Then close the box and use this Website in German.
Exchange old driver's license for a new one
Old paper and card driving licenses will gradually become invalid and be replaced by the new EU card driving license.
If your driving license has expired, you must apply for a new driving license.
-
Basic information
If your old paper driver's license has expired, you must apply for a new card driver's license. Older card driving licenses must also be exchanged.
If there is no expiration date on your driving license, you must exchange it.
Exchange deadlines for driving licenses issued up to and including 31.12.1998:
Your year of birth determines by when you must exchange your driver's license:
- before 1953 - exchange by 19.01.2033
- 1953 to 1971 or later - the exchange must have already taken place
Exchange deadlines for driving licenses issued after 01.01.1999:
The year of issue determines by when you must exchange your driver's license:
- 1999 - 2001: exchange by 19.01.2026
- 2002 - 2004: Exchange by 19.01.2027
- 2005 - 2007: Exchange by 19.01.2028
- 2008: Exchange until 19.01.2029
- 2009: Exchange until 19.01.2030
- 2010: Exchange until 19.01.2031
- 2011: Exchange until 19.01.2032
- 2012 - 18.01.2013: Exchange until 19.01.2033
If you were born before 1953 and your driving license was issued between 01.01.1999 and 18.01.2013, you must exchange it by 19.01.2033.
Driving licenses issued after 19.01.2013 are valid for 15 years. This deadline only applies to the driving license document, not the underlying driving license.
No medical examinations or other tests are required when exchanging the document.
The rights on the driving license remain valid even after the exchange.
Requirements
- Application in person at the driver's license office
- Main residence in Bremen
-
Procedure
You can exchange your old driving license for a new EU driving license in person at the relevant office.
Applying in person on site
- You must make an appointment online or by telephone with the relevant office.
- You must go to the appointment in person.
- Bring the required documents with you.
- Your old driver's license will be issued with a time limit when you apply and returned to you.
- You will receive your new driver's license by post.
More information
- You can find an overview of the old and new driving license categories under "Further information".
- Holders of the old category 3 who work in a forestry or agricultural business can upgrade to category T without a test when exchanging. This must be applied for when exchanging.
- Holders of the old category 3 will also receive categories C1 and C1E when exchanging their category B and BE driving license. The extension is not limited in time and does not require regular medical check-ups.
- In the case of driving licenses for HGVs in the old categories 3 and 2, these must be converted at the age of 50 with proof of fitness to drive in order to maintain this authorization without interruption.
-
Necessary Documents
- Identity card or passport
- Driving licence
- analog passport photo
- According to the specifications on the photo sample board.
- Digital passport photo at a self-service terminal:
- Instead of an analog passport photo, a digital passport photo can be taken independently at a capture system, a so-called self-service terminal. The signature is also captured at the self-service terminals.
- In addition, a copy of the file card from the driving license office that issued the current driving license
- if the driver's license was issued outside Bremen before 1999
-
Competent Department
-
Citizens’ Office Bürgeramt
- (0421) 115
- Stresemannstraße 48, 28207 Bremen
-
Driving licences Fahrerlaubnisse
- (0421) 361-88669, Terminvereinbarungen: Tel. (0421) 115
- (0421) 496-12189
- Stresemannstraße 48, 28207 Bremen
- fuehrerscheinstelle
@buergeramt. bremen. de
-
-
Fees / Costs
31,50 EUR including direct dispatch of the driving licence
For express order: 25,30 Euro plus express fee 34,14 Euro
6,00 EUR Fee for using the self-service terminal for passport photos. -
Deadlines & processing time
What deadlines must be paid attention to?
The individual deadlines can be found under Basic information.
How long does it take to process
4 weeks
In urgent cases, an express order can be placed within 48 hours. In these cases, the driver's license must be collected from the driving license authority. -
Legal Bases
- § 6 (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung - FeV)
- § 24a (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung - FeV)
- § 25 (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung - FeV)
- Anlage 3 (zu § 6 Absatz 6) (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung - FeV)
- Anlage 8e (zu § 24a Absatz 2 Satz 1) (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung - FeV)
- Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr (GebOSt)
- Section 24a (Driving Licence Regulations – FeV)
- Schedule of Fees for Road Traffic Measures (GebOSt)
- Section 25 (Driving Licence Regulations – FeV)
- Annex 8e (relating to Section 24a(2), first sentence) (Driving Licence Regulations – FeV)
- Section 6 (Driving Licence Regulations – FeV)
- Appendix 3 (relating to Section 6(6)) (Driving Licence Regulations – FeV)
This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.
The official information in German is complete and correct.
Updated on 12.09.2026