"Happy" not "friendly". The only difference is that a person with a driving license from a happy country can swap the the license on the spot. All others have to do the so called "test drive" or Kontrollfahrt before they can swap.

But in both instances the license is valid for driving in Switzerland up to one year after taking up residency in Switzerland. The license must be valid during this period and specially when you exchange it to a Swiss one. If the foreign licenses is not in Latin letters or the categories are not easily recognizable an international driving license (IDL) is very advisable. The IDL must always be shown together with the original license. The IDL acts as a translation document only and is not valid on its own. it

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"Okay, I just hope we don't wake up on Mars or something surrounded by millions of little squashy guys."

I am late to the party, but at least in cantons ZH and AG you can update your address recorded by StVA online. Valid for internal movement and for licenses in credit card format.

AG http://www.stva.zh.ch/internet/ds/st...aenderung.html
ZH https://stva.zh.ch/internet/sicherhe...AWumzugKT.html
other StVA may be checked here https://strassenverkehrsaemter.ch/

I have always been told I needed my permit to change my license, now I'm told I don't need one but it's confusing to be told both.
Anyone know the answer to this?

Who is "they" which tell you?

Let us assume you printed the relevant form and got the sight test from an optometrist or optician.

I would assume if you hand it in at the SAN/StVA you will need to bring the permit. If on the other hand you hand it in at your communes office you might not need to have the permit with you.

You only need to exchange the license if you take up residency (and have no diplomatic immunity). If you are a foreigner and a Swiss resident you will have a permit (maybe not physical if it is still being processed or renewed).

If you are Swiss and a Swiss resident than you won't have a permit. But you still can swap a foreign license under the same conditions as all others.

If it still not answered, what was your exact question?

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"Okay, I just hope we don't wake up on Mars or something surrounded by millions of little squashy guys."

You missed an option. "living in switzerland with a permit application pending for 3 years" which is a legal status but what THAT requires is always up for debate from various legal entities.

The service de navigation said I needed a permit, someone from another department today said I didn't need a permit. So I am not sure why I posed the question

That would be "processed or beeing renewed". I suggest to hand in the application form at your communes office. They will check identity, residency and may even forward the form if everything is o.k. to the SAN/StVA.

I guess I should ask them first? Before I bother with the eye doc form? They have me in the "non resident" box for my parking spot (yes I argued without success)

I'll give it a go when I feel like increasing my blood pressure

Thank you for the post. I've got a question here.

Near 3 years ago I exchanged my unhappy country DL for a Dutch one. I didn't go to any test in Netherlands and my Dutch DL mentioned my original country and DL number in section 12 on DL.

In this case, does Swiss/Zurich road traffic office recognize it as a Dutch license and exempt me from road test ? Or it is recognized as an unhappy DL and I still need to take the road test.

Thanks in advance if anyone can answer it.

Fill in the paperwork, do the eye-test and go to the strassenverkehrsamt and cross your fingers. Chances are you might be OK.

Hi,

Does anyone has experience with converting UK drivers license into Swiss when it comes to A category?

My drivers license indicates that I have AM,A,B1,B,f,k,p,q and on the reverse it shows next to A category 79(3), 01. Which effectively indicates that I’m only allowed to drive trikes (what I do now and was planning to take trike with me to Zurich ).
I understand that in Switzerland there are no such clauses like 79(3) like we have in the uk

Questions:
1) upon conversion of my UK license will I get Full A category or they know about those restrictions and will not indicate A on Swiss drivers license ?
2) I understand that trikes like Piaggio Yourban 300 LT cannot be driven in Switzerland with B category though what if I will use my UK license which indicate those categories as per above ? Will I be ok or will get a fine ?

Note that I haven’t taken specific A category training

Thanks

Hi,

I'm planning to convert my UK licence to a Swiss one.

It maybe a stupid question but if I do convert it, when I move back to the UK do I need to 'convert/exchange' it back to the UK licence again?

Thanks

In Switzerland trikes are covered in B1.

If a Piaggio Yourban 300 LT is considered as a B1 or an A depends on the front wheel track width. <450 mm would be a motorcycle. The Yourban has a track width of 465 mm which should put it in the B1 category (safe some special regulations I am not aware of). If it is classes as A you would have to pass the A exam to drive it (you can allready drive it with the learners permit). The actual A exam must be done with a two-wheeler.

Yes, as Switzerland is not in the EU (and most likely the same rules will apply for EU liceses after Brexit).

If you intend to drive in the UK you will have to exchange the Swiss license within 12 month of taking up UK residency. After 12 months it will be void for driving in the UK but you still have another 4 years to exchange it.

See also: https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-driving-licence

Thanks for your reply.

If I convert my uk licence to Swiss now, and it takes about a week to do the conversion, my uk licence should still be sent back to the uk since it’s still technically part of eu by end of this month?

I’m a uk citizen with a uk driving licence. Based in Switzerland for 1-2 years only.

Most likely they will sent it also back after Brexit. See no reason why they should not do it.

You could also be a Swiss or Danish citizen. Citizenship is of no relevancy. Like the Swiss license in the UK, your UK license will be void to drive in Switzerland 12 months after establishing Swiss residency (That the time limits are the same is just a coincidence). After that it can still be easily converted into a Swiss one for another 4 years. After that it might need a 30 min test drive unless can proof regular driving practice abroad.

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"Okay, I just hope we don't wake up on Mars or something surrounded by millions of little squashy guys."

Ok. Many thanks for your explanation!

Hello,
Thank you very much for this useful topic. May I ask questions regarding my situation ?
- I have Vietnamese driving license for car (B) since 7/2016 and I came to Switzerland since 1.4.2017 (sadly, not enough 12 months...), and live in canton Aargau. Even though it has been 2 years but they still let me take the driving test to exchange my license to Swiss one. As I came here when my license is less than 12 months since it is issued so maybe I will get a probationary license for 3 years if i pass the test. However, my contract here will be ended next year (1/4/2019) and I do not know I could extend my contract here or move to another country so what if i leave Switzerland before the end of my probation period ? Can I convert my probationary license to the license of other country ? If I come back Switzerland later , could I still get the permanent one after my probation period ?
- Could the probationary license be used abroad (in EU) or only in Switzerland during 3 years period ?
I am sorry for many questions and looking forward to your help.

I would like to thank you all for the help and the info here
That helped me to exchange my Egyptian driver license (not a happy country had to do the driving test)to a swiss one
basically I followed the guide which was very helpful.
just 2 points to add :
1) I found a driving school that accepted me without any fixed number of lessons before we start and - the rate to accompany and have the care for the test is 230 chf
2) If you have to do a driving test and you have category A & B you just do the test with the car and get both on your swiss driving license

Thanks a lot for this article.

I am doing a conversion drivers test in a few days and I am soo nervous, I would like to know does the expert ask you about road signs or the test is just driving and parking?

Looking forward to the response

According the relevant ASA guidline 19b https://asa.ch/online-bibliothek/richtlinien/ it driving only.

Nevertheless, even if you can not explain it in the local language, you must know what the signs (also those from the police) mean and act accordingly. Like, but not limited to:

- Do a full stop at a stop sign.
- Drive with foresight.
- Know when priority from the right applies or when it does not apply.
- Be prudent at junctions with an seemingly empty road with priority over yours
- Do not hinder others and specially do not endanger them by driving too slow, too fast, too erratic, and not according signage or traffic rules.

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"Okay, I just hope we don't wake up on Mars or something surrounded by millions of little squashy guys."