Switzerland customs regulations

Duty-free allowance

Tobacco limit

Restricted to travellers 17 years and over. One of the following:

• 250 cigarettes;
• or 250 grams other tobacco products.

Bringing alcohol

Restricted to travellers 17 years and over. All of the following:

• 5 litres up to 18% alcohol volume;
• 1 litre over 18% alcohol volume.

Food

All of the following:

• 1kg meat;
• 1kg butter and cream with a fat content of 15% or higher; and
• 5kg oils, fats, and margarine for human consumption.

Cash limit

• There are no restrictions on the importation of liquid funds into Switzerland.
• Funds of CHF 10,000 or more will be subject to checks and entered into the Customs Administration. For further information, please visit the Federal Customs Administration Cash, foreign currencies, securities.

Other goods

• Personal effects such as clothing, sports gear, and personal electronic equipment. These goods must leave Switzerland when the traveller leaves.
• 30 days' worth of medicinal products for personal use only.
• Safe to handle fireworks up to 2.5kg.
• Vehicles for personal use may be imported without declaration by visitors.
• VAT will be levied on goods where the total value exceeds CHF 300. For further information, please visit the Federal Customs Administration Value of goods exceeds CHF 300.

Prohibited items

The following are goods which cannot be brought into the country.

• Daggers and knives with one-handed opening systems (such as flick-knives).
• Weapons disguised as other objects.
• Electric-shock devices.
• Automatic and semiautomatic firearms.
• Beating weapons, throwing weapons and slings.
• Silencers and laser and night-vision devices.
• Fireworks not considered safe to handle, such as those that explode on the ground.
• Stolen cultural property.
• Pirated and counterfeited goods. For further information, please visit Stop Piracy.
• Radar equipment.
• Products considered to be doping substances.
• Narcotics for unlawful use.
• Certain plants are prohibited. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Plants, cut flowers and protection of species (CITES).
• Animal products from outside the EU are generally prohibited, with some exceptions. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Plants, cut flowers and protection of species (CITES).
• Most animal and plant species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are prohibited from importation, with some exceptions which instead require permits. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Plants, cut flowers and protection of species (CITES).

Restricted items

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to arrival.

• Vehicles imported by those intending to remain in Switzerland must be declared, and are subject to regulations. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Vehicle importation into Switzerland.
• Weapons not classified as 'prohibited' require a permit.
• Cultural property imported from particular countries requires an official export permit from those countries. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Transfer of Cultural Property.
• CB radios intended to remain in Switzerland must be declared and assessed for clearance.
• All pets are subject to importation requirements, and some are prohibited. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Dogs, cats, domestic animals.
• Permits are required for animal hunting products, including live fish and spawn. For further information, please visit Federal Customs Administration Hunting (wildlife) and fisheries.