Press releasePublished on 2 June 2026

QuickZoll now takes both VAT rates into account

Bern, 02.06.2026 — The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) has further developed the QuickZoll application. Travellers can now pay Value Added Tax (VAT) for purchases made outside Switzerland at both applicable rates: the standard rate (8.1 %) and the reduced rate (2.6 %).

When entering Switzerland, duties are payable if the tax-free limit or duty-free allowances for goods brought in for personal use are exceeded. Depending on the product category, the applicable VAT rate is either 8.1% (standard rate) or 2.6% (reduced rate). In the updated version of the QuickZoll app, it is now possible to enter the value of the goods separately for each of the two VAT rates and thus benefit from the same customs conditions as with a verbal or written customs declaration. The total VAT payable is calculated automatically by the app.

Since its launch in 2018, use of the QuickZoll app has grown steadily: whilst 13’000 customs declarations and 1.1 million Swiss francs in revenue were recorded in its first year of operation, by 2025 these figures had risen to more than 192’000 customs declarations and 13 million Swiss francs in revenue.

Due to the necessary technical adjustments and the timetable for implementing the DaziT digitalisation programme, the further development of QuickZoll has been scheduled for 2026. The basic option, in which the total value of the goods is declared without distinguishing between the two VAT rates, remains available in the new version of the app. This option may be preferred if the proportion of products subject to the reduced rate is negligible, or to simplify the recording of goods and save time.

Simple, fully digital and available 24/7

QuickZoll can be used without prior registration and therefore offers a high degree of flexibility when crossing the Swiss border as a traveller. You can select any two-hour time slot at any time of day for crossing the border and then enter Switzerland at any border crossing without having to visit the customs counter. You simply need to keep the receipt generated by the app in case you are stopped for a check.

Please note: In certain cases, QuickZoll cannot be used. For example, the import of live animals, cars or commercial goods cannot be declared via the app but must be declared exclusively at a customs counter.

QuickZoll also provides important information on entering Switzerland. The app is free and available for Android (Google Play Store) and IOS (Apple App Store).

Links

Examples of selected product categories and VAT rates

This overview is intended as a guide and is not exhaustive. More detailed information is available at Article 25 paragraph 2 of the VATA or at Regulation R-69-04 (only available in German, French or Italian).

This table shows which categories of goods are eligible for a reduced VAT rate. The following categories of goods are subject to the reduced VAT rate of 2.6%: foodstuffs, non-alcoholic beverages, menstrual hygiene products, medicines, books, newspapers, magazines, seeds, live plants, cut flowers, animal feed and litter, fertilisers and plant protection products. The following categories of goods are listed in the table with the standard rate of 8.1%: alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, tobacco, construction materials, sanitary products, tools, clothing, shoes, electronic devices, accessories, cosmetics, perfumes, personal care products, lamps and home accessories, furniture, garden furniture, outdoor and camping equipment, watches, jewellery.