Driving Licence Germany for Expats

Driving licence Germany for expats comes down to one question: where was your licence issued? If it comes from an EU or EEA country, you can keep driving with it. If it comes from anywhere else, the clock starts when you move here, and you will usually need to exchange it (Führerschein umschreiben) or earn a German one. This guide explains the deadlines, the test rules, the documents, and the realistic costs, using the Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (FeV) and the websites of German licensing authorities.

Quick answer: driving licence Germany for expats

Which rule applies to you?

The six months count from the moment you establish your ordinary residence in Germany. The FeV defines this as living here for at least 185 days a year, based on personal and professional ties (§7 FeV). Authorities generally look at your registration, so the safest approach is to treat your Anmeldung date as the start and apply well before month six. If you are still arranging your visa, our visa guide and the EU Blue Card guide cover the residence side.

EU and EEA licences: no exchange needed

If you hold a valid EU or EEA licence and your main residence is in Germany, you may drive here within the scope of your licence (§28 FeV). Conditions on the licence, such as glasses, apply in Germany too. A few points to know:

• Categories follow the EU equivalence rules. A foreign category that has no German equivalent is not recognised for driving here.
• Truck and bus categories keep their own validity. If such a category would expire after you move, the entitlement continues for six months from the move, and the renewal then follows German rules.
• Exclusions exist. The licence does not count if you already lived in Germany when it was issued (students or pupils who stayed at least six months abroad are the exception), if you held a German licence when you acquired it, or if it has been withdrawn in Germany.

Voluntarily exchanging an EU licence is possible if you want a German card, for example because your old licence is about to expire. Ask your local authority about the exact process.

Non-EU licences: the 6-month rule and how to extend it

Under §29 FeV, holders of a licence from outside the EU/EEA may drive in Germany for six months after they establish their ordinary residence here. Two practical consequences:

• After six months, you may not drive until you have a German licence, unless the authority has extended the period. Nuremberg's authority recommends applying at least eight weeks before the period ends, because it is not allowed to drive in the gap.
• You can extend once. On application, the authority may extend the six months by up to six more months if you credibly show that your stay in Germany will not exceed twelve months in total. This helps for short assignments, not for people who plan to stay.

Some licences are excluded from the rule altogether: learner permits and other provisional licences, licences issued while you already lived in Germany, and licences from someone who had a licence withdrawn or refused in Germany or who is under a driving ban. Also, the licence has to be proven by the valid national licence, and if it is not in German, a translation may be needed (see documents below).

Exchange with or without tests: Annex 11 of the FeV

Annex 11 to §31 FeV is the official list of countries whose licences can be exchanged for a German one. Each row names the issuing state, the licence classes that are recognised, and whether a theory test and a practical test are required. The list is long and entries are class-specific, so use it as a lookup rather than a rule of thumb. In broad terms, there are four situations:

The table shows how the system works, not the current status of your country. Entries and conditions are changed from time to time, so open the list itself and look up your issuing state.

US states and Canadian provinces

For the United States and Canada, the rule is set state by state and province by province. The US entries cover individual states, not the country as a whole, and some US states do not appear on the list at all. Canadian provinces and territories are listed individually. For all of them, the list refers to the standard car licence, and footnotes exclude learner permits and instruction permits from the exchange. If your state or province is missing, or only a certain class is covered, the normal German licence process applies. Look up your exact state and class before you book flights, a car or a driving school.

Does the licence have to be valid, and what happens to the old one?

You declare in the application that your foreign licence is still valid, and the authority can verify this. The German licence is issued against surrender of the foreign licence. If Germany has an agreement with the issuing country, the authority sends the old licence back via the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, otherwise it keeps it (§31 FeV). Your new German licence carries a note that it is based on a non-EU/EEA licence. Plan for being without your original card afterwards, for example when you travel home.

If the authority has reason to doubt that you still have the required knowledge and skills, it can order a driving test even in an Annex 11 case.

Step by step: exchanging your licence at the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde

1. Register your address. The authority responsible for you is the one at your place of residence, and it will want proof of registration. See our Anmeldung guide.
2. Look up your country and class in Annex 11 of the FeV to see whether a test is required.
3. Book an appointment at the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde (often part of the Straßenverkehrsamt, Ordnungsamt or Bürgeramt). Many cities require an online appointment, and an authorised representative can apply for you in some places, such as Nuremberg.
4. Prepare the documents listed below, including a translation if needed.
5. Submit the application and pay the fee. If a test is required, the authority gives you the test approval. In Berlin, once you have exam approval you cannot change the testing centre, so choose your driving school and examiner location first.
6. Pass the required test(s), if any. Theory test with TÜV or DEKRA, practical test in German.
7. Receive your German licence. You hand in your foreign licence and collect the German card, either in person or via the process your authority describes.

