It's the DVLA now - apparently it changed in 1990

Still in Swansea though ? Never understood that .

I quite like my UK driving licence!!! I want it back!!!

I suppose there is no point in asking the DVL(? ) for a replacement before I start the whole process.

Only if you want to fraudulently claim you lost it, then you'd probably have to pay for a replacement (and have a valid UK address to have it sent to that matches what they have on their database), and then have the whole thing cancelled off their computer when it's sent back by the Swiss authorities anyway! I'm quite attached to mine, but think I'll just take a photocopy .

More importantly, be aware that a straight swap will only give a Swiss licence allowing you to drive cars (and motorbikes if applicable for you). All those useful C and D categories about large trucks and minibuses will go, and to get your Swiss licence you have to sign a form saying you rescind them and understand you need to take a test if you want them back in the future.

It is perfectly possible to keep them, but as they are 'professional' categories it requires a medical and a criminal records check (see thread a couple of pages above, where this is discussed). I'm just coming to the end of the process, because I want to retain those categories for life in Switzerland, and because the change of law in the 1990s in the UK means they're no longer just doled out in the UK like they used to be - and I don't trust the DVL(?) to give them back to me if we return to the UK...

kodokan

Fair Enough... bye bye UK driving licence then.

thank you for the answers!

I am not too sure how important changing your licence is if you have an EU or UK licence. I know that this is not completely relevant to an SA licence, but it may help. I lived in Spain for 7 years and after so many months of becoming a resident, one had to apply for a Spanish Drivers Licence (If you've ever driven there, you'll be surprised that they have them) However, many ex-pats including myself, never bothered. Now, it seems that any EU licence is legal in Spain and it is no longer a requirement to change. As Switzerland is coming more and more like an EU state, it may be that EU licences will not have to be changed in the future. I have been driving here for 3 years and in that time I have only been stopped by the police once and that was just 2 weeks ago at 2:00 AM. Two policemen stopped me, when driving my wife's car, we use different surnames. I was asked for my documents and I handed the policeman my UK passport and my UK drivers licence. He didn't even ask me who the car belonged to. As I say there was no connection on my doc's for my Swiss address or my wife's car registration. Also, I do know of people that have two drivers licences. By sending back the paper part of your UK licence and telling them that you have lost the plastic card. They will send a new plastic part for a fee. Then you exchange your, other plastic part for a Swiss one and you now have two licences. I have not done this myself, as I am a semi-law abiding citizen and I am not suggesting that anyone else should commit this heinous crime either. As far as when you are supposed to change your licence. My wife was here for over 3 years when she finally decide to change hers. We went to the office in Fribourg and they took her old UK one (without the paper countrpart, which she had lost) and gave her a new Swiss one. No questions asked and all within 10 minutes of us walking into the building.

__________________
Like you, I've got an opinion on almost everything and nearly always, mine's just, So what?

Does any one know if I can get a Swiss driving licence and still retain my UK licence?
I am in the position of being here nearly a year and need to exchange my UK driving licence for a Swiss licence. However, I don’t want to part from my UK licence as I regularly commute back to the UK as my family still live there plus I use my car when I go home. Moreover, the family car is insured in my name and as I declared that I had a full UK driving licence I am concerned that it may effect insurance premium.

From my experience no, they took my licence away , apparently they send it to the UK and it gets revoqued at the DVL(whatever).

What is supposed to happen is that you give them your UK licence, and they then issue you with an equivalent Swiss one. They apparently then send the UK one back to the DVLA in Swansea for it to be cancelled. I don't know 100% for certain if that last bit actually happens every time in practice, so there may be a chance to tell the UK DVLA that you have lost your licence and get them to issue you a duplicate (£17.50 I think) so you can give in one to the Swiss and keep the second one. However, if they do send it back to be cancelled, then obviously your duplicate won't be valid if it is ever checked.

Apart from the insurance, I can see that it might actually be advantageous to
drive in the UK on a Swiss licence, as you wouldn't be able to get points (just a fine I imagine) if you get flashed by a speed camera.

Maybe worth calling your insurers to ask what effect a Swiss licence would have on the premiums?

Not legally.

You will be stuffed if you get a Swiss one and then get a UK one, by deception. Your UK one will be cancelled and if you get stopped by the Police in the UK, the license will show as being cancelled. Make sure that you transfer all the classes across for a Minibus etc from the UK one to a Swiss. This will mean that you will have to go for a examination by an appointed Dr. but it will mean that you can drive the same classes as the UK. If you just transfer your licence without having the examnination, you will loose some of the classes.

To help anyone facing the same, here is my experience in transferring all the UK categories onto my new Swiss licence. This is all based on living in Vaud, so some of the forms will differ, but it should give you an idea of what they look like and what's required.

BACKGROUND

The default position when you exchange a UK licence for a Swiss one is that you only get given a licence for cars. Hubby and I, however, both wanted to keep the additional categories for minibuses, larger trucks, large trailers, etc - the ones that have a C or D in them. We thought we may want to use these here (we don't know how long we're staying; might be forever) and we worried that the DVLA wouldn't give them back if we returned to the UK (they're no longer issued as standard on new licences, and you know how the UK govt is with computer databases...)

