Whether you have your own car or not, if you want to drive in Switzerland (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter) you need a licence. The good news is that in comparison to other countries, the process for a Zurich Driver’s License is quite straightforward.
In fact, if you have a valid EU/EFTA licence you can just exchange it for a Swiss one! You need to pass a test, though, depending on the category you wish to be allowed to drive.
First things first: If you are exchanging an EU/EFTA licence then you need a) the original driving licence from your country of origin b) a confirmation of residence (Zurich), or a letter from your municipality saying you have been granted permission to stay there c) two colour passport photos. You can get these at the photo booths found in most railway stations or shopping centres. They will cost around 2 CHF each. You will also need an eye exam from an optician. This isn’t a separate document but there is often a section on the application form for an optician to complete. All you need to do is go along to any optician and ask them to have a look at your eyes. They will then fill out the form and you can pay the fee.
Once you have all of the above you can visit your local Strassenverkehrsamt (the equivalent of the American DMV or Department of Motor Vehicles). You will need to pay a small fee, usually around 15 CHF. Once you have your licence you can drive anywhere in Switzerland (though keep in mind that you won’t be able to take on certain jobs that involve transporting people, for example taxi drivers, Uber or heavy passenger cars) and you can use your driving licence for life!
You can even go to other EU/EFTA countries with your Swiss licence. However, you will need to bring your passport with you if you intend to cross the border and you may have to show it at the border. This is because some countries have different rules when it comes to driving abroad.
The only time you would need an international driver’s permit is if your Switzerland licence category does not include vehicles with a maximum speed of more than 45 km/h. The G and M categories do not allow vehicles to go faster than 30 km/h and they are only suitable for agricultural automatic vehicles or work vehicles, respectively.
Besides the normal categories of licences there are also special licenses for persons who want to transport other people, such as taxi drivers or Uber drivers. To be able to do this you need a special entry number, which is only possible after a practical test with a qualified examiner. You can find more information about this in our article about Zurich Chauffeur License.