If you move to Germany with a driving license from outside the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA), it is generally valid for only six months after you take up ordinary residence (ordentlicher Wohnsitz). After that, you may not drive until you hold a German license (Führerschein).
The process is called an exchange or conversion (Umschreibung or Umtausch). What you must do depends on the country that issued your license, and for the United States and Canada on the state or province.
- Non-EU/EEA licenses: valid for six months after you take up residence. You can apply to extend this by up to six months only if you will leave Germany within 12 months.
- EU and EEA licenses (including Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) stay valid. You do not have to exchange them.
- Anlage 11 countries: many can exchange listed classes without theory or practical tests, and usually without an eye test, first-aid course or driving-school training.
- US states and Canadian provinces vary. Some are on the list and need no tests, some need a theory test only, and some (including California and New York) are not listed at all.
- Other countries: you must pass the German theory and practical tests. A full driving-school course is not required.
- Apply at the driver’s license office (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde or Führerscheinstelle) where you live. Authority fees vary by office, from about €31 to €65; Berlin charges €37.50 without a test and €45.10 with a test.
WARNING: Once that period has passed, you may not drive on the foreign license until the German card is in your hand. Driving without a valid license is illegal. Book your appointment early, because processing often takes several weeks and in some districts several months.
NOTE: The period starts when you take up ordinary residence in Germany, not on the day you enter as a tourist. Ordinary residence means you usually live here for at least 185 days a year (Section 7 (1) FeV). In practice this is often the date of your address registration. If the foreign license itself expires earlier, that earlier date applies.
How Long Is a Foreign License Valid in Germany?
This follows Section 29 of the Driving License Ordinance (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV). As long as you have no ordinary residence in Germany, you may drive on your foreign license, within its own limits. You may need to carry a translation (see documents below). The limit begins when you take up residence, which in practice is tied to your address registration (Anmeldung).
The driver’s license office can extend the six months by up to another six months if you credibly show that you will not stay in Germany for more than 12 months in total. This can help students, au pairs and others on a one-year stay.
An International Driving Permit does not extend this period. It is only a translation aid and must be carried with the national license.
Do You Need to Exchange an EU or EEA License?
No. A valid license from an EU member state, or from Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, remains valid after you move to Germany (Section 28 FeV). You must still respect the expiry date and any restrictions printed on it.
Truck and bus classes (C and D) follow German validity periods once you live here. If those periods would already have expired when you move, you still have six months, and then you need a German extension.
You can exchange an EU or EEA license for a German one voluntarily, without tests.
Since 18 August 2026, Germany also recognizes an EU license that another EU country issued in exchange for a non-EU license, even if that country did not require tests and your original country is not in Anlage 11 (change to Section 28 (4) no. 7 FeV). For example, if you lived in Spain and exchanged a US or Indian license there, that Spanish card is valid here. This does not apply if you already lived in Germany when the exchange happened (Section 28 (4) no. 8 FeV).
The United Kingdom is no longer in the EU, so the same time limit applies after you take up residence. The UK and Gibraltar are on the Anlage 11 list, so you can usually exchange without tests. The office may ask for an eye test. If you already lived in Germany at Brexit and have not exchanged yet, you may not drive on the UK license. Doing so counts as driving without a license, which is a criminal offense. You can still exchange it without tests.
Which Countries Can Exchange Without Tests?
Annex 11 to the FeV (Anlage 11) lists countries and license classes with easier exchange rules. For a listed class, the following usually do not apply:
- The theory test and/or the practical test, depending on what the annex says for that country
- An eye test (Sehtest), unless a footnote still requires one
- A first-aid course (Erste-Hilfe-Kurs)
- Compulsory driving-school training
The official list is the only complete source, because classes and footnotes differ. These countries can usually exchange the listed car, and often motorcycle, classes without tests:
- Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Serbia (not probationary licenses), North Macedonia, Albania (most classes), Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (A and B classes), Israel (A and B classes), South Korea (classes 1 and 2, German class B only), New Zealand (classes 1 and 6), Taiwan (B/BE only), Namibia (with extra conditions), Monaco, Andorra, San Marino and others in the annex
- Ukraine and Montenegro, added on 18 August 2026
- All Australian states and territories (some still need an eye test)
- Many US states and all Canadian provinces except Nunavut, with the limits below
Moldova is on the list, but a practical test is still required. Some listed classes, such as Albania’s AM class, also need a practical test. If your country is listed but your class is not, the easier rules do not apply to that class.
For Ukrainian refugees, licenses are recognized in the EU for the duration of temporary protection, which currently runs until 4 March 2028. This includes licenses that expired after 31 December 2021, and you do not need a certified translation. If you want a German license, or after protection ends, Ukraine has been in Anlage 11 since 18 August 2026, so the listed classes can be exchanged without tests. Truck and bus classes need health and vision proofs.
NOTE: Always check the current Anlage 11 on Gesetze im Internet before you apply. The list and the footnotes change. Namibia, for example, only qualifies if the license was issued at least two years before you apply.
What About US States and Canadian Provinces?