WHAT'S REQUIRED

- an eye test
- the driving licence application form, which for Vaud can be printed from here: http://www.san.vd.ch/permis/documents/PEL_061212.pdf The eye test result is recorded on this, and you MUST also have it stamped by your commune to attest to your residency (the box to the left of the signature box, halfway down Page 1)
- a medical; Vaud form is: http://www.san.vd.ch/permis/document...070212_000.pdf
- a statement from the Swiss equivalent of the Criminal Records Bureau: http://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/en/home/th...fregister.html

HOW IT ALL WENT

We had the eye test carried out by just wandering in off the street into an optician's in town; it only took a couple of minutes each and was all very straightforward.

The medical was done by our regular doctor - it doesn't have to be one on some approved list or anything like that - and took about 20-30 mins, covering the usual checks with blood pressure, breathing in and out deeply, etc. The cost of this was a touch over 100 francs, and my insurance company has accepted this to be offset against my (high) franchise, so you should be able to claim this back if your franchise is much lower than mine, or you get ill a lot!

The Criminal check can be ordered online - it takes about 5 mins, involves paying with a credit card, printing a form and sending it off with a photocopy of your permit, and the certificate arrives 2-3 days later.

We then took all this paperwork together with a recent photo and our permits to the equivalent of the DVLA for Vaud in Lausanne, and walked out 10 mins later with our new licences. They kept the old ones to send back to the DVLA, both card and paper parts, and for information there is absolutely no flexibiliy in this (not that we cared).

VERDICT

We're very pleased that we went to this little extra effort, as we now have Swiss licences with all our categories (although we have to repeat the medical every 5 years, which is probably a good idea for general life anyway). It really is not much more bother. I'd allow about a month for the whole process, to allow for appointments, posting and stuff, but it should all go very smoothly.

Hope this helps anyone looking to do the same thing.

kodokan

Gooner, from my days in Southern Africa the one I remember best was taking the radiator grill from someones landrover to use as a barbie grill whilst on safari. Worked fine every time, until landrover changed the grill to plastic on a newer model. The owner of the landie just wasnt amused.....

Sorry to burst your bubble but you don't have all the categories for ever.

Although your motorcycle and car categories (A, B) will not expire until you need regular medical checks after 70, for C and D category(ies) it is different. You will need to repeat the medical exam every 5 years until 50 and possibly every 2-3 years after that and possibly every year after 70.

Effects of the E categories for trailers may also vary (BE, C1E, D1E etc).

This is in addition to your requirement to notify the authorities of a change in your medical/sight condition. Bear in mind a condition that may not affect your A,B category entitlement may affect your C,D,E category entitlement (resulting in further sight tests/medicals). This includes improvements to your medical condition or eyesight (e.g. laser surgery).

Enforcement of this may vary, but is usually triggered by a change in your record, for example upon qualifying for full A in Bern I received a notice for an exam having been here almost six years since converting my UK-GB license in 1999.

Note the date for no longer receiving the additional categories was January 1997 in Great Britain.

Speaking about categories, I noticed the guy at the road dept. adding classes to my form. When I came home to check it, it was like additional class for tractors?

Does anyone know if there is a form in Aargau that you have to take to the doctor to fill out when you do your C1/D1 medical? I see there is one for Vaud in the post above, but I've searched www.stva.ag.ch ,as much as my German will allow, but can't find anything.

Does anyone have any recent experience (say the last 6 months) of exchanging a US license for a Swiss one (for category B - cars)? Particularly from the Lausanne area but I'd be interested to hear from anyone in Switzerland about this.

I keep getting a lot of different responses from co-workers, the DVLA and even from things I'm reading online - this thread goes back some ways in time so I don't know if everything is still valid or not. This is for exchanging it within my first year of being in Switzerland which is important I know.

The written test seems to be the part up for dispute. Some suggest that I don't have to take the written exam, some suggest I have to. My wife tried her best to ask in French over the phone to the DVLA and she thought the response was that we don't have to take the written exam...

BUT

When I looked at something on their website, they had countries listed into different categories - countries that are exempt from the driving and the written exam - this is all the EU countries basically. Then the next category, it says countries exempt from the driving exam...but doesn't actually say "you have to take the written exam" - the US was on this list along with places like Japan, Australia, etc.

Now normally I'd just take that as indication that we have to take the written exam if not for my wife being told (we think) that we don't have to take it.

The follow up question is - if you did have to take the written exam, were you able to take it in English?

Well I can answer my own question now - I did not have to take the written exam and was given my Swiss license immediately after handing my paperwork in. I understand the bill for it will come later of course.

Hi,
I am a bulgarian nationals working for United Nations, so i dont have a working permit just a Carte de Legitimation.
I need to know if i can get a Swiss Driving Licence?
Cheers,
Eugenov

I bought REMA Fahrschule CD last year in july 2008, version 3.
Now i have seen that REMA Fahrschule CD is version 4.
Does anyone knows which are the diffrences between them? Should I worry about this diffrences?