Editorial overview, not legal advice. Art. 33 and 34 VTS and the summons from your road traffic office are decisive. As of August 2026.
What the MFK is
The MFK checks whether the car meets the regulations and is safe to operate. The road traffic office summons you; you usually choose the appointment yourself. The inspection takes place in your canton of residence. On request, a presentation is also possible outside the interval, for example before a sale or after a restoration.
A pass is an indication, not a free pass. It replaces neither your own viewing nor an appraisal.
Intervals
For light and heavy passenger cars, Art. 33 Abs. 2 Bst. c VTS applies:
- first, five years after first entry into service, at the latest after six years
- then after three years
- thereafter every two years
For a classic without a veteran entry, that means in practice: every two years.
With veteran status, the interval can be extended to six years. That is a discretionary provision in the ASTRA directives, not an automatic extension: the canton enters it.
After a technical change, Art. 34 VTS applies: the keeper must report the change, and the car must be re-inspected before it is used again. That covers modifications as well as a frame replacement or altered lighting.
What the inspectors look at
On classics, the recurring faults are known. The buying-advice guides name the model-specific spots; across the model lines, these count:
- Structural sheet metal: sills, floor, jacking points, longitudinal members, spring mounts. Filler and fresh underseal stand out.
- Brakes: lines, hoses, discs or drums, handbrake.
- Lights and signals: function, indicator colour, headlamp height. US imports with red rear indicators are a perennial issue; see Import.
- Suspension and steering: play, worn joints, perished gaiters.
- Tyres: tread, damage, obvious ageing. There is no fixed legal maximum age; cracked tyres fail. Details under Tyres on a classic.
- Exhaust and changes: removed catalytic converters and equipment that has not been entered.
The car must be presented clean and in compliance. A wet, dirty underside delays the inspection and hides exactly the places the inspector wants to see.
What a recent report is worth
When you buy, a current MFK report is useful: it shows that the car was presented recently and lists any defects. It does not say what the car will look like in six months, and it does not check history, Matching Numbers or market value.
So:
- Read the report; do not just trust « passed ». Re-inspections and conditions are in the protocol.
- For an import with no Swiss inspection history, allow budget and time for the first presentation.
- Before an expensive purchase, also use the checklist and, if needed, a neutral appraisal.
If you are looking for a garage to prepare the car: businesses with the focus MFK and veteran inspection.
Sources
- VTS Art. 33 (periodic inspection duty) and Art. 34 (extraordinary inspection)
- ASTRA, directives for veteran vehicles, 10 July 2026 (interval of up to six years; in force since 1 August 2026)
- TCS and cantonal road traffic offices, on how the presentation is organised