Selling an Inherited Car in Switzerland

By the SellCar team · Last updated 26 October 2026

Selling the car of a family member who has died is one of many tasks after a loss. This guide explains, step by step, who may sell an inherited car in Switzerland, which documents you need, and what happens to the plates and insurance – so you can deal with it calmly and without surprises.

First steps after a death

• Tell the road traffic office. The canton where the car is registered needs to know that the holder has died. In Zurich, for example, the death must be reported within 14 days with a death certificate or death notice.
• Tell the car insurer. The insurance does not end automatically. Ask the insurer how long the car remains covered and what they need from you.
• Don't drive the car unless you are sure it is insured and the plates are still valid.
• Keep the keys and documents together – the registration document, service book and any leasing or loan contract.

Who may sell the car?

When someone dies, their car becomes part of the estate and belongs to all heirs together (the community of heirs, Erbengemeinschaft / communauté héréditaire). That means:

• All heirs must agree to the sale – or give one person written authority to sell on their behalf.
• If there is an executor (Willensvollstrecker / exécuteur testamentaire), they can usually sell the car for the estate.
• If one heir takes over the car, it can be transferred to them. In Zurich, for example, a car and its plates can be transferred within 3 months to a spouse, a long-term partner or the community of heirs.

Not sure who is entitled to sell? Ask the authority dealing with the estate in the canton where the deceased last lived, or the executor, before you sign anything.

Documents you need

Was the car leased or financed? Then the leasing company or lender must be informed, and the contract settled before the car can be sold. See our guide to selling a leased car.

Plates, insurance and tax

As long as the car is registered with the deceased's plates, insurance and vehicle tax continue. Once the plates are handed in to the road traffic office, both stop, and any unused premium or tax is usually refunded to the estate. Our guide to returning your plates explains how this works in Geneva, Vaud and Zurich.

Selling an inherited car step by step

1. Agree among the heirsDecide together to sell, and who handles the sale.
2. Get an offerRequest a free valuation and mention that the car is part of an estate. You receive an offer within 24 hours, with no obligation.
3. Free inspection where the car isWe inspect the car at the deceased's home, in a garage or wherever it is parked – and collect it for free, even if it hasn't been driven for a long time.
4. Contract and paymentWe check the certificate of inheritance and authorisations, prepare the contract and pay – by bank transfer to the estate account or in cash, as the heirs prefer.
5. Hand in the platesReturn the plates to the road traffic office so that insurance and tax stop.