An everyday example
Fictional example: Sophie lives in Rotterdam. In February she is driving to Tyrol for a ski week and returning via Zurich. Searching for a Swiss vignette, she lands on a polished site with a countdown timer and a price in euros well above the official CHF 40.
She closes the tab, types via.admin.ch herself, pays exactly CHF 40 and gets the confirmation by email. For Austria she only needs ten days, so she picks the 10-day vignette in ASFINAG's toll shop, which has no 18-day wait.
Which websites are the official sellers?
In Austria, ASFINAG sells the digital vignette in its toll shop and its free app. According to ASFINAG, the toll shop serves the EEA and Switzerland. Other sales points include ÖAMTC, ARBÖ and ADAC offices and petrol stations. On Austrian motorways and expressways, all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum laden mass need a vignette.
In Switzerland, the official online route is the FOCBS Via portal at via.admin.ch; the address e-vignette.ch leads there too. The FOCBS has no official distribution partners for the e-vignette. The sticker vignette is still sold, for example at post offices and most petrol stations.
| Country | Official online route | Valid from (bought online) | Correcting the plate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | ASFINAG toll shop and app; 1 day, 10 days, 2 months, 1 year | private buyers: annual and 2-month from the 18th day after purchase; 1-day and 10-day at once | free in your ASFINAG account before validity starts; afterwards annual vignette only (EUR 18) |
| Switzerland | FOCBS Via portal (via.admin.ch); CHF 40, no fees | immediately | Swiss plate once in the ticket; foreign plate once within 24 hours |
How do you spot a reseller with a mark-up?
For the e-vignette, the FOCBS allows third-party sellers to add surcharges, provided they clearly identify themselves as independent and break down their costs. Surcharges on the sticker vignette are generally not permitted. Because of online fraud, the FOCBS recommends buying only from trustworthy providers or the official webshop.
- Price: The FOCBS charges exactly CHF 40. Any service fee means you are not in the official shop.
- Address: via.admin.ch for Switzerland; for Austria, open the ASFINAG website yourself and go to the toll shop from there.
- Independence notice: If it is missing or hidden in small print, close the page.
- Payment requests: The FOCBS warns about fake sites and emails asking you to re-enter payment details; it never asks you by email to confirm payment details.
In search results, look at the labels: according to the EU's Your Europe portal, websites must clearly indicate when a search result is sponsored or promoted through paid advertising. It names fake countdown timers as one example of manipulative design. A bookmark saved from the right page is simplest: save key services as checked bookmarks. Costly middlemen also appear with government applications: spotting expensive agency sites.
How do you buy the Swiss e-vignette in the Via portal?
FOCBS Via portal (browser on computer or phone)
- Type via.admin.ch into the address bar yourself and open the shop.
- Select the vehicle category, the country of registration and the number plate.
- If you share the car, mark the purchase as ‘publicly viewable’ so others can check whether the plate has a valid e-vignette.
- Enter your email address when paying. The confirmation arrives within a few minutes; otherwise check your junk folder.
- Keep the PDF receipt with the reference number. If you bought without registering, you can restore your tickets with ‘+ Import’ and that number.
- To correct the plate: tickets icon at the top right › pencil icon › ‘Change registration number’.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: bazg.admin.ch
What if the number plate is wrong?
For the Swiss e-vignette, a Swiss plate can be corrected once in the ticket. A foreign plate, such as a Dutch, Irish or Belgian one, can be corrected once within 24 hours of purchase. According to the FOCBS, wrong dashes or spaces do not need correcting.
Moving the e-vignette to a new plate is only possible if vehicle and keeper stay the same, for example after a move, and only with documents. Refunds are generally limited to a proven double purchase or double charge, requested via the FOCBS contact form. Mistaken purchases are not refunded.
In Austria, you can change the plate free of charge in your ASFINAG account before the vignette becomes valid; if you bought through a partner such as ADAC, change it there. After that, only the annual vignette can be changed, for a processing fee of EUR 18.
Tip: Copy the plate from your registration document, not from memory. 0 and O, or 1 and I, are easily mixed up when typing.
When should you buy the 2027 vignette?
| Date | What applies |
|---|---|
| 1 December 2026 | The 2027 annual vignette becomes valid in both countries. |
| 31 January 2027 | Last day of the 2026 annual vignette. |
| 31 January 2028 | Last day of the 2027 annual vignette, after 14 months. |
In Austria, if you buy an annual or 2-month vignette privately in the toll shop or app, do so at least 18 days before your first drive. This wait does not apply at toll stations, ASFINAG vending machines or sales partners.
Already bought from a reseller: where to turn?
A reseller purchase is not automatically invalid. Check that your receipt shows the plate, country and validity. Under EU rules, a practice can be misleading through false information or by leaving out important information; in Switzerland, which is not in the EU, these rules do not apply automatically.
| Situation | Contact | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Typo in the Austrian vignette | your ASFINAG account | free before validity starts |
| Double purchase of the Swiss e-vignette | FOCBS contact form | attach your receipts |
| Problem with a reseller based in the EU | your national consumer association or the European Consumer Centres Network | keep the invoice and screenshots |
| Card details entered on a fake site | your card provider | straight away, via a known contact |
What to do after entering card details is covered in card details entered on a suspicious site. This guide does not replace individual legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the first search result is the official shop, although the address belongs neither to ASFINAG nor to admin.ch.
- Buying the Austrian annual vignette in the toll shop the evening before departure and forgetting the 18-day rule.
- Choosing the wrong country of registration or typing O instead of 0.
- Replying to an email that asks you to confirm payment details for the vignette.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
When is the 2027 vignette valid in Austria and Switzerland?
The 2027 annual vignette is valid in both countries from 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2028, which is 14 months. The Swiss e-vignette is valid immediately after purchase. In Austria, an annual or 2-month vignette bought privately in the toll shop or app is only valid from the 18th day after purchase.
Is there still a sticker vignette in 2027?
Not in Austria. According to ASFINAG, only the digital vignette will be available from 2027; the 2026 sticker is the last. You buy it in the toll shop, the app or from a local sales partner, where the 18-day wait does not apply. In Switzerland the sticker stays on sale alongside the e-vignette, and both cost CHF 40.
Do I need a separate Swiss vignette for a caravan or trailer?
Yes. According to the FOCBS, trailers are also subject to the charge unless they fall under the heavy vehicle fee. Trailers pulled by motorcycles are exempt. So a caravan of up to 3.5 tonnes needs its own vignette as well as the car's.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- ASFINAG: FAQ vignetteSource review date:
- ASFINAG HelpCenter: VignetteSource review date:
- ASFINAG HelpCenter: License plate changeSource review date:
- FOCBS: E-vignette (Via portal purchase)Source review date:
- FOCBS: FAQ vignette and e-vignette purchase (in German)Source review date:
- European Union, Your Europe: Unfair commercial practicesSource review date:
