How To Get Your Swiss Driving Licence

There is one piece of administration in Switzerland for Expats that causes a lot of concern. It also seems to create the most confusion and opinion, and that is getting your Swiss Driving Licence. Expats can use their foreign driving licence for up to one year after their registration in Switzerland. During that time you can drive as normal, even use a Mobility car, you just have to email Mobility a scan of your foreign driving licence. They will send you a reminder that you have to send them a copy of your new Swiss licence after a year of residence, otherwise your Mobility membership will be suspended. Once you reach that one year date, it's time to hand in the licence you have held since your late teens and get a new shiny card-sized Swiss one. For some people this

• This Form (only available in German, correct at time of publishing)

• Eyesight test, which is provided by an optician completing part of the above form, so bring itwith you when you go for your eye test!

• A colour passport photograph

• Your residency permit

• Your foreign/home driving licence, which will be taken from you by the Strassenverkehrsamt or Gemeinde.

• 20 Swiss Francs

You will also receive a bill a couple of weeks after these documents are handed in. around 50CHF for handling your old licence and 35CHF for issuing your new one. If all goes well, you should have your new licence in your hands a week after handing in the documents above. For non-EU or -EFTA licence holders, you have to hand in the same documentation as above but will be called to take a driving test within three months of giving over your documentation. If you have had any different experiences, and there certainly are people who have see things work differently, please contribute in the comments as we have tried to present the most common scenarios here.