Importing Furniture to Switzerland: Customs, VAT and Delivery

If you're buying furniture abroad for a home in Zürich or anywhere else in Switzerland, the good news is that customs duty on furniture is no longer the issue. What you pay is import VAT, plus a clearance fee that depends on who carries the goods. Planned well, the whole thing adds a predictable line to your budget instead of a nasty surprise at the front door.

This guide walks you through the costs, the paperwork, the delivery options and the lead times, using a worked example so you can see real numbers. We write it from the perspective of an interior design studio that sources Italian and Scandinavian pieces for Swiss homes every week.

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TL;DR

• Since 1 January 2024, Switzerland has charged no customs duty on industrial products, furniture included, whatever the country of origin (Rister).
• You still pay import VAT of 8.1% on the goods plus transport, insurance and clearance charges up to the Swiss destination.
• On top come clearance fees: Swiss Post charges a basic fee plus a 3% goods value supplement (capped at CHF 70), and private couriers set their own.
• The CHF 150 VAT-free allowance covers personal-use purchases carried in by a traveller, so a sofa or a dining table will almost always exceed it.
• Order made-to-order pieces early: lead times are measured in weeks or months, and they decide your move-in date more than customs does.

What customs rules apply to furniture in Switzerland?

The short answer: no duty, but VAT. For years, Swiss importers paid a duty on many industrial goods based on weight. That ended on 1 January 2024, when duties on industrial products, including all furniture, were abolished for all origins, according to a customs broker's summary of the reform.

That said, "no duty" doesn't mean "no border". Your furniture is still declared on arrival, and the same blog explains that import VAT applies at 8.1%. The taxable value is not only the price on the invoice. It also includes transport, insurance and clearance charges up to the Swiss destination, and forgetting this is the classic reason final bills come out higher than expected.

Two practical consequences follow:

1. Freight counts. A cheap chair with expensive freight is taxed on both.
2. Origin matters less than before. A cabinet from Italy, Denmark or Brazil is treated the same way on duty. It can still change shipping cost, transit time and documents.

The CHF 150 allowance: why it rarely helps with furniture

You may have read that the VAT-free limit was lowered. From 1 January 2025 the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) allows goods up to a total of CHF 150 to enter without VAT, but only when they are for your private use or as gifts and travel with you. The allowance can be used once per person per day.

For a bedside lamp tucked in your luggage, that's useful. For a sofa, a rug or a dining set, you'll be over the limit within the first item. Plan on VAT for anything of design-furniture value.

What does it actually cost? A worked example

Let's take a realistic purchase for a Zürich apartment: a designer sofa bought from a shop in Germany.

ItemAmountSofa, price excluding the seller's domestic VATCHF 8,000Freight and insurance to your doorCHF 400Taxable base for Swiss import VATCHF 8,400Import VAT at 8.1%CHF 680.40Swiss Post basic fee (EU-origin goods)CHF 13Swiss Post goods value supplement (3% would be CHF 240, capped)CHF 70Approximate total on top of the priceabout CHF 763

The fee structure comes from Swiss Post's import cost page: a basic fee of CHF 13 for EU-origin goods or CHF 16 for other countries, plus the 3% supplement capped at CHF 70, all excluding VAT. The sofa is an illustration, not a quote. Your seller may handle their own domestic VAT differently on export sales, so ask before you pay.

If a private courier delivers instead, expect that company's own disbursement fee on top of VAT. Those fees differ by carrier and by shipment, so ask for them in writing before you confirm the shipping method.

Three habits that keep the bill predictable

• Ask for a delivered-duty-paid quote where the seller offers one, so the VAT and fees are known on the day you order.
• Keep freight and insurance on the invoice. Customs needs them for the taxable base anyway.
• Order in one consignment. Several small parcels mean several clearances and several fees.

Paperwork: what you need on the day

Less than most people fear. For a purchase from a shop, the receipt or invoice works as the commercial invoice. A Danish shipping service notes that Swiss customs or the clearing party may ask the receiver for more details on arrival, so keep these to hand:

1. The seller's invoice showing item descriptions, quantities and prices.
2. Proof of payment.
3. Your Swiss delivery address and a phone number the driver can actually reach.
4. Freight and insurance documents, if billed separately.

The description matters. "Sofa, upholstered, 3-seater, wool fabric" is much easier to clear than "furniture". If you're buying several pieces from a brand, ask the seller to list each one.

Delivery to your door: what to check before you pay

Clearing customs is only half of delivery. The other half is the last mile, and for large pieces it deserves as much attention as the border.

