Fee for voluntary license surrenderring

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
I am currently visiting Switzerland. Two relatives recently quit driving and surrendered their licenses. They are appalled (and so am I) that they had to pay 150 francs (in one canton) and 200 francs (in another). — What (and where) are your experiences in this matter?

2
Where they fined or just decided to stop driving? And if the latter, what did they do exactly? Never heard of this before ...

3
If you give up your licence voluntarily, there is no fee. In fact, in NE, they would actually give you a voucher towards a public transport pass if you do.

Did they return their number plates at the same time? There must be a good reason why they had to pay. As said above, possible fine and admin fee, or unpaid road taxes pending, etc.

From the NE SCan site

En cas de renonciation volontaire à votre permis de conduire, vous recevrez des bons cadeau pour les transports publics:

Un bon de Fr. 200.- lors de l’achat d’un abonnement général 2ème classe CFF

Un bon de Fr. 250.- lors de l’achat d’un abonnement général 1ère classe CFF

Un bon de Fr. 33.- lors de l’achat d'un abonnement demi-tarif CFF. (Ce dernier bon permet préalablement de bénéficier d'un abonnement demi-tarif découverte gratuit de 2 mois)

Un bon de Fr. 50.- lors de l’achat d’un abonnement annuel senior ONDE VERTE ou un bon de Fr. 10.- lors de l’achat d’un abonnement mensuel senior ONDE VERTE

4
Good question, and I should have been more specific.

In both cases, they decided they were no longer able to drive safely.

They voluntarily disposed of their car, and returned the plates to the Service des autos.

PS: What is "NE" in post 3? Neuchâtel?

The instances I cited in the OP are from GE and VD.

5
NE - I posted the rules from our Neuchâtel SCAN site. No fee, and on the contrary, vouchers given for public transport for the first year.

What are the 2 K/cantons involved with your relatives?

The fees are probably related to admin cost for returning the plates, not the licences.

6
Why would they give up their licenses?

If you don't use it, you just don't use it, no need to give it up.

And handing in the plates normally means money back (road taxes, insurance)!

Something is very odd here.

Tom

7
My mother had a minor accident, when she was about 88- and realised she should give up her licence, before she hurt someone, as her eyesight was very poor. For her, actually giving up her licence was a gesture she felt necessary.

Also makes sense if the Canton gives a decent subsidy towards transport fares.

8
I can understand it if they are of an age when they require the medical in order to retain the licence and they don’t bother so the licence expires.

Giving up driving and handing in the plates doesn’t mean having to give up the licence, as you say they just don’t use it and it eventually expires.

I suppose the transport subsidy may provide some sort of incentive but that’s only for the first year in Neuchâtel, I don’t know how it is elsewhere.

9

For VD, https://www.vd.ch/prestation-detail/…6c1328ecbb4bad ,
They say no fee is charged for this service.

10
I had to pay to give up my, Truck, Combo truck trailer, bus with trailer, Taxi etc.. I thought it would be cheaper than going to a Dr every 2 years to self pay for control so I gave them up! Only to find they charged me more to do that then keeping them all.

11
OP here...

..... Still confused as to what really happened with those voluntary surrenders.

..... Will try to get more details.

In the meantime, thanks to everyone for comments, links, ideas, suggestions.

12
What do you mean "disposed of the car". Did they sell/give the cars away, or were the cars taken for demolition? I recently took a car off the road and returning the plates was free, but I had to pay for the car to be taken to the wreckers.

13
That may explain the 150 CHF. Disposing of 1000+ Kg wheeled box with toxic fluids inside has a price.

14
I paid 100.- CHF for this service from TCS, but I believe if you directly pay a demolition service it costs a bit more. So I also suspect that this might explain the costs the OP described.

15
The cars we sold way before the licenses were surrendered.

I don't understand why the cars are creeping into this discussion. That's not the issue.

16
Well, all we have is words to read. Mind reading over the ether is still out of reach