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Rewriting foreign driving licences - EU/EEA Mobilität und Fahrzeuge

Valid driving licenses from EU or EEA countries (EEA = European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)) entitle the holder to drive a motor vehicle in Germany.

  • Basic information

    Issuance of a German driver's license based on the foreign driver's license (so-called transcription). These driving licenses do not have to be transcribed into a German driving license document. However, a transcription is possible on a voluntary basis.

    Requirements

    The driving license is issued for the respective category if the applicant

    • has his/her normal place of residence in Germany,
    • has reached the required minimum age:
      • 25 years for direct access to category A
      • 21 years for categories D, D1, DE or D1E
      • 18 years for category A for access in stages and for categories B, BE, C, C1, CE or C1E
      • 16 years for categories A1, L, M and T
    • is suitable for driving motor vehicles,

    In the case of driving license categories that are limited in time in Germany, the German validity periods apply even if no period or a longer period is entered on the foreign driving license.

    More detailed information can be obtained from the driving license authority.

  • Procedure
    • Application to the driving license authority
    • Examination of the documents by the authority
    • Obtaining information from the register (central traffic register, if necessary certificate of good conduct)

  • Necessary Documents
    • Identity card or passport
    • Passport photo
      • According to the specifications on the photo sample board.
    • Important information about the photo booths in all offices of the Citizen's Office:
      • The machines are operated by outside companies and often do not work. It cannot be guaranteed that passport photos can be taken on site. We advise you to bring passport photos to the appointment.
    • valid foreign driving licence
      • for EU driving licenses with Cyrillic script with official translation

  • Competent Department

  • Forms

  • Fees / Costs

    37,50 EUR bis 74,60 EUR

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    The foreign driving licence must still be valid.
    In the event of expiry of the deadline, consult the competent driving licence authority.

    How long does it take to process

    4 weeks bis 6 weeks

  • Legal Bases

  • More Information

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Frequently asked Questions

  • To what extent is such a driver's license valid in Germany?

    The scope of the driving authorization in Germany corresponds to that of the foreign driving license. This means that the minimum age is also based on the driving license law of the issuing country (e.g. English driving licenses for passenger cars from the age of 17). If the foreign driving license contains restrictions or requirements, this also applies to the driving authorization in Germany. Exceeding the foreign driving authorization is a punishable driving without a license under German law according to § 21 StVG. The following restriction also applies to holders of class A1 driving licenses: anyone who has not yet reached the age of 18 may only drive light motorcycles in Germany with a maximum speed of no more than 80 km/h as determined by their design.

    Persons who have held their foreign driver's license for less than 2 years are subject to the German regulations on probationary driver's licenses after establishing their residence in Germany.

  • What should be considered when obtaining a driver's license while studying or attending school?

    In the case of a driver's license acquired while studying or attending school, an important exemption regulation regarding residence takes effect. Anyone who acquires a driver's license during a stay exclusively for the purpose of attending a university or school within an EU or EEA state can use this driver's license in Germany even if he or she had his or her normal place of residence at that time in Germany and not in the issuing country.
    In the case of a stay abroad solely for the purpose of such training, the legislator assumes that the normal place of residence continues to be in Germany. However, the driving license holder must have stayed in the issuing country for at least 6 months for this purpose.

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. 06.08.2025

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