzerland: How Easy Car Registration Is with a Car Subscription

Moving to Switzerland is exciting, but it also comes with a lot of paperwork. One major challenge for newcomers is mobility. If you bring your own car, you’ll face a bureaucratic marathon, re-registration, insurance, registration, and more. Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? Luckily, there’s an alternative: the car subscription. This flexible mobility solution takes all the stress off your shoulders and is perfect for anyone new to Switzerland. You just pay a fixed monthly rate that covers everything, from insurance and taxes to maintenance. No long-term commitments like with leasing, and no high upfront costs like when buying. During the adjustment phase in a new country, this flexibility is priceless.

Why a Car Subscription is the Ideal Solution When Moving to Switzerland

Imagine just arriving in Switzerland. Everything is new from the language to administrative procedures. The last thing you need now is the complex process of re-registering a car or even buying a new one. That’s exactly where a car subscription comes in to make your life easier.

Flexibility and Cost Transparency

Moving to a new country always brings financial surprises. Rent is more expensive than expected, health insurance costs more, and suddenly there are fees you’ve never heard of. Amid all these unexpected costs, a car subscription serves as a financial anchor. Instead of spending thousands of francs on your own car, you pay a manageable monthly amount. You know exactly what you’re paying, no hidden fees, no nasty surprises.

Contract durations are flexible, ranging from a few months up to three years. This is convenient if you're unsure how long you'll stay in Switzerland or whether your new job is a good fit. If your plans change or you later decide to buy your own car, you’re not tied to a long-term contract. Try doing that with a loan or lease!

Simple Management and Fast Vehicle Selection

Time is precious after a move. Between setting up your new home, starting a new job, and dealing with administrative tasks, you’ve got your hands full. The car subscription process is refreshingly simple: you select a car online, choose your subscription period, and within a few days, you’re behind the wheel of your new ride. No long dealer visits, no tough price negotiations.

The cars are also quickly available. You don’t have to wait weeks for a vehicle to become ready. This fast mobility is a huge plus when you want to explore your new surroundings or need to commute daily. You can hit the road immediately without relying on public transport networks you’re not yet familiar with.

Ready to find your perfect car? Check out the wide selection at CARIFY

No Long-Term Commitments – Ideal for Newcomers

As a newcomer, you might not yet know whether you’ll still be living in the same neighborhood in six months or even if you’ll stay in Switzerland. With a car subscription, there are no long-term commitments. You can focus on settling in and see how things develop.

After the minimum term, you can renew, switch to a different vehicle, or cancel depending on your needs. This flexibility fits perfectly into a transitional life phase where plans may still change. A car subscription grows with your needs and doesn’t lock you into rigid contracts.

Key Steps in Car Registration in Switzerland

Even if you opt for a car subscription, it helps to understand what you're actually avoiding. The standard car registration process in Switzerland is quite a hurdle! Knowing what you’re skipping makes the benefits of a subscription even clearer.

What’s Involved in Vehicle Registration?

Switzerland is strict when it comes to rules and regulations, including car registration. First, you need insurance; nothing happens without it. The insurance company then provides a certificate that you must present during registration.

Your next stop is the road traffic office (sometimes called the registration office). Every canton has its own office with different opening hours and slightly varying requirements. You must appear in person, this cannot be done online or by mail.

Depending on the vehicle, a technical inspection might also be necessary, especially for cars imported from abroad or older vehicles. Switzerland has stringent environmental and safety standards that your car must meet. This step is completely bypassed with a car subscription since all vehicles have already passed the required inspections.

Which Documents Are Required for Registration?

Registering a car in Switzerland involves quite a bit of paperwork. You’ll definitely need a valid ID, either a national ID card or a passport. Together with your residence permit, this confirms your identity.

To prove that you actually live in Switzerland, you’ll need a residence certificate. This could be a confirmation from your local municipality or your rental contract. Without this, you can’t register a car.

Your Swiss car insurance provider will give you an insurance card confirming that your vehicle is insured. This is essential for registration.

If you’re bringing a car from abroad, things get even more complicated. You’ll also need the foreign vehicle registration document, customs clearance documentation, and possibly proof of the vehicle’s type approval in Switzerland. Quite a hassle, isn’t it?

The Registration Process - From Subscription to Official Registration

With a car subscription, everything is much more relaxed. You simply choose a car that fits your needs. You can take your time deciding how long you’ll need it and how many kilometers you expect to drive.

After signing the contract, you’ll receive all necessary documents and information about your vehicle. The best part: the car is already registered and insured. You don’t have to do anything.

The provider handles the official registration for you. You just pick up your car or have it delivered and hit the road. No trips to government offices, no wait times, no stress. For newcomers unfamiliar with Swiss bureaucracy, this is a massive relief.

How a Car Subscription Simplifies the Registration Process

A car subscription practically eliminates all administrative tasks. No need to navigate the Swiss bureaucracy, fill out forms, or stand in lines. This simplification is invaluable, especially when you're dealing with many other aspects of your move.

Car Subscription as a Solution for Easy Registration

The biggest advantage of a car subscription is that the vehicle is already approved for use on Swiss roads. You don’t have to worry about complex legal requirements, everything’s taken care of.

The subscription price includes liability insurance. The Swiss motorway vignette required to use the highways is already on the car. Even the motor vehicle tax, which varies by canton, is included. You don’t have to worry about any of it!

No Additional Formalities - Everything Included in the Subscription

A car subscription includes much more than the monthly price. In addition to liability coverage, comprehensive insurance is usually included to protect you against accidents or damage. Partial coverage for theft or natural disasters is also often part of the package.

Regular maintenance, often a headache for car owners, is included. You don’t need to book appointments or remember inspections. The provider handles everything.

Even the annual motor vehicle tax is covered. All these tasks that normally take time and energy are completely taken off your plate.

Direct Vehicle Registration Through the Car Subscription

CARIFY works with a network of over 300 garage partners across Switzerland. These partners handle all formalities of car registration. They ensure that all legal requirements are met and your car is fully compliant and road-ready.

When you receive the vehicle, you’ll also receive all the key documents, vehicle registration, and insurance certificate. And if you still have questions, customer service is always available. Whether it’s about the vehicle itself or administrative issues, you’ll get quick, hassle-free help.

Do you have more questions about car subscriptions? Contact us, we’re happy to help!

Why CARIFY is the Perfect Choice for Your Move

CARIFY has established itself as one of the leading car subscription platforms in Switzerland. Especially for newcomers, CARIFY offers attractive benefits that make settling into your new home much easier.

Wide Range of Vehicles for Every Need

At CARIFY, you’ll find more than just one or two models, a huge selection of different vehicles is available. Whether you’re looking for a compact car for narrow old town streets, a spacious station wagon for family trips, or an SUV to explore the mountains, the selection is vast and meets nearly every need.

If environmental sustainability is important to you, you’re also in luck: electric and hybrid vehicles are part of the offering. This allows you to travel eco-consciously without compromising mobility. The vehicle fleet is also very modern, many cars are only a few months old and come with the latest technology.

Super convenient for newcomers: you can choose exactly the car that fits your current situation. If your needs change, you can later switch, without the hassle of selling or buying.

The simple registration process and comprehensive support during your move

CARIFY makes the entire process as hassle-free as possible. The website is intuitively designed, so you can navigate it easily even without knowledge of Swiss German. With just a few clicks, you can find and book your desired car. The digital registration process takes only a few minutes, no long visits to government offices, no complicated forms.
If you ever get stuck or have questions, customer service is quick to assist. The team answers all your questions about the car subscription and helps with any issues. You’ll also find detailed guides and FAQs on the website that provide all the key information you need.