Loss of Swiss driving licence – Residence abroad

As a general rule, if you lose your Swiss driving licence while living abroad, you will be issued only with a certificate detailing the categories of vehicle for which your licence is valid in Switzerland (in so far as the relevant cantonal road traffic office still has this information in its records). To obtain this document, you need to contact the cantonal authority that issued your Swiss driving licence (i.e. from the place where you sat your theory and driving tests).

Without any guarantee that your application will be successful, you may present the following documents to the competent road traffic office in your country of residence with a view to obtaining a local driving licence:

  • a certificate detailing the categories of vehicle for which your original driving licence is valid in Switzerland
  • written confirmation from the cantonal road traffic office that Swiss law does not permit the issue of a duplicate Swiss driving licence if the holder is resident abroad
  • a police report on the loss of the original driving licence obtained from the local police where the loss occurred

Documents issued by a Swiss authority may need to be legalised (apostille) before they are submitted to a foreign authority. You will find more information on this procedure under the Legalisations sectiion.

To obtain, to renew or to replace a Canadian driver's licence, please communicate with the licence bureau of your province or territory.

Loss of Swiss driver's licence

This Consulate General of Switzerland is not authorized to emit driver's licences. The individuals residing in Switzerland must submit their request directly to the Automobile Services of their area. Additional information concerning the transcripts of driver's licences may be obtained from the internet site of the Federal Roads Office. It is possible for an individual to sollicite the Federal Office establishment or to obtain a driver's licence transcript only if she/he is officially a resident of Switzerland.

Federal Roads Office

Swiss citizens residing outside of Switzerland no longer have the possibility to order a Swiss driver's licence or to request a transcript of their licence from the Swiss representation of their country of residence or from the Automobile Services of their canton. In case of loss of a Swiss driver's licence while visiting Canada, the individual must contact the licence bureau of her/his province or territory.