Before you confirm an order, ask:

• Who clears the goods? The seller, the carrier or you? If it's you, who sends the bill and when?
• Is delivery kerbside or to the room? Many carriers stop at the front door. Specialised furniture logistics typically carry items to the room, position them and take the packaging away.
• Can the piece physically get in? Measure stairwells, lifts and door frames. In older Zürich buildings and in chalets, a narrow turn can decide whether a sofa arrives in one piece or needs a crane.
• Is assembly included? Modular wall systems and wardrobes from the big Italian houses usually need trained installers.
• What happens if something arrives damaged? Photograph the packaging before the driver leaves and note any damage on the delivery slip.

If you're ordering several pieces from different makers, deliveries rarely land on the same day. A good plan has a single delivery window, a place to store things and someone on site to receive them.

Lead times: the real schedule driver

Customs clearance usually takes days. Production takes weeks, sometimes months. The difference between stock and made-to-order is the number you need first.

• Stock items can often ship within days or a couple of weeks.
• Made-to-order pieces, such as custom fabrics, special sizes, lacquer colours or modular configurations, are built after you order.
• Bespoke items from a workshop add design approvals, samples and sometimes a fitting before production begins.

Online shops for designer furniture generally show the delivery time next to the price of the selected configuration, and that time can change when you change the variant. Always check it on the final configuration, not the headline photo.

The practical rule: work backwards from your move-in or photo-shoot date, add a buffer for transport and installation, and order the longest-lead items first. If you want to see where furniture sits in a whole project, our Swiss interior design timeline breaks a project into six phases and shows which choices set the schedule. For a broader look at user-friendly designs in your home, it also helps to match your furniture choices to how you live before you order.

A simple order sequence

1. Fix the floor plan and measurements first.
2. Order made-to-order sofas, wall systems and tables.
3. Order lighting and rugs with mid-length lead times.
4. Leave accessories and stock items until the big pieces have a confirmed date.

Moving your own furniture to Switzerland

If you're an expat bringing a household with you, you're in a different situation from someone buying new. Used household goods moved with a relocation follow their own customs rules, which are not the same as for a shop purchase. Check the current conditions with the BAZG before you ship, and keep inventories and proof of ownership. Relocation firms usually prepare this paperwork.

A common smart move is to bring the pieces you love (an heirloom table, a good bed) and buy the rest locally or from Europe once you've seen the rooms. That avoids paying freight and VAT on things that won't suit the new layout.

Our perspective

We've guided homeowners, developers and expats through furniture orders from Italy and Scandinavia for years, and one pattern repeats: people spend weeks comparing prices and minutes thinking about logistics. Then the delivery date slips, or the sofa doesn't fit through the door, and the saving evaporates.

That's why we plan furniture as part of the whole project. Our team combines architecture and interior design, so we check dimensions against the building before anything is ordered, and we can draw on a network of over 185 furniture brands, from Rimadesio and Molteni to &tradition and Audo. Our 3D visualisations let you see how pieces sit in the room, and our project management means orders, deliveries and installation are coordinated rather than left to chance.

With more than 480 completed projects behind us, our advice is simple: decide the layout first, order the long-lead pieces early, and agree one delivery plan. The paperwork is the easy part when the plan is right.

Giorgia D'Amico

How we can help

You don't have to manage this alone. If you'd like a professional eye on a furniture list before you order, our Consultation costs CHF 490. For one room, the Single Area Package is CHF 970, and for a whole home the Full Home Package is CHF 3,390, both on the same packages page. For larger or commercial work we make an individual offer, and you can book a conversation through our website to talk through your project.

FAQ

Do I pay customs duty on furniture imported into Switzerland?

No. Since 1 January 2024, Switzerland has charged no customs duty on industrial products, including furniture, for all origins, as summarised by a customs broker. You still pay import VAT of 8.1% on the goods plus transport, insurance and clearance charges, and the carrier's clearance fee.

Can I use the CHF 150 allowance for a sofa?

Almost certainly not. The BAZG allowance applies to goods up to CHF 150 in total, for private use or gifts, once per person per day. A sofa, table or wardrobe will normally exceed it, so budget for import VAT.

What documents do I need for a furniture delivery?

The shop's receipt or invoice serves as the commercial invoice, and the clearing party may ask you for more details on arrival. Keep the invoice, proof of payment and any freight documents together. A clear item description on the invoice speeds things up.

How long does delivery of design furniture take?

It depends on whether the piece is in stock or made to order. Stock items can arrive in days or a couple of weeks, while custom configurations are built after you order and take weeks or months. Check the delivery time for your exact configuration and plan your move-in date around the longest item.

Who pays the clearance fee, me or the seller?

That depends on the sales terms. If the goods are sent by post, Swiss Post bills a basic fee and a goods value supplement to the recipient unless otherwise agreed. Ask the seller for a delivered, duty-paid quote so there are no surprises.

Sources

• Importing into Switzerland: customs duties, import VAT and fees
• Swiss Post: import costs
• BAZG: VAT allowance of CHF 150
• Buy in Denmark, Ship to Switzerland

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