Driving License — Prawo Jazdy in Germany

Driving License in Germany — Where to Start

In Germany, the Führerschein is issued by the Führerscheinstelle responsible for your place of registration — so first arrange your registration. Whether you need to do Umschreibung (exchange) of a foreign document or take a Prüfung in a Fahrschule, depends on the country of issue.

Foreign Driving License — Umschreibung

• EU/EEA: your driving license is valid in Germany until it expires; exchange is usually not necessary.
• Outside the EU: after transferring permanent residence to Germany, you have 6 months (185 days) to convert your document to a German one. After this period, a foreign driving license loses its validity and driving on it is an offense.
• Listenstaat (listed countries): exchange without exam. Other countries: you must pass a theoretical and practical exam.

Cost of Umschreibung: approx. 35 € without exam, 42.60 € with required exam. When "permanent residence" begins is related to your Aufenthaltstitel.

Pflichtumtausch — Exchange of Old Documents

Old paper and early plastic driving licenses must be exchanged for the new EU format as part of Pflichtumtausch:
- for paper licenses, your year of birth matters; cohorts 1999–2001 had a deadline of 19.01.2026, the next is 19.01.2027 (cards issued in 2002–2004),
- for cards, your year of issue matters (field 4a),
- all documents issued before 19.01.2013 must be exchanged by 19.01.2033 at the latest.

Cost of exchange: approx. 25.30 € plus postage and biometric photograph. Late exchange is an offense — you may receive a fine. If driving is a condition of employment, check your valid Führerschein before signing an Arbeitsvertrag.