Exchanging Foreign Driving License in German Driving License Category B
You come from outside the EU/EWR and your permanent residence is Germany, your foreign driving license is valid 6 month. In this period, you can drive legally in Germany. Then you need a German Driving License. But sometimes you can extend this period, if you stay less than 1 year in Germany. For this extension, you have to go to your driving license authorities (Führerscheinstelle) and make an application for extension. See the state-list (Staatenliste ) for Exchanging Driving License (Fahrerlaubnis). Some foreign driver's licences could be changed without any test. If your foreign driving licence is less than 2 years old, the german rules for Probezeit (Driver's Licence Probationary Period) apply but the period from passing your first driving test will be credited. This "Probezeit" take time in total 2 years. If you get one point in the driver's record, the period will be extended by 2 years and an Advanced Seminar "Probezeit" will be required.
If you are banned from driving in the country where you have your permanent residence or in the issuing country, driving in Germany is prohibited. For more Information klick here (Fact Sheet of the German Administration)
After checking the necessary conditions, you are ready to exchange your foreign driving license.
Exchanging Foreign Driving Licence - Following documents you need:
Minimum Age 18 years
Application Exchanging Driving License (available in the Driving School or in your town hall)
Formal translation of your valid and original foreign driver's license lingoking.com
Available by
erstehilfe.de or in english erstehilfekurse.eu
German First Aid Course
First Aid in english: erstehilfekurse.eu
Eye Test (not older than 2 years)
Biometric Passport Photo
Valid Passport
Residence permit
Confirmation first enter germany with country of origin
Valid original foreign driver's licence (no Learner's-Permit)
This documents you bring in to your local town hall or to the competent driving license authorities (exchanging). The processing period for the application is round about 10 weeks. After authorisation, you can make the theoretical and practical examination. During the waiting period, you can start with the theoretical and practical training, so that you are ready for the test, when the application is approved.
New German Driving Licence Category B
T here are the same regulations such as exchanging license. But the different is:
Minimum age: 18 years, but you can start at the age of 17 ½. Exceptional case: Accompanied Driving at 17 (Begleites Fahren)
Theoretical Training - Conventional Course in German -
14 lessons per 90 minutes are required.
You need a training-certification for the test from your driving school.
The theortical training we offer in english too. See Customized Training
Practical Driving Training
The same training like exchanging. But it is required to make:
- 5 classes per 45 minutes Driving on Country-Roads
- 4 classes per 45 minutes Driving on Motorway or Highway
- 3 classe per 45 minutes Driving by Night.
Accompanied Driving from the Age of 17
- Minimum Age: 16½ years
- Training and tests for Category B
- Theoretical test 3 month, practical test 1 month before reaching the minimum age
- Driving after the test only with the named accompaniying persons.
- IMPORTANT: Your certification is only valid in Germany and Austria
- Up to the Age of 30 years
- Owner German Driving Licence Category B or an equivalent Driving Licence of EU/EWR or Switzerland minimum 5 years
- Maximum 1 point on the the driver's record