Leistungen A-Z

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: Depending on the responsible driving licence authority

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: Depending on the responsible driving licence authority

You apply for the first issue of a driving licence if you are not yet in possession of a driving licence. Later extensions of your driving licence build on this.

Driving licences are divided into certain categories. Licences for categories AM, A, A1, A2, B, BE, L and T shall be issued for an unlimited period. For categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE, the licence is issued for a maximum period of five years.

Your driving licence is proven by the driving licence.

To issue your driving licence for the first time, you must complete theoretical and practical training in a driving school. In addition, you must take a theoretical and a practical driving test (exception for category L, here only theoretical training and examination).

Note: Already at the beginning of the training in the driving school you should apply for the driving license.

You can submit the required application to the driving licence authority responsible for your place of residence at the earliest six months before reaching the minimum age applicable to the desired driving licence class. The competent body will then check whether there are any doubts about your fitness to drive motor vehicles. If there are no concerns, the Technical Inspection Centre will be instructed to test your ability to drive motor vehicles.

The examination may take place at the earliest three months and that of the practical examination at the earliest one month before reaching the minimum age. There must be at least one month between the practical and theoretical examinations.

If you do not pass these exams, you can usually repeat them after two weeks at the earliest. The number of repetitions is not limited.

Note: Young people in Germany can drive class B motor vehicles under escort from the age of 17 ("accompanied driving at 17"). To do this, you must designate an accompanying person who:

• is at least 30 years old,
• has held a category B or equivalent category driving licence for five consecutive years, and
• has a maximum of one point in the driving fitness register in Flensburg.

Note: In Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, young people can acquire the moped driver's license at the age of 15.
 

You will be issued a driving licence for the relevant category if you:

• have their normal residence in Germany,
• are fit to drive motor vehicles,
• have been trained to drive motor vehicles in a driving school,
• have demonstrated competence to drive motor vehicles in a theoretical and practical test,
• be able to provide first aid and
• do not hold a driving licence of this category issued in a Member State of the European Union or in another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

In addition, a certain minimum age must be met for the requested class:

• Categories AM, A1, L and T: 16 years (AM also 15 years in the countries of the pilot project)
• Class B: 18 years
• Class B, BE for "accompanied driving from 17": 17 years
• Categories A2, B, BE, C1, C1E: 18 years
• Categories D1, D1E, C, CE: 21 years
• direct access Class A, Classes D and DE: 24 years

For all classes:

• valid identity card, passport or other identification document
• up-to-date, biometric photograph in the format 45x35mm in portrait format, frontal shot, with neutral background without headgear
• Proof of training in first aid
• Name of the owner and address of your driving school

Additionally for categories AM, A1, A2, A, B, BE, L or T:

• Proof of an eye test (optician or ophthalmologist)

Additionally for classes C, C1, CE, C1E, D, D1, DE, D1E:

• Ophthalmological report (certificate of visual examination), not older than two years at the time of application
• Medical report (certificate of physical and mental fitness), not older than one year at the time of application

Additionally for categories D, D1, DE, D1E:

• Certificate of good conduct document type "O"
• Report on resilience, orientation, concentration, attention and reaction performance (function and performance test)

Additionally for class B for "accompanied driving at 17":

• Copy of the identity card of all accompanying persons (on both sides)
• Copy of the driving licence of all accompanying persons (on both sides)

Application fees:

• if a probationary driving licence is issued: EUR 43.40
• when issued as "accompanied driving at 17": fees depend on the number of accompanying personswhen issuing a driving licence without setting a probationary period (categories AM, L, T): EUR 42.60

Depending on the driving licence class, further costs are incurred for taking the tests.

Note: Depending on the federal state, deviations from the fees may occur, please also inquire with your responsible driving license authority.

As a rule, you must apply for your desired driving licence in person.

• Depending on the federal state, you can submit the application for the first issue of a driving licence with the necessary documents and information.
  • at your locally competent driving licence authority,
  • at the citizens' office responsible for you or
  • apply to another competent authority/body under Land law.
• When applying, you must indicate at which driving school you will be trained.
• Subsequently, the driving licence authority will determine whether there are any concerns about your suitability. This takes a certain amount of time, which is why you should apply at the beginning of the driving school training.
• If only the required driving licence test has to be taken, the production of a driving licence is commissioned from the Bundesdruckerei. The competent technical inspection body shall be instructed to carry out its test. From this point on, you have one year to take the exam.
• After you have successfully passed both the theoretical and, if necessary, the required practical test, you will receive the card driving licence
  • either directly from your examiner,
  • by the driving licence authority or
  • von der Bundesdruckerei. Until you receive the card driving licence, you will receive a provisional driving licence from your examiner.

Note: When a driving licence is issued for the first time, it is issued on probation, with the exception of categories AM, L and T. The probationary period lasts two years from the date of issue. If you commit one or two less serious offences (including both criminal offences and administrative offences) during the probationary period, which must be entered in the register of fitness to drive, the driving licence authority will order you to conduct an advanced seminar. The probationary period is then extended by another two years.

• Application for the first issue of a driving licence: At the earliest six months before reaching the minimum age applicable to the desired category of driving licence
• Taking the theoretical examination: Within twelve months of receipt of your inspection order by the Technical Inspection Centre, otherwise the test order expires
• Taking the practical exam: Within twelve months of passing the theory exam

Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure
Unit StV11

Robert Schuman Square 1
53175 Bonn, Germany
Phone: 030 18300-0

E-mail: poststelle@bmvi.bund.de

Your local driving licence authority.

• Ordinance on the Admission of Persons to Road Traffic (FeV)

You must take the practical test at your place of main residence or at your place of education, training, studies or work. Evidence must be provided for a relocation of the test site. The application for this can be submitted to the driving licence authority.
 

• Information on all driving licence classes on the website of the Federal Ministry of Transport
• Information on the requirements for driving licences and the period of validity on the website of the Federal Ministry of Transport

Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure