Yep mine's about to expire!

DVLA are issuing letters 3 months before the expiry date, I got one to my old address. Whether they are getting through to everybody though, who knows.

Now, should I apply for a new UK one, or just get a Swiss one?

Is the Swiss application straightforward?

Answers on a postcard please...

kirsty this is urgent. if you are residing in CH you MUST change your driving license

within 15 days. if not you may be asked to re take a swiss test.

hurry up and go to the automobile admin in yverdon ( just off the autoroute exit)

you will need 2 passport photos  and your uk license and residence permit.

If you are staying in Switzerland for more than a year, you might as well just convert to the Swiss one straight away. You have to convert your UK license to a swiss one with one year of moving to Switzerland anyway or you have to take the whole test again. I did it after 11 months and it was fine.

The process is simple and pretty quick - you have to go to the office and they take both parts of you UK license and give you a Swiss photocard license on the spot. You need to fill in the form, including the eyetest from an optician, and take 2 passport photos. I can't remember the fee, but it was under 100CHF. The office is a bit out of the way though!

All info can be found here:

http://geneva.angloinfo.com/information/11/exlicence.asp

Hope this helps.

Jo

Mine has a line of 10 asterisks! Does that mean that mine never expires??

Within 15 days of expiry? That means I've got... Oo errr 16 days

I was actually planning to go to the Neuchâtel office tomorrow. Is there any reason you mention Yverdon instead? Is it a central office or something? And it looks like a trip to the optician's is on the cards as well.

I am hoping to get this all sorted by the 15th, as I am moving into a new apartment and am supposed to be hiring a van to collect some furniture. If not, I might be looking for a driver...

Thanks for the advice folks!

Just to let you know, it was really easy. I downloaded the form on the website, which was pretty straightforward to fill in. 5 mins and 15 CHF in the opticians, and then 5 mins in the licence office. I needed my permit, passport, UK licence and one photo. I got the licence in the post the same week.

Thanks again for all your help - I am rubbish at getting round to admin things like this!

People ifyou have a UK license you will NOT need to take the swiss exam again even if you go past 1 year of being in Switzerland. I did mine after 18 months, and I know quite a few people that had changed theirs after 1 year of being in CH none of them including myself had to take a test (except the eye test) It ONLY gets urgent if you plan on driving a swiss registered car outside of Switzerland, then you need a Swiss license.

I just received the bill for this privilege... 185 chf! I guess there isn't a choice, but a bit of warning would have been nice. I asked at the time if I had to pay and the lady said no - obviously what she meant was I didn't have to pay there and then. Nice surprise!

I payed 150 CHF 7 years ago for the same priviledge.