Not every US state is on the list. For listed US and Canadian car licenses, Germany generally issues only class B, even if your home license covers more.
No theory and no practical test (listed classes only): Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington State, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Theory test required, no practical test: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon and Tennessee.
An eye test is still required for Indiana, Minnesota, Oregon and Texas (footnote 7 to Anlage 11). Learner or instruction permits cannot be exchanged. Some intermediate or restricted licenses are also excluded; the footnotes in the annex name the details.
Not on the list (theory and practical tests required): Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In Canada, the listed provinces and territories can exchange the named classes without tests: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Nunavut is not listed. British Columbia may still require an eye test. A British Columbia class 6 motorcycle license is exchanged for German class A2 if you are under 24, otherwise class A.
What Documents Do You Need?
Requirements differ slightly by city, so confirm with your office. You usually need the originals of:
- A valid passport or national ID card
- Your valid national driving license
- A signed declaration that the foreign license is still valid
- A current biometric passport photo (35 × 45 mm)
- A registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). Some cities want an extended certificate that shows when you moved from abroad.
- A translation and classification of the license, if the office requires one
Under Section 29 (2) FeV, you must also carry a translation while driving during the first six months if the license is not in German, was not issued in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, and does not match the 1968 Vienna Convention format, unless Germany has waived that requirement. ADAC says English-language licenses are often accepted without a translation, but this is not uniform. Germany has expressly waived a translation for Andorra, Hong Kong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland and Senegal. Ask your office. The ADAC or a sworn translator can prepare a translation and classification; fees vary.
If your license is not covered by the Anlage 11 privileges, you also need:
- An eye test certificate, not older than two years at the time you apply (Section 12 (7) FeV), from an officially recognized test center, often an optician
- Proof of a first-aid course (Schulung in Erster Hilfe, Section 19 FeV)
- The name of a driving school if you must take a test
A license issued while you already had ordinary residence in Germany is generally not valid here (Section 29 (3) no. 2 FeV). The City of Nuremberg, for example, asks for proof that you lived in the issuing country for at least 185 days when it was issued. Learner permits and other provisional licenses cannot be exchanged.
Where Do You Apply, and What Does It Cost?
Apply at the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde or Führerscheinstelle of the city or district where you live, usually in person and often only by appointment. Start early. Bremen and Mannheim give typical processing times of four to six weeks. Nuremberg recommends applying at least eight weeks before the deadline. Kelheim says you should plan for about three months. The Bodenseekreis warns that, because of a high number of applications, processing can currently take up to six months.
When you collect the German license, you must hand in the foreign one. The office either sends it back to the issuing authority or keeps it in storage. In justified cases it can leave the foreign license with you. A stored license may be destroyed after three years (Section 31 (4) FeV).
If you have held your license for less than two years, the German license is issued on probation (Probezeit). The time since you got your foreign license counts toward the two years, but any period in which you were not allowed to drive in Germany does not (Section 2a StVG, Section 33 (2) FeV).
If you exchanged an Anlage 11 license, the German card will note that it was based on a non-EU/EEA license. That annotation follows Section 31 (4) FeV and applies to exchanges under Section 31 (1).
Authority fees are based on the federal fee schedule (GebOSt), but each office adds its own charges, so the total varies. Examples:
| Office | Example fees |
|---|---|
| Berlin and Mannheim | €37.50 without a test, €45.10 with a test |
| Kelheim | €31.20 (EU, EEA or Anlage 11), €38.80 (other countries) |
| Nuremberg | €50.30–€58.70 |
| Bremen | €37.50–€65.00 |
On top of the authority fee, plan for a photo, a translation if needed, and exam fees if you must take tests. For class B, TÜV SÜD publishes the statutory fees (including VAT, in force since 31 January 2024) as €24.99 for the theory test and €129.83 for the practical test. A driving school also charges to present you for the test, and optional lessons cost extra. Your office will tell you the exact amount payable there. Fees can change.
Do You Need a Driving School If Tests Are Required?
A full driving-school course is not required for an exchange (Section 31 (2) FeV). There is no mandatory number of lessons.
The practical test still takes place with a driving instructor, so you must register with a driving school to be presented. Many people book a few lessons to learn German road signs, the right-before-left rule, Autobahn practice and the test routes.
The theory test can be taken in English, French, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Croatian, Spanish, Turkish and Standard Arabic. Kurmanji and Ukrainian are to be added from 1 April 2027 (Section 76a FeV and Annex 7).
If you take the practical test in an automatic car, your license is limited to automatics (key number 78). Alternatively, ask for key number 197: you take the test in an automatic but may also drive manual cars, if your driving school certifies before the test that you can drive a manual car. For that certificate (Schaltnachweis), you need at least ten 45-minute lessons in a manual car and a test drive of at least 15 minutes with your instructor (Section 17a FeV and Section 5a of the Driving School Training Ordinance). If your foreign license was already limited to vehicles without a clutch pedal, the German one will be too.
