Convert a foreign driving licence

Führerscheinstelle · Driving licence authority

In person

Anyone who lives permanently in Germany with a foreign driving licence must strictly distinguish between two cases. Under the Driving Licence Ordinance (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV), driving licences from EU and EEA (EWR) countries are recognised directly (§ 28 Abs. 1 FeV): you may continue driving to the extent of your entitlement, and the exchange for a German document under § 30 FeV is voluntary. Driving licences from third countries, by contrast, only entitle you to drive for six months from the establishment of your ordinary place of residence (§ 29 Abs. 1 FeV); after that, conversion of a foreign driving licence (Umschreibung) under § 31 FeV is required — that is, the issuing of a German driving licence on the basis of the foreign one.

Whether examinations must be taken for this is decided by Annex 11 FeV. This is not an intergovernmental agreement, but a list of countries laid down unilaterally by Germany in the ordinance: depending on the country and the driving licence class, both tests are waived, only the theory test has to be taken, or both the theory and the practical test have to be completed in full. In practice, the administrative fee in 2026 ranges between around €36 and €45, because each federal state (Bundesland) and local authority sets the final amounts itself on the basis of the schedule of fees in the Fee Schedule for Measures in Road Traffic (Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr, GebOSt).

New since 18 August 2026: Ukraine has been added to Annex 11 FeV with twelve classes (A1, A, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE). Ukrainian driving licences have since been converted without a theory test and without a practical test. This is based on the First Ordinance Amending the Professional Driver Qualification Ordinance and Other Road Traffic Law Provisions (Erste Verordnung zur Änderung der Berufskraftfahrerqualifikationsverordnung und anderer straßenverkehrsrechtlicher Vorschriften) of 12 August 2026, promulgated in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) on 17 August 2026.

State of the lawAnnex 11 FeV as amended from 18 August 2026

Legal basis§ 31 FeV in conjunction with Annex 11 FeV, § 28 and § 29 FeV

VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de and the federal states' fee overviews

Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta

Independent information website: we are not the Führerscheinstelle, not an authority and not paid advice — we do not submit applications for you. All information comes from official sources and is explained simply here; the competent body is always authoritative. Procedures and fees can vary by federal state and local authority. All information is provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document official procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.

Required documents

Valid identity card, passport or residence title (original). The driving licence authority must establish your identity and your immigration status beyond doubt; copies and mobile phone photos are not accepted. Third-country nationals additionally submit a visa or residence title. Check the period of validity before your appointment — an expired document means the application is not accepted.

Foreign driving licence in the original. Without the original document, the authority cannot establish either the classes or the date of issue, and both determine the scope of the examination. For a conversion from a third country, § 31 FeV expressly provides that the German driving licence is only handed over against surrender of the foreign driving licence. If the document has been lost, you first need a replacement or confirmation from the issuing body.

Translation or classification of the driving licence (for third countries). What is required is a rendering of the entries into German together with their assignment to the German driving licence classes, usually carried out by a sworn translator or as part of a classification by one of the officially recognised motoring clubs. Which body your authority recognises is decided by the authority itself — ask before you place an order, otherwise you pay twice. The prices are not officially regulated and therefore depend on the competent authority and the provider commissioned.

Biometric-quality photograph (passport-photo format). The photograph is needed for the EU card driving licence and must be current; older photographs are rejected by the authority. Paper photographs have been inadmissible for identity cards and passports since 1 May 2025 — for the driving licence, the form depends on the requirements of your driving licence authority, so ask in advance whether a digital photograph must be submitted.

Eye test certificate. The eye test is carried out by an officially recognised eye-testing centre, an ophthalmologist or an optician. Whether it is required for the conversion depends on § 31 FeV: if your driving licence comes from a country listed in Annex 11 FeV and a class listed there, the eye test under § 12 Abs. 2 FeV does not apply. If the issuing country is not listed in Annex 11, the eye test remains required under § 31 Abs. 2 FeV. Also ask how recent the certificate needs to be, so that you do not take the test too early.

Certificate for the first-aid course (§ 19 FeV). The course is offered by relief organisations and private providers and usually takes one day. This certificate is not required in every case either: § 31 FeV is decisive. If your driving licence comes from a country listed in Annex 11 FeV and a class listed there, the first-aid course under § 19 FeV does not apply. If the issuing country is not listed in Annex 11, the course remains required under § 31 Abs. 2 FeV. Check this before registering for the course.

Registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) or proof of when you established your residence. It shows when your ordinary place of residence in Germany was established — the starting point of the six-month period under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV. You get the certificate from the registration authority, that is, the Bürgeramt (citizens' office) of your place of residence. Also keep evidence of your entry into Germany, in case the authority wants to establish the date more precisely.

Proof that the driving licence was obtained before you took up residence. The facilitations under Annex 11 FeV require that you obtained the driving licence before establishing your German place of residence. As a rule, the date of issue in the driving licence is sufficient; if it is unclear or the document has since been replaced, the authority requires a Karteikartenabschrift (index card transcript — a copy of your driving licence record) or information from the issuing body. This information from abroad can take several weeks.

Application form of the driving licence authority. Most authorities provide the form for download on their administrative portal; among other things, the classes applied for, previous driving licences and details of withdrawals are requested. Fill it in before your appointment and answer the questions about previous measures truthfully — false information can lead to the withdrawal of the driving licence that has been granted.

Step by step

Establish the country of origin and the legal basis

First clarify whether your driving licence comes from an EU or EEA (EWR) country or from a third country, because the whole procedure depends on this. EU and EEA driving licences are recognised directly under § 28 Abs. 1 FeV; an exchange of the document under § 30 FeV is possible, but voluntary. Third-country driving licences only entitle you to drive for six months under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV and must then be converted under § 31 FeV. In both cases, check the exclusion grounds under § 28 Abs. 4 FeV: learner driving licences and provisional documents are not recognised, nor are driving licences that were issued in breach of the residence requirement or whose holders have already had their driving licence withdrawn in Germany.

Determine the scope of examination under Annex 11 FeV

Look up your country of issue in Annex 11 FeV. Conversion without any examination applies, among others, to Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada (all provinces), New Zealand, South Korea and Namibia, to Israel for classes A1, A2, A and B, and to some US states and Australian territories; since 18 August 2026, Ukraine has also been included with twelve classes. Only the theory test is required, for example, for Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. If your country is not listed, both the theory and the practical test have to be taken in full. Note that the list only applies to the classes stated there in each case.

Calculate the six-month period and have it extended if necessary

The period under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV begins with the establishment of your ordinary place of residence in Germany, not with your appointment at the Bürgeramt and not with the issuing of your residence title. Anyone who is foreseeably only living here temporarily can apply to the driving licence authority for an extension of up to six further months; for this you must demonstrate convincingly that your ordinary place of residence will not exist in Germany for longer than twelve months — for example through a fixed-term employment contract or a certificate of enrolment. Submit this application before the first six months have expired, because once the period has expired, the entitlement to drive no longer exists.

Gather your documents and submit the application

The driving licence authority of your place of residence is responsible, depending on the local authority a Führerscheinstelle, Straßenverkehrsamt (road traffic office) or Bürgeramt. The application is usually submitted in person, because original documents have to be presented and the signature has to be given. There is no nationwide uniform processing time: as a rule, the authority checks with the issuing body abroad whether the driving licence is genuine and valid, and this response can take weeks. Since the six-month period keeps running regardless of whether your application is still being processed, you should submit it as early as possible after moving in and have the receipt confirmed.

Take the required examinations

If Annex 11 FeV requires an examination, the driving licence authority registers you with an officially recognised technical testing centre. The theory test costs €24.99 gross, the practical test for class B €129.83 gross (€109.10 net). The theory test is offered in German and in twelve foreign languages — English, French, Greek, Modern Standard Arabic, Italian, Croatian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish; Modern Standard Arabic has been permitted since 1 October 2016. For the practical test you need a suitable test vehicle, which in practice is usually provided through a driving school; their fees are not officially regulated.

Receive the German driving licence and surrender the foreign document

Under § 31 FeV the German driving licence is only issued against surrender of the foreign driving licence. The surrendered document is sent back to the issuing authority or kept on file by the authority; licences kept on file may be destroyed after three years. So do not expect to get the original back later, and make yourself a copy beforehand for your records. If the driving entitlement comes from a country listed in Annex 11 FeV, that does not change the duty to surrender it: a corresponding note is additionally entered in the German driving licence (§ 31 Abs. 4 Satz 1 FeV). An exception to this duty applies only to posted members of foreign diplomatic missions and career consular posts under § 30 Abs. 5 FeV, subject to reciprocity: for this group, § 31 Abs. 4 Sätze 2 bis 7 FeV does not apply, so they may keep their foreign driving licence.

