What is the name of Switzerland’s annual motorway access permit, commonly required for using its motorways?

Switzerland’s annual motorway access permit is the Swiss motorway vignette.

A vignette is a permit displayed on a vehicle to show that the required motorway charge has been paid. Switzerland introduced its motorway vignette in 1985. The system applies to vehicles using Swiss motorways and certain motor-vehicle roads, with rules depending on vehicle type and weight.

The traditional vignette is an adhesive sticker placed on the inside of the windscreen. Switzerland also introduced an electronic version, the e-vignette, which is linked to the vehicle’s registration number. The annual permit remains valid for a defined period spanning the previous December through the following January, rather than for exactly twelve months from the purchase date.

The vignette should not be confused with separate charges for some tunnels, mountain routes, or heavy vehicles. Switzerland’s motorway charge is a road-use permit, not a universal ticket for every road. Drivers entering from neighboring countries need to check whether their route uses roads covered by the vignette requirement.