Hi Eyeryone,

Does anyone know how the Swiss police react to the old style UK paper licences (no photo) if you show these (with a UK address on it)? I don't have a problem but was curious.

Due to my wife's job I'm entitled to keep my old paper one (have D legitimation card) - so don't have to swap it for a Swiss equivalent - and have been using it the last few years. There was no problem registering our car (under my name) - which I *think* I needed to show it for.

I'm quite attached to the thing (complete with nice pictures of trucks etc on it!) and it's valid until 2041 - if it lasts that long in my wallet. It has raised eyebrows before when I've had to show it for hiring car but never had a real problem.

The DVLA in UK would charge for me to swap (though ironically if I 'change' address twice I could get a new one for free - have done this previously). Also I'm guessing the DVLA wouldn't register a UK licence against a Swiss address - currently it is registered to my parents address in UK - which makes me completely traceable - so I don't see a problem here (at present).

Any thoughts - I'd like to make sure I'm not going to land in trouble with it.

Cheers

Rick

I would think that it is no problem, but that is just a guess based on the fact that not everyone in Switzerland has converted to a credit card format driving license, and some people still have the old paper one. My mother still has one of them, and even thought they are encouraging you to switch there is no law saying they will become invalid. Of course if they did, they would have to figure out what to do with all the Swiss living overseas as currenty you can only switch it to a credit card format one in the canton you currently live in.

There cannot be any problem as it is valid in the country of issue and Switzerland cannot impose law changes in foreign countries...

I had a problem with the UK licence when I was stopped in Switzerland by the police for a general vehicle check.

I gather that, if you are resident in Switzerland, it is necessary to replace the UK licence with a Swiss equivalent (for which you pay, of course). This applies even if your Uk licence is a European version.

You're ok so long as you are not stopped by the police a second time, when it would be a case of going directly to jail and not passing go and not collecting £200.........................but paying the equivalent, yawn, yawn!!!

This was presumably after you had been resident here 12 months. Exactly the same applies to Swiss licences in the UK...

Thanks for the replies everyone.

In my case I'm exempted from doing the swap after one year - perk of my wife's job - and doesn't sound like the lack of photo is a problem then.....

Cheers

Rick

Rick,
Bear in mind this doesnt apply to all countries outside Switzerland.

Before I swapped to a Swiss licence, my paper UK licence got me out of a speeding fine in the US. I was pulled over for exceeding the 55 limit by a few mph. As I started to unfold my antique falling apart UK licence, the cop took one look at it and told me that the paperwork required to book me would be too much and let me go with a warning.

PS.. speeding is wrong.