Fees & costs

Service	Amount
Conversion of a third-country driving licence (§ 31 FeV) — examples 2026	€43.90 (Brandenburg an der Havel) – €45.10 (Berlin)
Issue on the basis of an EU/EEA (EWR) driving licence without examination — examples 2026	€36.30 (Brandenburg an der Havel) – €37.50 (Berlin)
Surcharge for a probationary driving licence (Brandenburg an der Havel)	€37.10 or €44.70
Exchange of an EU/EEA (EWR) driving licence (§ 30 FeV, example Berlin)	€26.50
Fee schedule no. 202.2 of the Annex to § 1 GebOSt	€28.10
Fee schedule no. 201 of the Annex to § 1 GebOSt	€5.10
Theory test (if required)	€24.99 gross
Practical test class B (if required)	€129.83 gross (€109.10 net)
Translation or classification of the driving licence	Not officially regulated — depends on the competent authority and the provider

There is no nationwide uniform fee for the conversion. The basis is the fee schedule of the Annex to § 1 GebOSt: no. 202.2 provides for €28.10 for the issue on the basis of an EU/EEA (EWR) driving licence, plus €5.10 under no. 201. Because the authorities additionally charge expenses and further fee items, the actual final amounts are higher: in Berlin, €37.50 is payable for the conversion of an EU or EEA driving licence without examination, €36.30 in Brandenburg an der Havel, and €37.10 for a probationary driving licence. If the driving licence comes from a third country, the conversion costs €45.10 in Berlin and €43.90 in Brandenburg an der Havel, €44.70 on probation. The plain exchange of an EU/EEA driving licence under § 30 FeV is cheaper and comes to €26.50 in Berlin. Not included in these amounts are examination fees, the eye test, the first-aid course, translation or classification, and any driving school costs for the practical test — these prices are not officially regulated and vary by provider. Ask about the accepted means of payment before your appointment, as many driving licence authorities only accept card payment or cash.

Important notes

New since 18 August 2026: Ukraine in Annex 11 FeV. Ukrainian driving licences are converted in classes A1, A, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE without a theory test and without a practical test. This is based on the First Ordinance Amending the Professional Driver Qualification Ordinance and Other Road Traffic Law Provisions of 12 August 2026, promulgated in the Bundesgesetzblatt on 17 August 2026. Anyone who submitted their application beforehand and therefore expected an examination should ask their driving licence authority for an update.

Special situation for refugees from Ukraine. Temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2028; until then, the Ukrainian driving licence remains valid. Conversion has been possible without an examination since 18 August 2026, so you can plan the timing instead of coming under deadline pressure. Clarify with your driving licence authority which evidence of protection status and residence it requires.

EU and EEA (EWR) driving licences are not valid indefinitely. Only the entitlement to drive is recognised indefinitely, not the document: EU card driving licences issued since 19 January 2013 are limited to 15 years, and classes C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE to a maximum of five years — § 23 FeV applies correspondingly under § 28 FeV. If a foreign driving licence in classes C or D had already expired before you took up residence, the entitlement exists for only six more months.

Note the exclusion grounds under § 28 Abs. 4 FeV. Automatic recognition does not apply to learner driving licences and provisional documents, to driving licences issued in breach of the residence requirement, or to persons whose driving licence has been withdrawn in Germany, provisionally or with final effect, by a court or by an authority. These situations are the most frequent reason for refusals; anyone who overlooks them drives without a driving licence despite an apparently valid EU document.

The six-month period can be extended to up to twelve months. Under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV, the driving licence authority can extend the period, on request, by up to six further months if you demonstrate convincingly that your ordinary place of residence will not exist in Germany for longer than twelve months. This is the regular route for posted workers, visiting researchers and students with a fixed-term residence. Without a timely application, the entitlement ends after six months with no substitute.

