Applying for a Lernfahrausweis (learner’s permit) is certainly one of the easier steps on the way to your driving licence. Even so, there are things you really should watch out for. Everything you need to know is in this article.
01
Where I hand in my learner drive application
Fill in the application form for the Lernfahrausweis. You will usually find it on the website of the Strassenverkehrsamt (cantonal road traffic office) of your canton of residence under «Formulare». Or you pick it up in person at the Strassenverkehrsamt, and in some municipalities directly at the residents’ registration office.
You have to hand in the completed application for the Lernfahrausweis in person at the residents’ registration office, the municipal administration or the Strassenverkehrsamt of your canton of residence. A member of staff checks your details for accuracy. To be able to submit the learner drive application, these authorities require the following documents:
- your Nothelferausweis (first-aid certificate)
- the fully completed Lernfahrausweis application
- your eye test
- a valid photo identity document (ID card, passport or residence permit)
- a colour passport photo
Important: you have to present all of these documents as originals.
The Strassenverkehrsamt or the residents’ registration office then sends you a card with a registration number. With it you can register online for the theory test. In the cantons of SG, FR, GR and SO you can also go to the theory test without booking in advance.
Applying for the Lernfahrausweis: your Strassenverkehrsamt
The application goes to the Strassenverkehrsamt of your canton of residence – in many cantons online. You will find the form, the fees and the processing time here:
- Aargau (AG)
- Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI)
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR)
- Bern (BE)
- Basel-Landschaft (BL)
- Basel-Stadt (BS)
- Fribourg (FR)
- Geneva (GE)
- Glarus (GL)
- Graubünden (GR)
- Jura (JU)
- Lucerne (LU)
- Neuchâtel (NE)
- Nidwalden (NW)
- Obwalden (OW)
- St. Gallen (SG)
- Schaffhausen (SH)
- Solothurn (SO)
- Schwyz (SZ)
- Thurgau (TG)
- Ticino (TI)
- Uri (UR)
- Vaud (VD)
- Valais (VS)
- Zug (ZG)
- Zurich (ZH)
02
What it costs me
For processing your application the Strassenverkehrsamt or the residents’ registration office charges a fee of 40 francs.
«How much does the whole driving licence cost?» Good question. You will find the answer in the article «Cost overview: driving licence».
03
How old I have to be
In most cantons you can hand in your application 4 weeks before your 17th birthday. A change in the law made this possible. You can read more in the article Lernfahrausweis for category B from the age of 17.
04
What I have to watch out for with the passport photo
So that your application can be processed as quickly as possible, note the following points:
Photo quality and format
- a colour, borderless picture in the format 35 x 45mm
- on photo paper, from a photographer or a photo booth
- the photo paper has to have a smooth, untextured surface – high gloss or semi-matt
- the photo must not be more than a year old
- no creases, marks or rounded corners
- no pixel structure may be visible in the photo
Posture, direction of gaze and facial expression
- Sit upright with your shoulders straight and look straight into the camera – no half-profile or profile shots
- Your eyes have to be open and clearly visible
- no hands, objects or other people may be visible in the photo
- try to manage a neutral facial expression; a friendly one is allowed too, but no laughing face
Glasses wearers
- Your eyes must not be covered by thick spectacle frames
- no reflections on the lenses
- no tinted lenses or sunglasses
Background, lighting and sharpness
- the photo has to be sharp and rich in contrast
- neutral background. Plain, even and without shadows
- a clear separation between the background and the head
- even lighting, no shadows on the face
- no large reflections on the skin and no red eyes
Headwear and hair
- if you wear your hair full and voluminous, it matters more that your face is shown completely and at the right size than that all of your hair fits in. In that case your hair may extend beyond the edge of the picture
- You may not wear any headwear in the photo, nor a headband or hairband. No glasses pushed up onto your head either.
- Documented medical or religious head coverings are exempt from this rule. In that case: your face has to be recognisable at least from the lower edge of the chin to the hairline, and no shadows may be cast
We have put together a detailed checklist for the road to your driving licence in the article «Detailed driving licence checklist».