"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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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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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