Annex 11 FeV applies by class and only to licences acquired beforehand. It states in each case which classes the facilitation applies to — for Israel, for example, only A1, A2, A and B. The facilitation additionally requires that you obtained the driving licence before establishing your German place of residence. Anyone who acquires a driving licence abroad after moving to Germany cannot rely on the list.

Conversion, exchange and compulsory exchange are three different processes. Conversion under § 31 FeV concerns third countries and is the issuing of a German driving licence; exchange under § 30 FeV concerns EU and EEA (EWR) driving licences and merely changes the document — with its own, lower fee. Separate from this is the compulsory exchange of old German driving licences for the EU card format. For journeys abroad, you may additionally need an international driving permit.

The examination languages are exhaustively fixed. The theory test is offered in German and twelve foreign languages: English, French, Greek, Modern Standard Arabic, Italian, Croatian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. Modern Standard Arabic has been permitted since 1 October 2016. If your native language is not among them, you must take the examination in one of the languages offered — allow enough preparation time for this.

An eye test and first-aid certificate are not required across the board. Whether both certificates are needed is decided under § 31 FeV by Annex 11: if your driving licence comes from a country listed there and a class listed there, the eye test (§ 12 Abs. 2 FeV) and the first-aid course (§ 19 FeV) do not apply; otherwise both remain required under § 31 Abs. 2 FeV. Check this against Annex 11, rather than paying for the course and eye test as a precaution. The reverse also applies: if a certificate that is actually required is missing, your application cannot be finally processed.

Allow for the processing time. Neither the FeV nor the fee ordinance prescribes a processing deadline. In practice, it is above all the authenticity check with the issuing body abroad that delays the procedure. Since the six-month period ends regardless of the processing status, submitting your application early is the most effective protection against a gap in your entitlement to drive.

Common mistakes

Letting the six-month period lapse

After the period under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV has expired, the third-country driving licence no longer entitles you to drive motor vehicles. Anyone who continues to drive commits the offence of driving without a driving licence under the Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsgesetz, StVG): under § 21 StVG, this is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment of up to one year or a criminal fine (Geldstrafe). In addition, you will as a rule lose your insurance cover: in the event of a claim, the insurer has recourse against you, and you are personally liable.

Submitting the application only shortly before the deadline

As a rule, the authority has to verify the driving licence in the country of issue, and this response takes time. The six-month period keeps running regardless of the processing status — anyone who applies in the fifth month risks a gap during which they are simply not allowed to drive. Anyone who ignores this gap ends up at risk of criminal liability under § 21 StVG.

Assuming there is an “agreement”

Annex 11 FeV is a one-sided list of countries, not an intergovernmental treaty — and not every country with close ties to Germany is listed in it. Anyone who relies on this without checking ends up at the counter facing the full examination requirement: theory test €24.99, practical test for class B €129.83, plus preparation time and, as a rule, driving lessons.

Applying an Annex 11 entry to all classes

For many countries, the list names only certain classes — for Israel, for example, A1, A2, A and B. For all classes not named, the full examination requirement remains. Anyone who overlooks this receives a German driving licence with fewer classes than expected and may, in some circumstances, no longer be permitted to drive their existing vehicle.

Driving licence obtained abroad only after moving to Germany

The facilitations under Annex 11 FeV only apply if the driving licence was obtained before the German place of residence was established. Anyone who quickly gets a driving licence in their country of origin after the move cannot rely on the list and must take the examinations in Germany. In connection with a breach of the residence requirement, non-recognition under § 28 Abs. 4 FeV is also a risk.

Relying on getting the old driving licence back

Under § 31 FeV, the German driving licence is only handed over against surrender of the foreign one; the document goes back to the issuing body or is kept by the authority and may be destroyed after three years. Anyone who firmly expects to get it back later — for example for journeys in their country of origin — is left without the original. So make a copy or a scan for your records before your appointment.

Continuing to drive with an expired EU document

EU card driving licences issued since 19 January 2013 are limited to 15 years, and classes C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE to a maximum of five years. For classes C and D, the entitlement to drive itself ends with the document — anyone who continues to drive without an extension becomes liable to prosecution under § 21 StVG. For the other classes, the entitlement continues to exist, but the document has to be renewed, because otherwise you are not carrying a valid driving licence.

