In Switzerland, when you buy a second-hand car, the seller takes the number plates with them. Literally. Here, the number plate belongs to the owner, not the vehicle. If someone with a Geneva number plate sells you their car, they leave the car park with their number plates in hand, and you have to apply for your own at the cantonal motor vehicle office.
Before you can register the vehicle in your name, you need to have valid third-party liability insurance. You cannot register the vehicle without third-party liability insurance: this is the first step, not the second. Without that insurance certificate, the local authority will not process your application.
The second thing that many people don’t expect is the MFK, the roadworthiness test. The first MFK is carried out five years after the car’s initial registration, then every three years, and subsequently every two years. If you buy a car that is more than 10 years old and the last test was carried out more than a year ago, you will have to pass the MFK before you can drive it. You arrange this with the cantonal motor vehicle authority, not with just any garage.
Once you have your RC and MFK in order, you need to go to the cantonal office with the vehicle’s original registration certificate and your insurance certificate. You have 14 days from the date of purchase to complete this procedure. Number plates and the registration certificate usually cost between 50 and 100 francs, depending on the canton.
Things to check before finalising the deal: the date of the last MOT, that the vehicle registration document is in order, and that there are no outstanding debt collection proceedings against the previous owner. Buying without checking these three points can turn a good deal into a headache with the local authorities that lasts for weeks.