Geneva · Lausanne · Zurich
Clients in Switzerland
Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich or Gstaad. The border is crossed with method, in both directions.
01
Outside the Union: two customs.
Switzerland belongs neither to the European Union nor to its customs union. A car coming to Mougins for work therefore clears customs leaving Switzerland, entering the Union, and again on the way back.
On the EU side, temporary entry for repair falls under a customs procedure. On the Swiss side, the car leaves under outward processing: on re-import, Swiss VAT is as a rule charged on the value of the work carried out abroad.
02
A forwarding agent, a clear invoice.
These formalities are usually entrusted to a forwarding agent or customs broker. The workshop provides them with a detailed invoice for the work, item by item.
For the procedures themselves, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) is the authority.
03
Shipping your car.
Whether the car leaves from Lake Geneva or German-speaking Switzerland, transport is arranged on request, there and back. The terms are set out in writing before each departure, with the customs crossing taken into account.
04
Veteran status.
In Switzerland, a car at least thirty years old and well preserved in its original condition can, as a rule, be registered as a « veteran vehicle » after an inspection. Faithfulness to the original then counts as much as the quality of the work.
That is the spirit of a full restoration as the workshop practises it. The 1967 Porsche 911 S Targa is one example: bodyshell blasted, metalwork repaired, ivory paint, two-litre engine rebuilt, black upholstery restored.
05
From afar, in French or English.
The quote starts from your photographs and videos, then is confirmed once the car has been inspected at the workshop. You deal directly with the owner of the workshop, in French or English, and photographs of every stage reach you as the work progresses.
Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, classic or modern: each car is welcomed for the craft it calls for.
Your questions
Is Swiss VAT due on the work?
As a rule, yes. Under outward processing, Swiss VAT on re-import is charged on the value of the work carried out abroad, not on the whole value of the car. Your forwarding agent and the FOCBS will confirm the regime that applies.
Who handles the customs formalities?
Usually a forwarding agent or customs broker, on departure and on return. The workshop gives them the detailed invoice for the work.
Does a restoration support veteran status?
Veteran status rewards original condition. A faithful restoration, with correct parts and colours, works in its favour; a restomod-style build follows a different logic. Your canton’s road traffic office remains the reference.
Does the car keep its Swiss plates?
Yes. A temporary exit for repair does not change the registration: the car returns with its plates and its vehicle registration document.
European clients
Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich or Gstaad. The border is crossed with method, in both directions.