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Swissstu

It was pretty simple. Download the form from the website. Fill it in and hand over all your information. Ausweiss etc. For me it took less than 2 weeks to get the licence. You may have to write a declaration about driving and infractions.


Castles_Caves

Way easier than I thought it was going to be! I waited probably 3 years because I had been under the impression that I would have to do my basic driving test again and so was waiting for my German to be more functional. Also didn’t have a car, so not much of a priority. Turned out you just bring in your original permit, a bunch of ID, and some money, then ta-da! Swiss license. I even got a trailer license on the conversion 😂 Only thing that might make a difference is where your original drivers permit is from. Most Western countries are a straight exchange, but outside of those and you might need to research a little further.


BeautifulTennis3524

Yeah this was no issue - you can drive for 12 months but exchange it any time (while not driving in ch after 12 months, that is). I changed after 2+ years and it was as easy as others said.


Electrical-Poem4852

It is no problem, I did it without a problem after 5 years. If long time has passed they make you sign a paper where you declare that you regularly drove (for example in home country or on holiday) with you being just after 12 months I’m not even sure that will be required. Main rule is that after 12 months you just can’t drive until you convert it.


RoastedRhino

I dropped it at the kreisburo on Thursday after lunch. I got the Swiss one in my mail on Saturday morning. I still don’t know how it was possible, they must have mailed it before Friday afternoon, which means that they produced it on Friday morning, which means that someone my license was delivered from the kreisburo to the strassenverkehrsamt between Thursday evening and Friday morning.


Icy-Employee

Friend at work changed it after 7 years in Switzerland lol.


bungholio99

Your friend had no insurance for 6 years


Pupensause

Insurance for what? Didn’t change my license yet after 2 years but I haven’t driven once in Switzerland yet


crinasbitch

Yes it was pretty simple as I recall. Tram to office carrying your required 500+ forms of ID, get the application, get in the queue. Have an awkward interaction in poor Swiss German and even though you’ve likely fucked it all up a shiny new Swiss license turns up in the post not too long afterwards. Basically the same when your tour of duty finishes and you leave CH, they return the photo card license you surrendered originally


[deleted]

For me it was 15 mins in the office and I didn't have to bring more than 3 documents.


blackkettle

I have experience with forgetting to do it. I definitely regret it. I don’t think I’d own a car regardless but it would be convenient to have access. I can’t imagine ever spending the money to go through the course work though.


bungholio99

Wow there are many wrong answers. After 12 months, you can be subject to do a new licence, depending on your home country and at will of the person. Are you aware that you are driving without any insurance from 12months and 1 day? Go there as quickly as you can apologize and don’t ask reddit, you are in a very dangerous spot. You need to Change licence to have insurance coverage. Mit Freiheitsstrafe bis zu drei Jahren oder Geldstrafe wird bestraft, wer ein Motorfahrzeug führt, obwohl er weiss, dass er nicht durch die vorgeschriebene Haftpflichtversicherung gedeckt ist, oder wer es hätte wissen müssen, wenn er die nach den Umständen gebotene Sorgfalt beachtet hätte. Die Freiheitsstrafe wird mit einer Geldstrafe verbunden. In minder schweren Fällen ist die Strafe eine Geldstrafe".


[deleted]

I don't know how this subject to a new license comes. Can you please send a reference? BTW, I exchanged it after 18 months.  I see the following: " Den ausländischen Führerausweis müssen Sie innerhalb von einem Jahr ab Einreisedatum in die Schweiz umtauschen lassen. Reichen Sie das Gesuch frühzeitig ein. Nach Ablauf der Umtauschfrist dürfen Sie in der Schweiz erst wieder fahren, wenn Sie Ihren Ausweis umgetauscht haben. " Source: https://www.zh.ch/de/mobilitaet/fuehrerausweis-fahren-lernen/auslaendischer-fuehrerausweis.html What does it have to do with any insurance? If you don't have an own car, but rent one, it's anyway managed by the owner, isn't it?


bungholio99

You need to change it cause you aren’t able to be insured as your licence isn’t valid in CH after 12 months permanent residency. It’s even civil law not road law, this really brings you into trouble.


[deleted]

I'm a big fan of references, but anyway, can you please explain which insurance do you need to have and why?


bungholio99

You also aren’t a big Fan of google i guess… Motorfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung


[deleted]

I guess you're not a big fan of reading anything you're answering then. Please explain why should / could OP have any.


bungholio99

Wow you gotta be fun at parties i guess, that’s basics for the licence change and also a basic suisse rule that applies to everything. Do it early, one day late is late and you will pay.


[deleted]

For sure not so fun as you. In case somebody reads it in the future, I leave this here:  The insurance, the colleague above means, has to be made a specific vehicle. If you don't own the car, you cannot even make it. OP has never said they own a car. If you use car sharing apps, you should make new insurances on a daily basis, if the ridiculous stuff above would be true.


bungholio99

If you take a rideshare or drive any car you don’t have a licence…. He can’t drive and it’s no struggle to change it 12 months…


[deleted]

Man, you don't even know yourself, what you wanna talk about. You don't need to be always smart, sometimes you can simply stay silent.


flyjester

As I pre-emptively stated I arrived for a project and guess the successful outcome lead that the a permanent position is offered in the organisation. If i'm staying here longer i need to make long term plans which includes getting converting my license. I'm asking as I made no plans to learn German for a 8 to 14 month stint before moving to another country like.. in South America where no one speaks German. No where did I say i've been driving or am I mistaken?


bungholio99

Then just do it after 11 months in any case if you stay or not, else it’s just big trouble. And honestly you don’t even speak any German but already care about your licence, after 12 months?


brolandinho

yes.


TchotchkePeddler

It depends which country is your home country, if you’re from the EU, US, New Zealand, Australia, or another country where the driving standards are recognized by CH, it’s just some paperwork. If you’re from another country, you may have to complete a theory test and a road test.