its basically a driving test ,you drive and the guy in the passenger seat just give you instruction about directions and where to go.
Keep calm and drive like you normally, In my case the guy was super nice and even talked a little and told me to keep calm and drive normally .
They understand if something confusing happened (in my case a ambulance was coming from the other way ,and some construction work)
Always assume your going straight if he didn't say other direction

PS : you know you must provide the car for the test

Hello All!


I just wanted to post my experience about converting my US California DL to a Swiss DL. I live in Canton Fribourg and have been a permanent resident of CH since 2008, became a Swiss citizen (by marriage) in 2016. I did not convert my CA driver's license within the 12 month period. Not sure why, just did not think about it. Because my California DL is expiring next year, I finally decided to see what would entail converting to a Swiss DL.


First I thought I had to do the Kontrollfahrt & Theorieprüfung. At least that is what it says on the "Umtauschformular". So then I called the OCN (strassenverkehrsamt) here in Fribourg. They said I don't need to do any tests (Kontrollfahrt und Theorieprüfung befreit). All I had to do was submit the following:

• completed Umtauschformular
• Eye Exam
• Wohnsitzbestätigung
• original CA driver's license
• copy of CA driving record stating when I received my driver's license
• 80CHF fee
• Swiss Passport & US Passport (which they took copies of)
• current photo 35mm x 45mm, color

I showed up at the OCN, they looked over all my documents and within 5 minutes, they issued me a Swiss driver's license. Never once did they make it an issue that I did not do the conversion within the 12 month period, even considering it has been well over 10+ years since I became a permanent resident of CH.


I do not know if there have been any changes to Swiss regulations about the 12 month conversion period. I thought that maybe since I became a Swiss citizen, I might be exempt from that? I don't really know. Overall, it was quick and I was surprised. As soon as I had my CH driver's license in hand, I bolted out of there...thinking it might be too good to be true and that someone would stop me at the door! hahaha!


Anyway, just thought I'd share! Hope this helps someone!

Hi All,

Thanks for all the information about driving in CH.

I have a question. I moved to Zurich from London over a year ago and now I am doing my licence in London this week.

Assuming I pass it, will I have any issues exchanging it for a Swiss licence ?
This thread implies I will do. And if so what?

Thanks again

As long as you do not drive in Switzerland after the 12 month period you have nothing to worry about. Just do not tell anyone if you did and specially do not get caught

Nothing changed. Still the same: After 12 month you are no longer allowed to drive in Switzerland and after 5 years they might request a Kontrollfahrt if you want to exchange a foreign license into a Swiss one if you can not show regular driving practice.

As you will have acquired the foreign license after you became a Swiss resident they will not exchange it. Means you will have to do the full program: First aid course, theory exam, road awareness course, and finally practical exam. Depending on your own schedule and how soon there is an open spot it will take 2 weeks to maybe two months max.

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Hello,

A question about driving eligibility as i'm not sure how this works:

I have lived in CH for over 12 months and not exchanged my UK license (hence can no longer legally drive here). Possibly moving back to the UK in the near future and would like to drive all my stuff back (drive over from UK-CH and back). Am I allowed to drive here on my UK license again as soon as I deregister at the Kreisburo?

I assume I can then deregister before my apartment lease is up then come to empty said apartment.

Thanks!

Thank you very much for the response this thread helped me. I passed my test in Bassersdorf.🎉🎉🎉💃🏽

Hello,

just a quick question: does anyone here has a recent experience with license swapping in Geneva? (From EU to Swiss)

After how many days/weeks I should receive the new one?

Thanks

Hello everyone,

I am not sure whether this question was asked before or not.
I was in Switzerland (St. Gallen) from 2014 to 2015, took 12 driving lessons with an instructor in order to get Swiss driving licence. I left Switzerland 2015 and now I am coming back (Lausanne) in September this year.

My question is:
Do I need to take full test or just a driving test?
As I was away for 5 years does the rule of *1 year* still applies to me?


Many thanks for your answers
D

Did you ever gain a Swiss License?
What country did hand out the license you currently have?

I have never gained Swiss licence and my cyrrent one is from Serbia

Valid inside Switzerland for a maximum period of a year, to exchange yours for a Swiss version you have to make a testdrive.

thank you *EdwinNl

Realized I have just one month to do this, so .. can anyone confirm this is the right action plan to do in Vaud canton?