A planned driving license reform would, mostly from 1 July 2027, shorten the class B practical test from 55 to 40 minutes and score each theory question with one point. The Bundestag passed the first part on 5 November 2026, but the Bundesrat still has to approve it and the test rules are in a separate ordinance, so nothing has changed yet. See every change in Germany for 2027.
Is There a Deadline to Apply for the Exchange?
After the six months you may not drive on the foreign license, but the current FeV sets no deadline for the exchange application itself. ADAC, in guidance updated on 18 August 2026, says there is no application deadline.
You must still hold a valid foreign license when you apply and declare that it is still valid (Section 31 (3) FeV). Some local offices say they will not exchange a license that expired more than three years ago, for example Bremen, Kreis Unna and the Bodenseekreis. A few others still mention a three-year window after you take up residence, for example Landkreis Kelheim. That application limit is not in the current federal ordinance. Ask your local office how it handles late applications, and do not count on being able to wait.
The only three-year period that the federal ordinance clearly states is this: once you have handed in your foreign license, the office may destroy the stored document after three years (Section 31 (4) FeV).
You Have a German License — What Next?
Once you hold the German card, you can buy or register a car in Germany. Third-party liability insurance (Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung) is mandatory. Newcomers and drivers with little German no-claims history often pay more.
Compare car insurance prices on Check24* or Verivox*, and read our guide to the best car insurance in Germany. Tips on how to save on car insurance can also help in the first years.
Fines, accidents and license disputes can get expensive. A traffic legal insurance covers lawyer and court costs in traffic cases.
What Should You Do Now?
- Register your address, then write down the date six months later. See our Anmeldung guide and moving to Germany checklist.
- Check Anlage 11 for your country, state or province, and the exact license class.
- Book a Führerscheinstelle appointment well before that date, especially if tests or a translation are needed, or if your office has long processing times.
- Gather your documents. Arrange a translation, an eye test and a first-aid course if they apply to you.
- If tests are required, contact a driving school in time. You need one to be presented for the practical test.
- If you will leave Germany within 12 months, ask the office about extending the driving period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep driving with an International Driving Permit after six months?
No. An International Driving Permit does not extend the period. After you take up residence, only a timely exchange, or an approved extension if you will leave within 12 months, lets you keep driving.
What if I am only visiting Germany?
If you have no ordinary residence here, your foreign license stays valid for the visit, within its own limits, and you may need a translation. The clock starts when you take up residence.
Can I get my foreign license back later?
In principle, yes, if you return the German license issued on the basis of it (Section 31 (4) FeV). If the office has already sent the foreign license back to the issuing country, you may have to apply there.
I am under 18. Can I drive or exchange my license?
No. You may not drive in Germany on a non-EU license before the German minimum age, even as a tourist. You can still apply for an exchange: from 17, class B is issued only for accompanied driving (Begleitetes Fahren ab 17), and the Anlage 11 test exemptions still apply. Ask your office.
Does a Swiss license have to be exchanged?
Switzerland is not in the EU or the EEA, so the same time limit applies. Switzerland is in Anlage 11 for all classes with no tests, and Germany waives the translation.
Sources
- Gesetze im Internet: § 29 FeV – validity of foreign licenses and the six-month rule
- Gesetze im Internet: § 28 FeV – recognition of EU and EEA licenses
- Gesetze im Internet: § 31 FeV – exchange of licenses from outside the EEA
- Gesetze im Internet: § 7 FeV – ordinary residence (at least 185 days a year)
- Gesetze im Internet: § 33 FeV – counting probation time after a non-EEA exchange
- Gesetze im Internet: § 2a StVG – driving license on probation
- Gesetze im Internet: § 17a FeV – automatic restriction and key number 197
- Gesetze im Internet: § 5a FahrschAusbO – Schaltnachweis training for key 197
- Gesetze im Internet: Anlage 11 FeV – countries, classes and test requirements
- Gesetze im Internet: Anlage 7 FeV – theory test languages
- Gesetze im Internet: Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr (GebOSt)
- Bundesgesetzblatt 2026 I Nr. 236: FeV amendment of 12 August 2026 (in force 18 August 2026), including § 76a on Kurmanji and Ukrainian from 1 April 2027
- Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912: temporary protection for people from Ukraine until 4 March 2028
- ADAC: exchanging a license from a third country (updated 18 August 2026)
- ADAC: foreign licenses during a stay in Germany
- Berlin LABO: driver’s license authority fees from 1 January 2025 (GebOSt)
- City of Mannheim: exchange fees and typical processing time of four to six weeks
- Landkreis Kelheim: exchange fees (€31.20 / €38.80), about three months processing, and a local three-year application window
- City of Nuremberg: Anlage 11 fees (€50.30–€58.70), documents, 185-day proof and recommendation to apply at least eight weeks before the deadline
- Free Hanseatic City of Bremen: non-EU exchange, fees €37.50–€65.00, four to six weeks processing, and the three-year expiry limit
- Kreis Unna: foreign license may not have expired more than three years before the application
- Bodenseekreis: processing can take up to six months; license may not have expired more than three years before the application
- TÜV SÜD: statutory theory and practical test fees (GebOSt, including VAT, since 31 January 2024)