Concealing an earlier withdrawal in Germany

Anyone whose driving licence has been withdrawn in Germany by a court or an authority gains nothing from a later EU driving licence under § 28 Abs. 4 FeV: it does not entitle you to drive here. Anyone who conceals this in the application risks not only refusal, but also criminal proceedings for driving without a driving licence. The correct route is via the reissue of the driving licence.

Frequently asked questions

How long am I allowed to drive in Germany with my foreign driving licence?

With a valid EU or EEA (EWR) driving licence, you may, under § 28 Abs. 1 FeV, continue driving indefinitely to the extent of your entitlement; however, the document itself is time-limited. With a driving licence from a third country, the entitlement under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV exists for only six months from the establishment of your ordinary place of residence in Germany. On application, this period can be extended by up to six further months.

Do I have to take an examination for the conversion?

This depends on Annex 11 FeV and on the driving licence class. Conversion without a theory and practical test applies, among others, to Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Namibia and, since 18 August 2026, Ukraine; Israel is listed for classes A1, A2, A and B. Only the theory test is required, for example, for Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. For countries not listed, both the theory and the practical test have to be taken in full.

What changed in Annex 11 FeV on 18 August 2026?

Since 18 August 2026, Ukraine has been listed in Annex 11 FeV with twelve classes: A1, A, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE. Ukrainian driving licences in these classes are converted without a theory test and without a practical test. This is based on the First Ordinance Amending the Professional Driver Qualification Ordinance and Other Road Traffic Law Provisions of 12 August 2026, promulgated in the Bundesgesetzblatt on 17 August 2026.

What does converting a foreign driving licence cost?

The fee is based on fee schedule no. 202.2 of the Annex to § 1 GebOSt at €28.10 plus no. 201 at €5.10; the federal states and local authorities set the final amounts. In practice, in 2026 you pay €37.50 in Berlin and €36.30 in Brandenburg an der Havel for an EU or EEA (EWR) driving licence without examination, and €45.10 in Berlin and €43.90 in Brandenburg an der Havel for a third-country driving licence. For a probationary driving licence, the amount in Brandenburg an der Havel increases to €37.10 or €44.70 respectively.

Do I get my foreign driving licence back?

Usually not: under § 31 FeV the German driving licence is only issued against surrender of the foreign driving licence, and the document is sent back to the issuing authority or kept on file by the authority. Licences kept on file may be destroyed after three years. The same applies to driving entitlements from countries listed in Annex 11 FeV: here, only an additional note is entered in the German driving licence, and the duty to surrender the document remains. An exception applies only to posted members of foreign diplomatic missions and career consular posts under § 30 Abs. 5 FeV: subject to reciprocity, § 31 Abs. 4 Sätze 2 bis 7 FeV does not apply to them, so they may keep their foreign driving licence.

Do I have to have my EU driving licence converted in Germany?

No. Anyone who holds a valid EU or EEA (EWR) driving licence and has their ordinary place of residence in Germany may drive, under § 28 Abs. 1 FeV, to the extent of their entitlement; the exchange for a German document under § 30 FeV is voluntary. § 28 Abs. 4 FeV regulates exceptions, for example for learner driving licences, for driving licences issued in breach of the residence requirement, and for persons whose driving licence has been withdrawn in Germany.

Are EU driving licences really valid indefinitely?

Only the entitlement to drive is recognised indefinitely, not the document. EU card driving licences issued since 19 January 2013 are limited to 15 years, and classes C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE to a maximum of five years; § 23 FeV applies correspondingly under § 28 FeV. If a foreign driving licence in classes C or D had already expired before you took up residence in Germany, the entitlement exists for only six more months.

In which languages can I take the theory test?

The theory test is offered in German and twelve foreign languages: English, French, Greek, Modern Standard Arabic, Italian, Croatian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. Modern Standard Arabic has been permitted since 1 October 2016. If your native language is not among them, you must take the examination in one of the languages offered.

What happens if I exceed the six-month period?

After the period under § 29 Abs. 1 FeV has expired, the third-country driving licence no longer entitles you to drive motor vehicles in Germany. Anyone who still drives commits driving without a driving licence under § 21 StVG – a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment of up to one year or a criminal fine. In addition, you will as a rule lose your insurance cover, so that you are personally liable in the event of a claim.