Exchanging a driving licence in Germany: a guide for foreigners

Six months on a foreign licence, then an exchange: no tests for countries on a special list, theory and driving tests for the rest. Deadlines, documents, costs and what to do with an expired licence.

In detail

The short answer: you can drive in Germany on a foreign licence for the first six months after you settle in the country. After that the licence must be exchanged for a German one. Drivers from countries on a special list exchange it without tests; everyone else takes theory and driving tests, but without a compulsory driving school course.

The clock starts not on entry but on the day Germany became your ordinary residence. In practice that is the date you register your address. A tourist does not need to exchange anything, but for someone who moved on a skilled worker, freelance or family reunion visa the time is already running. Below, step by step: deadlines, documents, tests, costs and what to do if your licence has expired.

How long you can drive on a foreign licence in Germany

The driving licence regulations give the holder of a foreign licence six months from the moment they establish ordinary residence in Germany. On application the period can be extended by up to six more months, but only if you show that you will live in the country for no longer than a year. There is no extension for those who have moved for good: in the seventh month the foreign licence stops being valid, and driving on it counts as driving without a licence, with a fine and insurance problems.

Licences issued outside the EU must be in German or come with a translation. An international driving permit on the 1968 Vienna Convention model works instead of a translation and is carried together with the national licence. Licences from EU and European Economic Area countries remain valid without a time limit and do not need to be exchanged.

You can apply for the exchange after six months too: the law sets no final date. But between the end of the grace period and receiving a German licence you may not drive. So it is better to apply in the first months after the move, with time to spare for the queue at the authority and for the tests.

Who exchanges a licence without tests

An annex to the driving licence regulations lists the countries whose licences Germany recognises without checks. Their holders get a German licence without tests, without an eye test, without a first aid course and without driving school. For some countries the concession covers only cars, while checks remain for lorries and buses. The list includes, for example, Israel, Japan, South Korea and some US states.

Holders of licences from countries outside the list do not start from scratch either. They do not need compulsory driving school training, but they must pass the theory and practical tests, take an eye test and a first aid course. The theory test in Germany is taken on a computer and is available in several languages, including English. The practical test is in German, with an examiner from the testing organisation.

If the foreign licence was issued after you moved to Germany, when you already had ordinary residence here, it cannot be exchanged. The authority checks the dates, so getting a licence back home on holiday in order to exchange it later makes no sense.

Licences from countries outside the list

For holders of licences from countries outside the list both tests are required: theory and driving. Driving school training is not compulsory, but the practical test is taken in a dual-control training car, which is almost always provided by a driving school together with an instructor. Most people take a few lessons before the test to get used to local rules, signs and test routes.

During the first six months after registration you may drive on such a licence if you have a translation or an international driving permit. When you receive the German licence, the foreign one is handed in to the authority: it is kept or returned to the issuing country.

Documents for exchanging a licence

• passport and residence permit;
• proof of address registration in Germany;
• a biometric photo;
• the original foreign licence and a certified translation if it is not in German or English;
• an eye test certificate and a first aid course certificate if your country is not on the special list;
• a declaration that the foreign licence is valid and, if tests are needed, details of the driving school and testing organisation.

Which translators are accepted is decided by the authority in your federal state, so check the translation requirements before applying. Lorry and bus categories add medical checks.

How the exchange works: steps

1. Register your address: the six months run from this date.
2. Collect the documents, get the translation, take the eye test and first aid course if needed.
3. Apply to the driving licence office where you live, in person and usually by appointment.
4. If tests are needed, the authority passes the file to the testing organisation. First the computer theory test, then the driving test with an examiner.
5. Receive the German licence and hand in the foreign one. The card is produced centrally, which takes a few weeks.

In large cities appointments can be booked weeks ahead, and tests stretch the process over months. So it pays to start in the very first month after the move, not the fifth.

How much exchanging a licence costs in Germany

The fees are Berlin's; other states charge similar amounts. An exchange without tests costs from $80 including the translation. If tests are needed, costs start from $350 and grow with the number of lessons: lessons and the training car for the test are the largest item, priced at the chosen driving school's rates. A retake is paid again.

If your licence has expired

Only a valid licence can be exchanged: in the application you confirm that it has not expired, and the authority may check this. If the licence has expired, it must first be renewed in the issuing country. If that is not possible, a German licence is obtained from scratch: with driving school training, an eye test, a first aid course and both tests. If your licence expires in the coming months, apply for the exchange before that date, not after.

The exchange period counts from registration on a residence permit. How to get a residence permit is covered on the German residence permit for skilled workers and permanent residence in Germany pages, and all grounds for moving are collected in Germany: all programs.

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