Commercial number plates (U-plates): who can use them and when?  

They are a familiar sight on Switzerland’s roads – number plates ending in U.  
Their official designation is commercial number plate. But who is entitled to use these plates and for which journeys? This article will tell you all you need to know about these number plates, including who is allowed to drive with them and for which type of journey. 

The Vehicles Insurance Ordinance (VIO)² specifies who is allowed to drive with these plates and when. And the provisions of the ordinance are conclusive.  

The following persons are allowed to drive with commercial number plates:  

• Owners or employees of a garage business 
• Members of the garage business owner’s or garage business manager’s family, provided they live in the same household as the owner or manager  
• Other persons authorised by the garage business owner or manager (the driver must have the written authorisation with them when in the vehicle), provided the transportation of the vehicle is for a business-related purpose 
• Potential buyers 

These persons are also authorised to use the number plates for the following reasons.  

• If the vehicle needs to be towed away or is in need of repair 
• A test drive following repairs or alteration work 
• A test drive of a new vehicle (by the manufacturer or importer) 
• The motor expert may take the vehicle for inspection with the U-plates 
• The plates may also be used for the official vehicle inspection (and the drive to the centre) 
• Other non-remunerated trips 

The prospective buyer may also use the plates when test driving their new dream car. If their car has to be towed away, the breakdown service may also display U-plates when taking the vehicle for repairs. On completion of the repairs, the garage can use its own U-plates when taking the vehicle for a test drive. An employee is also authorised to use the plates when driving the repaired vehicle from the workshop to the owner’s home. All those things are fine.  

However, the plates may not be used for a weekend outing or a trip to the shops. Even if the garage were to allow such a trip, it would still have no business interest in such a journey, which also would not count as transfer of the vehicle.  

What about taking a vehicle outside Switzerland?  

The provisions of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968 apply to international traffic¹. Switzerland and its neighbouring countries are all signatories to the convention, which regulates cross-border traffic within the region. The same rules apply to all the other signatory states which do not share a border with Switzerland. You can see which countries have signed up to the convention via the following link (in French, German and Italian): https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1993/402_402_402/fr#scope_u1

The Vienna Convention states that vehicles in international circulation must among other things be licenced. This licence document (vehicle registration certificate) must contain certain mandatory details, including the chassis number and initial date of registration. This information is not contained in a collective licence used for a commercial number plate. Customs therefore prevents vehicles with U-plates from crossing the border. Any drivers who nonetheless cross the border with U-plates run the risk of being stopped and fined. In the worst case they may even have the vehicle and/or their driving licence taken away as they have no official authorisation to drive with this registration.  

Specialities 

Switzerland has, however, concluded a bilateral agreement with Germany and Italy whereby border crossings with U-plates are allowed.  

Germany

There is an implementation agreement between Germany and Switzerland stating that both countries mutually accept the temporary use of commercial number plates in their respective territories. A vehicle with Swiss commercial plates is therefore allowed to enter Germany, despite the collective vehicle licence failing to comply with the conditions of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. The implementation agreement covers the entire territory of both countries, so there is no restriction in that regard. At the same time, the agreement only applies to test drives and vehicle transfers. Trips for private purposes with Swiss commercial number plates are not allowed in Germany.  

Italy

The bilateral agreement between Switzerland and Italy allows test drives and the transfer of brand-new vehicles from Switzerland to Italy up to 100 km beyond the border.  

Trips for private purposes are not allowed.  

Countries without a bilateral agreement and not covered by the Vienna Convention 

Spain is not subject to the Vienna Convention, nor has it signed a bilateral agreement with Switzerland. The International Convention relative to Motor Traffic³ of 24 April 1926 therefore applies with regard to traffic between Switzerland and Spain. This agreement does not have any explicit ruling on commercial plates, although it does require an international licence document, which must include the chassis number. As the collective licences do not have this number, it logically follows that trips to Spain with commercial number plates are not permitted. There is also a risk of being denied permission to cross the border or subsequently incurring some sort of sanction (fine, confiscation of vehicle, confiscation of driving licence).  

In conclusion, the use of commercial plates in Switzerland is permitted and insured subject to certain restrictions. As a general rule, trips with these plates must have some connection to the motor vehicle industry, which is also the reason why U-plates were originally introduced.  

Quellen:
1.Vienna Convention on Road Traffic,  https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1993/402_402_402/fr 

2.Vehicles Insurance Ordinance, art. 24⁷⁹ Usage des plaques and  art. 25⁸⁵ Personnes autorisées à faire usage de telles plaques 

3. Convention of 24 April 1926 relative to Motor Traffic, https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/46/720_741_752/fr