Traffic medicine · levels 1 and 2
Driving licence.
Medical check.
The Swiss traffic-medicine examination in Zurich — for drivers aged 75 and over and for the higher licence categories. Right at the main station, bookable online.
Who needs it
Who is examined — and how often.
The road traffic office writes to you. The examination itself may only be carried out by a physician the canton has recognised for it.
Level 1
Age 75 and over
Ordinary category B licences and equivalent. From your 75th birthday the check is due every two years.
Level 2
Higher categories
Categories C, C1, D, D1, the professional passenger transport permit (code 121), trolleybus (code 110), traffic experts and boat masters.
Process
One appointment, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Book
As soon as the letter from the road traffic office arrives. You normally have three months, and extensions are generally not granted.
Examination
Vision, mobility and strength, cardiovascular status, neurology, cognition, plus a review of your medication and medical history.
Submission
The report is sent electronically via emedko to the road traffic office, which then notifies you of its decision in writing.
Please bring: the letter with its access code, your driving licence or ID card, your glasses or contact lenses, a list of your medication and any recent findings.
Context
What this examination is — and isn't.
An assessment for the authority
What is assessed is fitness to drive, not your health in general. The report goes to the road traffic office — that is part of the assignment and you are told so beforehand. It is also why this is a self-pay service rather than an insurance benefit.
Not a substitute for a check-up
This examination looks specifically at what matters for driving. If you want to know where you stand medically, that is a check-up — and if you don't have a GP yet, you are welcome as a new patient.
Frequently asked
Good to know.
Who is allowed to carry out this examination?
Only physicians recognised by the cantonal authority. Drivers aged 75 and over need a level 1 recognised physician; the higher licence categories require level 2 or above. We carry out level 1 and level 2 examinations.
How much time do I have?
As a rule three months from the date of the letter from the road traffic office. A shorter deadline can be set in individual cases, and extensions are generally not granted — so book early.
What should I bring?
The letter from the road traffic office with its access code, your driving licence or ID card, your glasses or contact lenses, a list of your medication and any recent findings from other doctors treating you.
How does the result reach the road traffic office?
The report is submitted electronically through emedko using the access code from your letter. The office then notifies you of its decision in writing.
Does health insurance cover it?
No. A traffic-medicine examination is an assessment on behalf of the authority rather than treatment, so it is a self-pay service. Level 1 costs CHF 150, level 2 CHF 200 — payable at the practice.
What happens if something is found?
Not every finding costs you the licence. Conditions are often possible — corrective lenses, shorter review intervals or a restriction. More complex questions are referred to a level 3 or level 4 specialist.
Letter received?
Book early — the deadline is normally three months and is not extended.
