If you want to use your foreign driving licence in Germany or your German driving licence abroad, there are two options:
A) You obtain an international driving licence
or
B) You obtain a certified translation of your foreign driving licence.
As a rule, you may drive with a foreign driving licence for up to six months after entering Germany. If the driving licence is written in a foreign language, you will need a certified translation, which you must present at any check.
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However, if you are staying in Germany permanently, i.e. for more than half a year, and have a permanent residence here, you may not drive without further notice with your foreign driving licence. After six months, you must obtain a German driving licence from your local driving licensing office. Depending on where it was issued, it may be possible to directly exchange it. This means that you surrender your foreign driving licence and in return receive a German driving licence from the driving licence office. The requirements vary from one country to another and are also determined differently by the various driving licence offices in Germany.
You can find out how to have your foreign driving licence exchanged at the responsible driving licence office in your place of residence.
The translation must be prepared by an authorized translator in the form of a "certified translation". Otherwise you run the risk that the translation will not be recognized by the authorities.
You can order a certified translation of your driving licence conveniently via our online shop. The final translation will be sent to your desired address in Germany in a few days by post. It is sufficient for us if you upload the scanned driver's license or send it to us by e-mail after completing the order.
Attention: The original document must be presented to the authorities for transfer or crediting. If you are allowed to drive in Germany with your foreign driving licence, you must carry the original driving licence in addition to the certified translation.
Further advantages of a driver's license translation:
1) By presenting a certified translation, you can, if you have a German driving licence, be released from many driving lessons when presenting a foreign driving licence.
2) Proof that you have already held a foreign driving licence often eliminates the probationary period of two years.
3) By submitting a foreign driving licence and a certified translation, you will almost always receive a lower rate with car insurance. If your insurance company does not offer you this, ask another insurance company immediately.
Order certified driver's license translation online now
Further information on the use of foreign driving licenses in the Federal Republic of Germany can be found in the information sheet of the Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). Read more