Exchanging a foreign driving licence in Switzerland
Exchanging a foreign driving licence: how long do you have to exchange a foreign licence? Which documents do you need? Tips from Comparis.
21.03.2024
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1. Exchanging a foreign driving licence in Switzerland: how long do I have?
After you move to Switzerland, you may drive for twelve months with your foreign licence. You are required to exchange it for a Swiss driving licence within one year of arriving. The Road Traffic Office in your canton of residence is your point of contact for this.
There is an exception: if you drive professionally, you must exchange your driving licence before you drive in a professional capacity.
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2. Exchanging your driving licence in Switzerland: forms and documents
To exchange your driving licence, you need the following documents.
Download it from the website of the Road Traffic Office in your canton. You can find a list of all offices on the ASA (Association of Road Traffic Offices) website.
If your driving licence has expired, you cannot exchange it for a Swiss driving licence.
This applies to driving licences in a foreign language. Translation requirements vary from canton to canton.
If you send your application by post, a copy is usually sufficient.
35 × 45 mm according to these guidelines.
Get an eye test from a recognized optician. The optician will enter your results directly on the application form. You can find a list of recognized opticians on the website of your local Road Traffic Office.
Cost: around 20 francs
You may need confirmation of your examination date from the driving licence authority of your home country. This applies to driving licences that do not show the examination date.
Under certain circumstances, you may also need a medical certificate:
For people who drive professionally. These are driving licence categories C1, C, D, D1 or “Professional Transport of Persons”, or category 3
In some cases if you are 75 years or older
Which doctor you need to go to depends on the canton. Find out more from your local Road Traffic Office.
In some cantons, you need a criminal record statement to drive in a professional capacity. You can get it from the Federal Office of Justice.
Example: in the Canton of Solothurn, you can send the documents for exchanging your driving licence by post. Meanwhile, in the Canton of Bern, you must go to one of the following places in person:
Road Traffic Office
Residents’ registration office
Police station in the canton of Bern
3. Do I need to take a driving test or a theory test?
Driving test
Whether you have to take a driving test depends on which country issued your driving licence. Did you get your driving licence in an EU or EFTA state? Then you don’t need to take a driving test.
Switzerland has an agreement with some other countries such as Japan and the USA. If your driving licence is from a country with which Switzerland has an agreement, you won’t have to take a driving test.
Note: you can only take this driving test once. If you don’t pass, your driving licence will be revoked. You must then apply for a new one according to the proper procedure.
Theory test
If you have a driving licence from an EU/EFTA country, you don’t need to take a theory test. If your driving licence is from a third country, you must pass a theory test for professional driving licences. This applies even if your country is exempt from the driving test.
4. What happens if I forget to exchange my driving licence in Switzerland?
If you don’t drive
As long as you don’t drive a car on public roads, nothing will happen. You can still exchange your driving licence.
Are you exchanging your driving licence more than five years after moving to Switzerland? Then you may have to do a driving test. Alternatively, you may confirm that you have driven in the last two years and have driving experience (Directive 1, para. 351, Association of Road Traffic Offices, in German, French and Italian only).
If you drive
After twelve months, your foreign driving licence is no longer valid. The consequence of driving with an expired licence? In the worst-case scenario, there are high fines and even imprisonment. If you are involved in an accident, you may receive less or no money from your insurance.
Good to know: the deadline is based on the arrival date stated on your residence permit.
Driving without a licence is a misdemeanour. Depending on your income, you can be fined up to 360 daily rates of a maximum of 3,000 francs. In cases of repeat offence, there may even be a prison sentence of up to three years.
You will also receive a six-month driving ban. During this period, your foreign driving licence will be revoked and you will not be able to apply for a Swiss driving licence.
5. Other questions about converting your driving licence to a Swiss licence
If you do not need to take any additional tests, you will usually receive your Swiss driving licence by post within two weeks. When medical examinations or other tests are required, the process takes longer.
The Road Traffic Office in Bern recommends that you bring your residence card and a copy of your foreign driving licence with you when you drive during the exchange period. This will allow you to identify yourself in the event of a police check.
The costs vary:
Depending on your canton. Each canton sets its own fees. In Basel-Landschaft, for example, you pay 80 francs. In the canton of Solothurn, you pay between 200 and 500 francs.
Depending on your situation. Do you need to take exams or have a medical examination? In this case, it will cost more to exchange your foreign driving licence.
The exact prices are listed on the website of each cantonal Road Traffic Office.
This depends on which country issued your foreign driving licence.
EU/EFTA countries and third country exceptions: the Road Traffic Office will send your foreign driving licence back to the authority of origin.
Third countries: the driving licence is marked as “not valid in Switzerland”. You will then get it back.
Driving licences for people with an F, N or S residence permit: the Road Traffic Office will send your driving licence to the State Secretariat for Migration.
Yes. It’s best to contact the relevant driving licence authority before you leave Switzerland.
This article was first published on 26.09.2013
