Orders from Germany up to about CHF 62 including shipping arrive with nothing to pay. Above that, you pay 8.1% Swiss import VAT on the whole amount plus a Swiss Post clearance fee of CHF 13 + 3% — unless the shop charges Swiss VAT at checkout, in which case the parcel arrives settled. The German shop should deduct its own 19% VAT for export.
The two-VAT trap: check the German side first
A delivery to Switzerland is an export for the German shop, so German VAT (19%, or 7% reduced) should not be charged. Good shops deduct it automatically the moment you enter a Swiss delivery address — the price visibly drops at checkout.
If the price doesn't drop, you're about to pay both German VAT and Swiss import VAT: roughly 27% in tax on one order. Some smaller shops keep the 19% out of convenience and don't refund it. Before ordering anywhere new, put an item in the basket with your Swiss address and watch what happens to the price.
The Swiss side: 8.1% VAT above CHF 62
Switzerland calculates import VAT on everything you paid — product price plus shipping — converted to francs. The standard rate is 8.1%. There's one saving rule: VAT amounts under CHF 5 aren't invoiced. That makes about CHF 62 including shipping the practical duty-free limit for standard goods (about CHF 193 for books, food, and medicine at the reduced 2.6% rate).
It's a cliff, not an allowance: a CHF 61 order pays nothing, a CHF 70 order pays VAT on the full CHF 70 — plus the clearance fee, which is the real sting.
Worked example: a CHF 135 order via Swiss Post
| Position | Amount |
|---|---|
| Goods + shipping (taxable value) | CHF 135.00 |
| Import VAT — 8.1% | CHF 10.95 |
| Customs duty (industrial goods) | CHF 0.00 |
| Swiss Post clearance — CHF 13 + 3% of 135, + 8.1% VAT on the fee | CHF 18.45 |
| Total at your door | CHF 164.40 |
Roughly 22% on top of the shop price — and more than half of it is the clearance fee, not the tax. Run your own numbers in the calculator.
When a German order arrives with nothing to pay
Many larger German shops now register for Swiss VAT and charge it at checkout (Amazon.de, Zalando, and most big fashion and electronics retailers). Since 2025, large platforms are legally required to. In that case the shop clears customs under its own registration: no VAT bill, no Swiss Post fee, nothing at the door — you already paid it all in the basket. Look for a “MwSt (CH) 8.1%” or “inkl. Schweizer MwSt” line in the order summary. See the Amazon.de guide for how the biggest one handles it.
Two legal ways to pay less
1. Stay under the limit — including shipping
Split naturally separate purchases into orders that each stay under about CHF 62 including their shipping. That's legitimate when the parcels really are separate consignments; artificially splitting one order into parcels that arrive together can be assessed as one.
2. Border pickup with the CHF 150 travel allowance
Thousands of Swiss residents ship German orders to parcel shops in Konstanz, Weil am Rhein, or Lörrach and collect them in person. Two different rules then apply:
- When you carry goods across yourself, the travel allowance applies: CHF 150 per person per day VAT-free (reduced from CHF 300 in January 2025).
- Above CHF 150, declare in the official QuickZoll app and pay 8.1% — but with no clearance fee, which is usually the biggest saving.
- Ask the German shop for an export certificate (Ausfuhrschein) stamped at the border to reclaim the 19% German VAT — most border shops require a minimum €50 purchase per receipt.
Occasional order under CHF 62? Ship it home. Regular or expensive orders? A shop that charges Swiss VAT at checkout — or a border pickup — almost always beats paying Swiss Post's clearance fee.
Frequently asked — Germany orders
Do German shops deduct German VAT automatically?
They should — exports are VAT-free for the shop, and serious retailers deduct the 19% the moment your delivery address is Swiss. If the checkout price doesn't drop, you're paying tax twice; order somewhere that handles exports properly.
Is there customs duty on goods from Germany?
Practically never for online shopping. Switzerland abolished duties on industrial products in January 2024 — clothing, electronics, household goods all enter duty-free. Weight-based duties remain only for foodstuffs and agricultural products.
How high are the fees if my order is over CHF 62?
8.1% VAT on goods plus shipping, and if Swiss Post clears it, CHF 13 + 3% of the value (capped at CHF 70, plus VAT on the fee). On a CHF 135 order, about CHF 29 extra in total.