1. Create scan/photocopy of current licence
2. Get new personal photo for Switzerland licence
3. Print/fill the following Vaud canton form
4. Get sight test done by local optometrist
5. Add copy of permit scan, mugshot photo, doctors note, filled out form, driving licensce scan (or real document?) and hand it in (where exactly?)
6. Wait for the bill and hopefully the new licence

Hi All,

I have been reading the entire thread, very useful intel. However, cannot seem to spot the rules applicable to exchanging your driver's license after the 1st year in CH. I will go to the local ZUG Traffic Authorities tomorrow and wanted to know if I need to come extra prepared besides the documents listed on the website.

My situation is like this, I am coming from one of the "Happy countries", been living in Zug for the past 1,5 years and did not exchange my driver's license until now because I did not know for how long I will stay. What rule applies if I want to exchange it after the first free 1 year?
Would I need to take a driver's test?

Not sure.

Thanks for your invaluable help.

Best,
Roxy

From the first post:

Note: You can exchange your valid foreign driving license w/o an issues up to five years since you became a resident in Switzerland. After five years you must show that you have regularly driven a car aboard. {asa guidline 1, Section 351}

From the FAQ

Q: Is there any special procedure for converting after X years of residence in Switzerland?
A: Yes, after 5 years you may do a test drive even when you are from one of the exempt countries.


I will add the following to the FAQ:

Q: Is there any special procedure or conditions for converting after more than 1 year but less than 5 years of residence in Switzerland?
A: No. But as usual your driving license must still be valid.

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All correct. But you should also submit a photocopy of ID/Passport/Permit.

Here the answer to your questions:

The will need the original foreign license, see page 3 of the form you have linked.
You can either hand in the application with all needed documents personally at one of the SAN locations (bring permit and ID for identity confirmation).
Or you can sent it by mail after you get your identity confirmed at your local communes office (contrôle des habitants).

If I am not mistaken the probation period in your case would be 36 - 12 - 9 = 15 months (give or take a month). Art. 44a VZV https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classifi...ndex.html#a44a

The probation period should not be an issue. But if the other country also known a probation it might carry forward. The Swiss license might show that you got it by converting a Vietnamese license. If this is the case they might be certain limitations regarding conversion in an other country and it might be treated like a Vietnamese driving license.

I think so given you did the mandatory WAB driving courses within the probation period.

It can be used anywhere where the Swiss license is valid.

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Thank you soo much for the swift clarification, I feel much more confident with my application.

All the best,
Roxana

I am a little confused by these two points:

Anyone who resides for at least 12 Months in Switzerland, and who was not been aboard for at least 3 month uninterrupted, and who wants to drive a motor vehicle in Switzerland. {Art. 42 Abs. 3bis Lit. a VZV}

You can exchange your valid foreign driving license w/o an issues or conditions up to five years since you became a resident in Switzerland. After five years the authorities can request that you have regularly driven a car aboard {asa guidline 1, Section 351}.

I have a valid UK licence, I plan to be (tax) resident in Switzerland for around 2 years. I will not be in the UK for 3 months uninterrupted.

I have a car in the UK. I cannot insure it with a Swiss licence. I must have a UK Licence for my car insurance to be valid.

I want to occasionally drive in Switzerland after 12 months.

Is this possible?

Thanks!

Hi, First of all I would like to thank you very much for this detailed document which helped me a lot in my application process. Today I have applied for conversion of my Turkish driving license and I am looking forward to my control driving.

What surprised me a lot and which came as an unpleasant surprise is the fact that I was told that they will not be giving my Turkish driving license back. What I understood from the thread is that they give it back to you with either a hole on it or a removable sticker which mentions that it is not valid in Switzerland. This, I understand. But taking my Turkish driving license totally is unacceptable on my end. I am using it as my main identity document in Turkey and I need it.

I was told that while travelling to Turkey I need to visit the authorities in Pfaeffikon, hand in my Swiss driving license and get back my Turkish license and on the way back I do the same to hand in my Turkish license and get the Swiss one. I have no time for this shit, I travel frequently to Turkey.

And I don`t understand the logic behind it. Why is Swiss authorities worrying about my driving in Turkey with my Turkish driving license? Why do I need to spend so much time for this handing in and handing back procedure?? This is totally unacceptable for me. If I am allowed to have double citizenship, I must be allowed to have double driving licenses - of course Swiss one to be used in Switzerland and the Turkish one in Turkey.

My German was limited to discuss about it with them -but I need your help: 1)to understand the legal reason of this bureaucratic nonsense 2) What can I do to have my Turkish driving license back after I get my Swiss driving license? 3) All the `rules` I have faced in Switzerland was understandable and logical so far. With this one I really couldn't understand the logic, other than making life a misery for someone coming from an `unhappy country`. Do I have any right to complain about it? 4) Are the Turkish people only ones who are subject to this kind of treatment?

I am so frustrated. Maybe if I understand the logic, it will be easier to accept.
Many thanks in advance