Do you need to exchange your foreign driving license for a Swiss one? Our driving school in Geneva offers driving lessons for manual and automatic vehicles. Our 50-minute lessons are tailor-made to suit your needs. This course will help you identify and improve your strengths and weaknesses, and get to know Swiss traffic rules. You will also have the opportunity to improve your manoeuvring skills, while discovering the city of Geneva and its surroundings.

This course is not mandatory. However, it is strongly recommended if you want to prepare for the practical test. Foreign driving licenses are valid in Switzerland but only for a maximum period of 12 months.

Switzerland has mutual recognition agreements with several countries.

With the help of one of our professional instructors of the Auto-Ecole Lémanique (10+ years’ experience), you will be put under practical test conditions in a comfortable vehicle. Driving lessons are set at your convenience regarding hours, routes and locations from Monday-Saturday: 8AM to 10 PM.

In addition, we will assist you when you exchange your driving license, and will gladly accompany you to the Geneva Automobile Office if you need to take your practical driving test. Our goal is to make sure that you love driving in Switzerland, and have no problem whatsoever to get your Swiss driving license.

Ce cours n’est pas obligatoire, mais est vivement recommandé afin de vous préparer à l’examen pratique. Les permis de conduire étrangers sont valables en Suisse, mais ne peuvent être utilisés que pour des courses privées pour une durée maximum de douze mois.

La Suisse à une convention de reconnaissance mutuelle avec plusieurs pays.

Supervisé par l’un de nos moniteurs professionnels de l’Auto-moto-école Lémanique (plus de 10 ans d’expérience), dans un véhicule confortable, vous serez évalué et mis en situation d’examen pratique. Les horaires, lieux et parcours des cours sont établis à votre convenance du lundi au dimanche.

Par ailleurs, nous vous accompagnons tout au long de cette démarche d’échange de permis de conduire étranger, et nous rendons volontiers jusqu’au bureau des autos à Genève avec vous, pour passer votre examen pratique. Notre objectif est de vous faire aimer la conduite automobile en Suisse et de vous donner tous les outils pour réussir votre échange de permis de voiture en toute confiance.

The driving license exchange course offered by the Auto-Ecole Lémanique is intended for all foreign persons * over 18, who are settling in Switzerland for a period of more than 12 months, and already hold a manual or automatic driving license.

* The driving license exchange depends on the country in which you obtained your driving license. The following countries are not subjected to the Swiss Mandatory Permit Exchange Act: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States.

The driving license exchange course offered by the Auto-Ecole Lémanique in Geneva is mainly focused on driving and getting to know Swiss traffic rules. The instructor will ensure that you’re driving meets the criteria on which you will be assessed during your practical test, namely:

- Technique (steering, accelerating, braking, clutching and gear)

- Adapting your speed to traffic

- Respecting traffic rules (regulations, priorities, highway driving, manoeuvres…)

Our driving school in Geneva offers 50-minute car driving lessons in Geneva and the Lake Geneva Region. You can drive your own car, or use one of our vehicles, which are always maintained to the highest standard.

Driving lessons are set in advance by the instructor and the student regarding hours, routes and locations from Monday-Saturday: 8AM to 10 PM.

Each course objective (see above) will be evaluated during the lesson. When the learner is considered as being ready for the practical test by the instructor, he/she will take a mock test set under the conditions of the practical test. The student will then receive a report indicating (if necessary) what remains to be practiced before the practical test.

Lessons are arranged at your convenience, and are tailor-made to your suit your needs. Your instructor will gladly accompany you to the Geneva Automobile Office when you take your practical test.

During the driving license exchange course, the driver must be over 18 and be in possession of a foreign driving license valid on Swiss territory. The driver must also have the authorization to drive delivered by the OCAN (Cantonal Service of Vehicles), if a test drive is already planned.

As soon as you take up residence in Switzerland, you must exchange your foreign driving licence for a Swiss driving licence. This must be done within 12 months of taking up residence in Switzerland.

The driver must go in person to the driver's licence office and provide the following documents:

- Form for the exchange of a foreign driving licence
- Original of the foreign driving licence to be exchanged
- Certificate from an approved optician less than 24 months old - list of approved opticians

- 1 passport size colour photo, full face, headless

- Identity document:

  Switzerland: identity card or passport

  Foreigners: booklet for foreigners

  Price for the exchange of a driving licence

Exchange of a foreign driving licence (except categories C, C1, D): CHF 150.00 - Exchange of a foreign driving licence categories C, C1, D: CHF 200.00

Sources: https://www.ge.ch/echanger-son-permis-conduire-etranger