I've searched, but all threads are very old.
Thanks
Hello, i currently live in belgium, moving to ZRH to study for 11 months. Here I can ride a 50cc scooter without license (although I do have a belgium AM license). Is there any special requirements for riding a 50cc in switzerland? I've read that with a car licence it would be OK, but a belgium car licence is ok?
If the 50 ccm has pedals an goes no more than 30 km/h you can drive it with a class B/car license.
Otherwise you will need class A1 license which some old folks got for free with there B. All the others have to do an 8 hour practical training.
If I am not mistaken the European class AM will be converted into the Swiss A1 (45 km/h).
If you are here for less than twelve months and you do not drive drive commercially (taxi, ambulance, buses, commercial trucks, etc.) you can legally drive all vehicles you are allowed to drive in Belgium. Be aware that most 50 cm scooters in Switzerland go much faster than 45 km/h and you cannot ride them legally with your Belgium AM license. Any Swiss registered scooter which does not reach 80 km/h must spot an indicator on the back how fast it can go.
PS: Electric scooter is another topic.
Most ist still the very same.
I was stopped by the police driving my scooter (50cc, no pedals). I had my B1 Spanish license (which, in addition to cars, it implicitely entitles me to drive this sort of bikes in Spain). However, as the license did not indicate that I can drive A1, I was told that I was driving without a license. Bottomline, as I understood from that incident, if your driving license does not indicate explicitely that you are allowed to drive that motorbike, whatever implicit rule from your country is not valid here.
In my case, due to my work, Im not required to exchange my driving license after a year. So, I cant tell about the case mentioned before about staying in the country less than a year with a license like yours (Im inclined to think that the same rule applies, no mark on the A1 -> no permission to drive in Switzerland).
Ask the traffic department in Zurich. In Bern they replied to me quite fast.
Getting the A1 is quite straightforward. 2 saturday mornings, 300CHF, no test whatsoever. HOWEVER, quite likely (not sure, but higly probably) you will be required to exchange your Belgium license into the Swiss one, since it is not allowed to have 2 driving license issue by 2 countries. I know a guy with 2 licenses, so there are some exceptions but i dont know the basis.
Exchanging the license is straight forward as well. 2 days, 125CHF, oftalmologist certificate.
Did your scooter go faster than 45 km/h? Was it a Swiss or Spanish registered scooter? Was AM explicitly listed or only implicitly included in a higher class? Was it a license according Directive 2006/126/EC (issued in Spain since December 2009) or an earlier version?
My scooter can go faster than 45km/h. Physically, probably up to 70kmh. Legally, I have no idea. I have no sticker and I don't know whether I should put an sticker or not to limit the speed.(I assume I don't have to)
I bought it in Switzerland. It is registered in Switzerland.
Only implicitly (attach an screenshot of my license at that time, now I have converted.)
Attached the license I had when I was stopped by the police. I got my first license in 1996 (a big pink paper back then in Spain). A few years ago (can't remember when, probably after 2009), I renewed it and I got this smaller one, quite similar in format to the Swiss one.
After the police stoppted me and I was faced with the situation of having to get a valid AM (or A1), I checked with the office of traffic in Spain. I asked them whether I could claim I had lost my license and get a new one, but this time with an stamp in the AM (since it is implicitly included in the B). Funny enough I was told that it is not possible. If I wanted to have an stamp in the AM section, I had to undertake an exam. So, I had to choose between getting the AM license in Spain (take the exam in Spain), or exchange the license to a Swiss one and take the 8 hours training here. I opted for the 2nd options, as it was logistically easier for me.
For @newtonc: If you want to take the 8 hours training, first you need to exchange your Belgium license (2 days, 150chf, oftalmologist test). Then, they will give you a learning permit, valid for 4 months. During those 4 months, you are required to get the 8 hours training. If you miss those 4 months, you can request another learning permit for another 4 months. If you don't take the training in this 4 months, then you will have to wait 2 years until you can take the training again. So, you have the option to have a learning permit for 8 months, at the cost of being 'fined' with a 2 years penalty if you don't do it in this 8 months. Honestly, if you decide to exchange your license to a Swiss one, there is no sense in NO taking the 8 hours training for the motorbike. However, given that you are still in Belgium, you may want to take the AM (or A1) license while you are there.
This is the traffic office in Bern: www.be.ch/svsa (you can ask there, as I can imagine whatever they say apply as well to Zurich)
In this case we have a shut and clear case. The police was correct. Even if you had had the AM class on the license it wouldn't not had been valid for the vehicle you were driving.
As said: The European class AM is only valid for scooters/moped max 50 ccm AND max 45 km/h. If the scooters/moped goes faster you need an class A1 license (save some special national rules and exemptions which might apply).
And also as said: A true class AM 50 ccm scooter which does not go faster than max 45km/h is a rarity in Switzerland. They will have a yellow license plate (of the same size as the white ones for Motorcycles) Most 50 ccm scooter in Switzerland are class A1 which go faster than 45 km/h. Those have a white license plate and must have a speed sticker if they go less than a claimed 80 km/h.
If you wonder if you need a sticker: If you need one, then it is mentioned on the lower left hand side of the gray card (Fahrzeugausweis).