On 16 June 2023, the Federal Council decided to launch the electronic motorway tax sticker (e-vignette) with effect from 1 August 2023, thereby supplementing the conventional motorway tax sticker with a modern electronic form. Users will thus have the option to choose which form they would prefer the next time they purchase a vignette to pay the annual motorway tax. The e-vignette and the adhesive motorway tax sticker both cost CHF 40 and are valid for the respective calendar year – as before, from 1 December of the previous year to 31 January of the following year.

While the adhesive motorway tax sticker is linked to the vehicle, the e-vignette is linked to the number plate, which provides vehicle owners with a number of advantages. It can be bought at any time or place and is valid immediately after purchase. In addition, only one e-vignette is required in the case of interchangeable number plates, versus a separate sticker for each vehicle in the past. Furthermore, provided the same number plate is used, a new vignette does not have to be purchased in the event of buying a new vehicle during the course of the year. Similarly, there is no need to purchase a new one in the case of a broken windscreen.

Buying an e-vignette

The e-vignette can be purchased using the FOCBS Via Portal at www.e-vignette.ch from 1 August 2023. Only three pieces of information are needed: vehicle category, country of registration and number plate. It is not necessary to open a user account or enter personal details (purchaser or driver). The e-vignette can be paid for online or by credit card.

The "publicly viewable" option in the Via Portal, which can be activated voluntarily, allows you to check whether a valid e-vignette already exists for a corresponding number plate. This is particularly useful if a vehicle is used by several people, e.g. in the case of rental vehicles or car sharing. A one-off change of number plate per e-vignette is also permitted in the event that a vehicle owner moves to another canton, for instance. Anyone interested can choose to receive an email with a receipt for the purchase of the e-vignette by providing their email address. It is not possible to exchange an adhesive motorway tax sticker for an e-vignette.

Fleet management is simplified for owners of several vehicles requiring a motorway tax sticker by means of one-off registration on the federal government's ePortal and activation of an additional function for the purchase of several e-vignettes.

The verification of e-vignettes will be carried out at the border by FOCBS staff and within Switzerland by the cantonal police by means of random number plate checks.

Going digital with the e-vignette for motorway use