Any luck I can get my EU license converted in Zürich after little over 3 years of living there?
I never really bothered because until recently I still used to own a car back home, for which I needed my license (to be insured).

Issue date? Or arrival date?

Well, you need to register within 8 days after arrival, so that wouldn't really matter.

Nope. Sorry. You have one year upon beginning your residency. After that you have to take the tests, both theory and practical.

Wait. Are you saying that you lived outside of CH for more than three years?

If this is the case and you held a valid license there for more than years then you should be good to go.

No, I've been living and working in CH since May 2008. I just kept my EU license to keep the car (that I used to own there until recently) insured.

I've read here that I am not allowed to drive after the first year, but that I would still be able to convert my license within 3 years. Since I'm not a 100% sure, I was actually hoping this would be 4 or 5 years.

But if am renewing my permit after the first one expires?

Makes no difference. Entry date is still printed.

The 12 month clock starts running on your first entry to Switzerland.

You might have made 2 tours here, 1 of 4 months and 1 of 9 months. The 12 months time limit is finished 8 months after your first exit, not during your second visit! This is why you need the letter stating when you first came to Switzerland.

It is always best to apply for the license as soon as is reasonably possible.

I didn't need a letter stating when I first arrived in CH.
Of course I brought my Carte Gris and my Passport and multiple documents proving that I have been continuously legally licensed to drive since my 16th birthday. (That caused a bit if a kerfuffle. )

But you do have do do it within one year.

The critical point about showing that you have been licensed to drive for three years is that you won't get a full lisence until you have three years of continuous verifiable driving experience. Otherwise you have to put a big blue L on your vehicle.

Just saw your post, I hope you're still reading this thread.

I exchanged my NSW licence for a Swiss one in Basel-Land. The procedure should be the same in BS. On the application form, where you're asked for the date of issue of the licence, I wrote the approximate date on which I got my P-plates -- I definitely don't remember exactly what the date was, but I put some date shortly after my 17th birthday. No questions were asked and I received my Swiss licence with no problems at all.

Hope that helps ...

No, this is not correct.

The requirement only comes in when you settle in Switzerland. By deregistering and becoming non-resident you do reset the clock.

I didn't have to provide anything other than my US license, and they simply used my 16th birthday as the date for ALL classes, so my license actually says that I can drive cars and large motorcycles since I was 16!

The really strange thing is that my old Swiss license also said that I could also drive small (<125cc) motorcycles, but only since I was 27 (when I got my Swiss license)

Tom

Thanks, but that is not what I was told. But maybe that was in Germany!!!

As I need to go down to the office and exchange my US driver's license, a question has arised:

I have done an eye exam at Fielmann a little short of 3 months ago...can I take a copy of that exam down to the office and save 25 CHF?

I think the eye test is valid for 2 years

Coooool, thank you

Hi there. I live in Bern and I did my eye test today for swiss driver licence, and they sad that this eye test is good for 6 months, not for 2 years, and I payd my test 15 Fr.

I've got my license converted before the 12 months clock expired after entering Switzerland. I've never heard of a 3 years period, that would be too good to be. Does anyone have any web page pointing to an official link stating this rule?

It is 12 MONTHS end of story. You might get lucky and they will let it pass if you go after the 12 month limit but you might not. The risk is that you have to redo your full driving test (theory and road and first aid etc.) if they decide to be nasty. That will really hurt in terms of cost and time.

I made it through several pages of this thread, but eventually gave up. Sorry... there were just too many pages to go through. But here's what I understand about exchanging my US driver's license for a Swiss driver's license:

1. fill out the appropriate form
2. have a eye exam from an optometrist
3. bring my US license
4. bring my Swiss residency card
5. bring a recent passport photo

Can someone confirm this?: for the exchange to be smooth (without other exams, etc), I must have my US license for 3 or more years. If my license reflects that I've only had it for a year (such as I just renewed it last year), then I may be required to take other exams, pay additional fees. However, if I obtain my driving record to reflect that I've been driving for more than three years, then the change shouldn't be a problem.

Please let me know if my assessment is correct. Thank you!!