Which vehicle kinds does Swiss law distinguish?
Last verified: 2026-06-20
The Ordinance on the Technical Requirements for Road Vehicles (VTS, SR 741.41) distinguishes the individual vehicle kinds in Art. 11–18 and links them to the EU vehicle classes.
| Main group | Examples | EU class |
|---|---|---|
| Transport motor vehicles (persons) | passenger car, minibus, coach | M1, M2, M3 |
| Transport motor vehicles (goods) | delivery van, truck, semi-trailer tractor | N1, N2, N3 |
| Trailers | various | O1–O4 |
| Work motor vehicles | work machines, work carts | — |
| Motorcycles & light motorcycles | motorcycle, scooter | L (Reg. 168/2013) |
| Mopeds | e-bike, moped | — |
| Tractors | agricultural / forestry | T, C (Reg. 167/2013) |
The precise classification is set out in Art. 11 (transport motor vehicles), 12 (EU classes), 13 (work motor vehicles) and 14–18 (motorcycles, light vehicles, mopeds) VTS.
Sources
- VTS (SR 741.41), Art. 11–18 – Vehicle classification — Fedlex – Swiss Federal Law
- Vehicle classification — ASTRA – Federal Roads Office