head 64–76 %
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14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceCantonal road traffic authorities of Switzerland (Vaud SAN, Geneva, Bern SVSA)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Switzerland driver's license photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. Head occupies 64–76% of photo height (29–34 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, glasses only if no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 64–76% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 29–34 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. |
| Pose | Full face, shoulders level, face directed directly into the camera. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Glasses permitted only if eyes are fully visible and there are no reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows on face and background, no overexposure or print artefacts. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | No uniform; head covering permitted only for officially recognised exceptions. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
In Switzerland the driving licence is issued by the cantons, and the cantonal offices ask for one recent colour passport photo. The Vaud Road and Navigation Authority (SAN) writes it out: «a colour photograph with the name and first name on the back — recent, 35 × 45 mm, not scanned, not printed, without headwear or uniform; the background must be uniform and neutral», «the photo will appear in black and white on the driving licence», and «if the photograph stored in our system is more than 10 years old, we recommend giving a new one».
The same photo is asked for a learner driver permit and the theory exam, a Swiss licence on the basis of a foreign one, and the exchange of the old blue paper licence for the credit-card format (fr. 45). Geneva asks for «1 colour photo, passport format, from the front, bareheaded» with the learner driver permit, and Bern for «a recent colour passport photo» with the exchange of the licence — since 15 April 2023 the licence is made with laser engraving, which is why the photo appears in black and white. The fedpol criteria sheet for passports and identity cards (35 × 45 mm, face 29–34 mm) is not written for the driving licence, so follow the list of your own canton.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Switzerland driver's license applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Cantonal road traffic authorities of Switzerland (Vaud SAN, Geneva, Bern SVSA) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A scanned or home-printed photo, or one that is not in colour or not 35 × 45 mm | A recent colour photo of 35 × 45 mm from a photographer or booth, with the name and first name on the back. |
| A hat, a uniform, or a background that is not uniform and neutral | Bare head, no uniform, a uniform neutral background, facing the camera. |
| An old photo — the canton recommends a new one when the stored photo is more than 10 years old | Take a new recent photo. |
How to take it
Background: plain neutral
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 64–76 % of the photo height (29–34 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Glasses only if no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Swiss driving licence is applied for, exchanged or renewed at the road traffic and navigation authority of your canton (Vaud SAN, Geneva, Bern SVSA and the others), with one colour passport photo and an identity document.
The authority of your canton (vd.ch/san, ge.ch, svsa.sid.be.ch)
One recent colour photo 35 × 45 mm, name on the back; it appears in black and white on the licence.
Authority page| Authority | Cantonal road traffic authorities of Switzerland (Vaud SAN, Geneva, Bern SVSA) |
|---|---|
| Source | Swiss accepted photos for passports and identity cards |
| Verified |
Questions
One recent colour passport photo, 35 × 45 mm, not scanned or printed at home, with the name and first name on the back, no headwear or uniform, a uniform neutral background (Vaud); it appears in black and white on the licence.
35 × 45 mm in the list of the canton of Vaud; Geneva and Bern name a passport-format photo.
No: the Vaud authority asks for a photo that is neither scanned nor printed — have it taken by a photographer or in a booth.
You hand in a colour photo; it appears in black and white on the licence, which has been laser-engraved since 15 April 2023.
The recommended size for the Switzerland driver's license photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 64–76% of the photo height. The photo is printed on the licence card and must remain recognisable for the full validity period.
Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. Even, frontal light without shadow gradients. Driving licence printers tend to compress contrast — starting with even lighting prevents underexposed areas from disappearing in the final print.
Glasses permitted only if eyes are fully visible and there are no reflections. Many authorities specifically allow eyewear when it is required for driving, but the eyes must remain fully visible and there must be no lens glare. Tinted lenses or transition lenses that have darkened are not accepted.
Most authorities require the photo to be taken within the last six months. The licence is typically valid for 5–10 years, so use a recent photo that reflects your everyday appearance — not a one-off styled portrait.
No. Driving licence photos use the same neutral expression standard as biometric passports — closed mouth, eyes open and looking directly at the camera, no raised eyebrows. Smiles distort facial geometry used in modern biometric checks.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Switzerland licence authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: national visa (Type D), passport, Schengen visa, visa.