Anyone trying to obtain a Swiss driver’s license in 2027 will have to comply with revised requirements, which will go into effect on January 1st.
The process for obtaining a driver’s license “will be reorganised and digitised,” the Association of Road Traffic Authorities (ASA) said.
New requirements concern applicants for a learner’s permit in categories B, A1 or A, which include passenger cars, as well as all types of motorcycles.
The revision will concern reorganisation of the order of testing stages, and the digitalisation of the procedures.
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Specifically, the traffic theory course must now be taken before the basic theory exam, rather than after someone has acquired their learner’s permit, which is the case currently.
The test itself will consist of 55 questions instead of the current 50. Also, the maximum number of allowed errors will increase to 17, up from the current 15.
In terms of digitalisation of various processes, proof of successful completion of obligatory first-aid courses and vision tests will no longer be issued on paper, but entered into the new electronic database.
To identify documents submitted electronically, a FABER PIN will be used. This personal code, issued after the learner’s permit application is filed with the cantonal motor vehicle authority, will allow each supporting document to be linked to the application.
Admission to the theory test will be granted once the three required documents have been recorded: the first aid course, the vision test, and the traffic theory course.
Will these new rules apply throughout Switzerland?
Yes.
It is true that cantons are responsible for administering tests and issuing driver’s licenses.
The content of the exams, however, is standardised at the federal level, so they are the same wherever in Switzerland you may be living.
What else could be changing in the future?
This particular provision is not a part of statutory revisions that will go into effect in January, but in the future student drivers may no longer be allowed to learn to drive in a private vehicle.
That’s because the newest cars may not include all the equipment required for lessons.
One such example is the replacement of a manual handbrake – a required feature for driving lessons – by an electronic button.
Standard tests in Switzerland are still conducted in cars equipped with ‘old’ technologies, which is why learning to drive in a vehicle with fully automated systems may backfire.
This is a good place to mention what happens if you repeatedly fail your Swiss driving test.
If you still don’t succeed to get your license after the third try, you will have to undergo a brain function exam to assess whether you are cognitively fit enough to operate a vehicle.
This is not meant to stigmatise people who can’t get the hang of driving a vehicle on first three attempts; instead, it is intended to ensure that they are capable of doing this safely.
READ MORE: Why people who fail a Swiss driving test might need to see a psychologist