Documents you need

The details vary between towns, so check your own authority's page. The Berlin and Nuremberg authorities list these in common:

• Passport or ID card, and a residence permit if you are not an EU/EEA citizen.
• Your valid foreign licence in original. An international driving permit does not replace it.
• A translation if the licence is not in German or English. Berlin says a translation is required in that case and the authority decides if in doubt. Nuremberg requires it to come from the ADAC or a publicly appointed and sworn translator.
• One current biometric passport photo on paper. Nuremberg says it must not be older than one year, and Berlin does not print photos on site.
• Proof of registration (Meldebescheinigung). If you moved straight from abroad, Nuremberg wants an extended certificate showing your country of origin.
• Driving school and test centre, if a test applies to your licence.

Eye test and first-aid course

For Annex 11 licences, an eye test is generally not required unless a footnote in the list says so (Berlin). For a licence from scratch, or for a non-listed country, both are required:

• Eye test (Sehtest): required for classes such as AM, A1, A2, A, B, BE, L and T, performed by an officially recognised vision-testing centre (§12 FeV). The certificate may not be older than two years when you apply.
• First-aid training: at least nine teaching units of 45 minutes (§19 FeV), documented by a certificate from a recognised body. Certain medical qualifications exempt you.

Trucks and buses are different: for classes C and D the authorities ask for medical certificates and, for the D classes, extra checks, and professional-driver qualifications may apply.

Costs of exchanging your licence

The fee is set locally. Two verified examples from city authorities, as published on their own pages:

Add the cost of a translation, a photo and, if a test applies, driving lessons and exam fees. Nuremberg lists additional fees for cases that take extra effort, so ask what applies to you. Check current prices on your own authority's page before you go.

Getting a German licence from scratch

If your country is not in Annex 11 or your class is not recognised, you follow the standard process. The minimum age for class B is 18, or 17 with accompanied driving (§10 FeV).

1. Eye test and first-aid course (see above), plus passport photo.
2. Sign up with a driving school (Fahrschule) and apply for the licence at the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde. The school usually helps with the paperwork.
3. Theory lessons and theory test at TÜV or DEKRA.
4. Practical lessons, including special drives, and the practical test, which is in German.

What it costs

Driving schools set their own prices, so there is no single figure. According to ADAC's April 2025 article, class B costs about €2,466 in a low example (15 practice lessons, first-attempt pass) and about €4,476 in a high example (25 practice lessons). The article lists components such as the basic fee of €350 to €565, practice lessons at €55 to €77 per 45 minutes, twelve special drives at €60 to €95 each, the theory test at about €25, the practical test at about €130 and a first-aid course from about €60. Failed tests add to the bill. These are 2025 example calculations, so treat them as an order of magnitude and compare current written offers.

Can you take the theory test in English?

Yes. The ADAC states that the theory test is offered in twelve foreign languages: English, French, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Croatian, Spanish, Turkish and High Arabic. For class B, the test has 30 questions and allows ten error points, with at most one five-point question answered wrongly. The fee is €25. The practical test can only be taken in German. Many driving schools in big cities advertise English-speaking instructors, but you should ask before you sign, because the school's wording and the exam wording are not the same thing.

After you have your licence

• Buying a car: you will need registration, insurance and a vehicle registration number. Our guide to buying a car in Germany covers this.
• No car yet: many people in large cities manage without one. See the bicycle guide.
• Insurance: a personal liability policy covers many daily risks, but normally excludes damage caused by driving a motor vehicle. Motor insurance is separate, so check your policy terms.
• Costs overall: a car changes your budget, so look at the net salary calculator and the blocked account guide if you are still planning your finances. Company-car benefits and commuting costs can affect your tax return, and long-term planning is covered in the pension guide.
• If you are ill and cannot work, see sick pay in Germany, and for older family members long-term care insurance.

FAQ

Sources

Figures and rules checked on 16 October 2026. Always confirm your own case with your local Fahrerlaubnisbehörde.

• Foreign licences, six-month rule and extension: §29 FeV
• EU and EEA licences: §28 FeV
• Exchange of non-EEA licences: §31 FeV and the state list Anlage 11 FeV
• Ordinary residence (185 days): §7 FeV
• Minimum age: §10 FeV
• Eye test: §12 FeV
• First-aid training: §19 FeV
• Exchange documents and fees, Berlin (€37.50 / €45.10): service.berlin.de
• Exchange documents, deadlines and fees, Nuremberg (€50.30 / €57.90): Stadt Nürnberg, Anlage-11-Staaten
• Theory test languages, fee and format: ADAC, theoretische Führerscheinprüfung
• Cost of a class B licence (April 2025): ADAC, Führerschein-Kosten