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Step-by-step guide to deregistering your vehicle at the road traffic office. With checklist, costs and deadlines for all 26 cantons.
When selling to a dealer, they handle deregistration for you. For private sales, you must go to the road traffic office yourself, return the license plates and have the vehicle registration cancelled.
The dealer handles deregistration for you. You only hand over the vehicle registration and license plates at sale.
You must return the license plates to the road traffic office within 14 days after the sale.
Important: Mind the Deadline!
Insurance and taxes continue until you deregister. Deregister as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary costs.
Create a purchase contract with names, addresses and signatures of both parties. Note the date and time of handover.
Remove both license plates (front and rear) from the vehicle. These must be returned to the road traffic office.
Go in person to your canton's road traffic office. In many cantons you can also book an appointment online.
Present the vehicle registration and return the license plates. The registration will be cancelled and you receive confirmation.
Notify your motor vehicle insurance about the sale. The premium will be refunded proportionally.
Officially you should deregister within 14 days after sale. Insurance and taxes continue until deregistration – the sooner, the better.
In some cantons (e.g. Zurich, Bern) you can initiate deregistration online. However, license plates must be physically returned – by post or in person.
As long as the car is registered to you, you're liable for taxes and insurance. Therefore: Never sell the plates with the car! Always deregister yourself.
Yes, if you paid a plate deposit, this will be refunded upon deregistration (approx. CHF 40-60, depending on canton).
For leasing returns, the leasing company handles deregistration. You don't need to do anything except return the vehicle on time.
No! When you sell your car through autoweg to a dealer, the dealer handles all deregistration and re-registration. You don't have to worry about anything.
