Moving to Switzerland - The Driving Licence

If you are already the holder of a driving licence:

• you need to register with the Road Traffic Office in your canton of residence within twelve months after entering the country (you will find the address on the website of the Association of Road Traffic Offices) to apply for your foreign driving licence to be replaced with a Swiss one. 

Your will need to bring the following documents:

• the (duly completed and signed) application for a driving licence on the basis of a foreign driving licence (you can obtain the form from the Road Traffic Office in your canton or download the form from its website)
• Identification (passport or identity card)
• The original driving licence (a certified translation may be requested in certain cases)
• Two recent photographs (in colour and passport format)
• The residence or domicile permit
• An optician's certificate (check with your Road Traffic Office to see whether or not this document is necessary)

In the event that you intend to spend less than 12 months in Switzerland, you do not need to obtain a Swiss driving licence.

If you do yet hold a driving licence:

• you can apply for a learner's licence from the Road Traffic Office in your canton of residence once you are 18 years of age (you will find the address on the website of the Association of Road Traffic Offices). 

This licence is issued to persons having passed their basic theory test. When applying for this test, you need to submit a document certifying that you have successfully completed a course on immediate life-saving measures. This document must be issued by an organisation that is accredited by the Swiss Federal Roads Authority.

Once you are in possession of this valuable piece of paper you are ready to get behind the wheel, provided that you are accompanied by a person who is 23 years of age and who has held a driving licence of the corresponding category (exception: motorcycles) for at least three years. 

You can obtain the necessary information on the period of validity of the learner's licence at the appropriate Road Traffic Office.

Once you have passed the theory test, completed the driving theory course with a certified driving instructor, and have taken some lessons (although lessons with a driving instructor are not compulsory, they are strongly recommended), you can apply for a practical driving test.

If you are unlucky enough to fail the test first time round, you can still retake it. 

If you pass the test, you will be sent your driving licence within a short period of time. 

The new driving licence

Since 1 April 2003, the old "blue" licence is being replaced by a driving licence in credit card format. The new licence no longer indicates the holder's address. This way the holder no longer obliged to have his driving licence reissued in the event of a change of address from one canton to another. It will suffice to notify the appropriate Road Traffic Office about the change of address. 

A new driving licence will only be issued in cases where the holder changes his or her name, or when a change is made to licence entitlements. 

The driving licence in credit card format is EU-compatible and corresponds with applicable ISO norms. The driving licence categories also correspond to those of neighbouring countries (for further information concerning this matter, please consult the Swiss Federal Roads Authority website).

Source: European Union
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Reproduction is authorised.