Driving licence exchange

Last checked: 5 Oct 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

If you hold a valid foreign driving licence and settle in Switzerland, Vaud’s cantonal authority, the Service des automobiles et de la navigation (SAN), handles exchange into a Swiss licence (VD-CH). This section is process knowledge only. Do not put personal licence numbers, dates of birth, or named individuals on a public student site.

Short version: only if you will drive, exchange within 12 months of arrival, use form 220, contact SAN. Details below.

What to know (category B)

• Deadline: In principle you have 12 months from arrival to exchange a valid foreign licence for a Swiss one. Check the current rule and exceptions on the official Vaud pages.
• After 12 months of residence: Vaud’s service page states that if you hold a foreign licence and have lived in Switzerland for more than twelve months without having stayed more than three consecutive months abroad, you must exchange it for a Swiss licence. That is the official condition (also in OAC art. 42 al. 3bis let. a, cited on the Vaud page and confirmed on Fedlex), not a vague “long trip that resets the clock.” Short trips under that threshold do not, on their own, replace the 12-month residence rule. Separately, if you are settling in Switzerland with a valid foreign licence, Vaud’s detailed page also gives you 12 months from arrival to exchange. Always re-read the live SAN pages for your case. Contact permis.conduire@vd.ch if you need a case-specific answer (To verify: what counts as proof of a stay of more than three consecutive months abroad; official pages name the threshold but not the documents).
• Eligibility depends on whether your issuing country has a mutual recognition arrangement with Switzerland (some countries: exchange without a control drive / theory exam; others: control drive and/or medical exam may apply). The official Vaud page lists countries, use that list, not hearsay.
• You must be domiciled or residing in Canton of Vaud, meet the legal age for the categories you request, hold a valid foreign licence, and (generally) have obtained that licence before entering Switzerland. If you passed your test abroad after arriving in Switzerland, contact SAN before assuming exchange is possible.
• How to apply: Complete form 220 (Demande d’un permis de conduire suisse sur la base d’un permis de conduire étranger), gather the documents listed on the form for your categories, and submit at SAN (desk, post, or other channels SAN allows). Centres include Aigle, Lausanne, Nyon, and Yverdon-les-Bains.
• Translations, apostille or legalisation of documents: see Getting documents accepted: apostille, legalisation and translations.
• Fees: Fees change; see the official fee schedule on form 220 / the SAN fee regulations.
• Probationary licence: If your foreign licence is recent (obtained less than one year before arrival), exchange may give you a Swiss permis à l’essai (probationary licence). Details and examples are on the official page.
• Parking and traffic fines: fixed fines from the federal list (for example CHF 40 for overstaying a parking limit by up to 2 hours), 30 days to pay, and how to object to a penalty order: see Fines in Vaud.
• Alcohol limits for drivers: see Alcohol, cannabis and tobacco rules in Vaud.
• Eye test for the licence: see Eye care, glasses and LAMal.
• Importing your car: customs form 18.44 (or authorisation 15.30), and Swiss plates within one year of moving your domicile: see Customs: moving your belongings. Registering it with SAN: see Registering a car in Vaud.
• Winter driving: tyres, chains and a clear windscreen: see Driving in winter: tyres and chains.

Driving category F (if relevant)

Swiss driving category F covers certain motor vehicles with a maximum speed of 45 km/h (excluding motorcycles), e.g. some work vehicles, tractors, and agricultural vehicles, with age rules that differ by vehicle type (official page: 16 or 18 depending on the vehicle). This is not residence-permit letter F.

• Most car drivers only need category B.
• If your foreign licence includes an equivalent of F, or you need F for work/study, ask SAN and follow form 220 / the category F pages. Obtaining F from scratch in Vaud usually means a learner permit, theory, and practical exam, that path is separate from a simple B exchange.
• Always confirm eligibility and documents on the official Vaud pages rather than assuming F transfers automatically.