Exchange of foreign driving license

Exchange of foreign driving license (Category B)

Are you moving to Switzerland and living here for more than a year? Then you have to exchange your foreign driving license for a Swiss driving license. (Except for professional drivers) To do this, you must submit an request for rewriting in your canton of residence.

You will receive a Swiss driving license if you prove during a test drive that you know the traffic rules and can drive your vehicle safely. The inspection trip cannot be repeated. This means you have to pass it the first time. If you stay away from the inspection trip without excuse, it will be considered as failed.

Process:

Fill out the application form to exchange a foreign driving license and hand it in to your municipality of residence (driving licenses from EU or EFTA countries are usually exchanged without checking.)
You will now receive either a green driving license or a document that allows you to drive in Switzerland unaccompanied. (Take the green license or document with you when driving. If checked by the police, it will be considered your driving license.)
You now have to complete the inspection trip within 3 months.
If you pass the test drive, the expert will sign your green driving license / document. You will receive your Swiss driving license within about 10 days.*
If you do not pass the test drive, the expert will keep your green driving license / document and you will no longer be allowed to drive a car in Switzerland.**

* If you have received your Swiss driving license, please make sure whether there is an expiry date entered under point 4b or not. If there is no expiry date entered, it is your definitive driving license. The probationary driving license has an expiry date entered, usually three years in the future. In this case, you are subject to the obligation to continue training. This means you must attend the WAB course within one year of the issue date (position 4a).

** You didn't pass your driving test and still want to get a driving license again? Then you have to start at the beginning. First aid course - submit an application - theory test - driving lessons - VKU - driving test and WAB course. You can read here what exactly this means for you and how exactly you have to do it.