ROUTE

Convert Foreign Driving Licence

✓ Checked: 15/08/2026

Converting a foreign driving licence in Germany starts with one question that determines both cost and timeline: are tests required or not? Licences from the EU and EEA, and from countries listed in Annex 11 of the FeV, are exchanged without tests. For all other countries the path is longer: a first-aid course, driving school, theory and practical exams. Check that list before spending money on translations and appointments.

Tailor the route to you

Answer a few questions and only the steps you actually need will remain. We will hide the rest.

Will you have to take the tests? That depends on the country where your licence was issued.

How do I check?

1

STEP

Country Check: Which Route Applies to You?

The first step is finding out whether your home country qualifies for a simplified exchange or whether you'll need theory and practical exams. This single decision shapes the entire process.
2

STEP

Translating Your Foreign Driving License

If your license is not in the Latin alphabet — Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, etc. — you'll need a certified German translation before any authority can process it.
3

STEP

Vision Test (Sehtest) at an Optician

Every applicant — regardless of which exchange route applies — must pass a basic vision test at a licensed optician. It takes 15 minutes and costs around €10.
4

STEP

Direct Exchange: Submit Your Application, No Exams

For EU/EEA and Annex 11 countries: bring your documents to the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde, pay the fee, and your German license arrives by post in 2–6 weeks. Ukraine is added by the 2026 amendment, which is not yet in force.
5

STEP

First Aid Course (Erste-Hilfe-Kurs)

A mandatory 9-hour first aid course for all third-country license applicants. Run by the Red Cross (DRK), Malteser, Johanniter, ADAC, and others — takes one day and costs around €30.
6

STEP

Enrol in a Driving School (Fahrschule)

Even experienced drivers must register at a licensed Fahrschule (driving school). German law requires an instructor to be present at the practical exam. A trial drive determines how many lessons you actually need.
7

STEP

Application and Exam Authorisation (Prüfauftrag)

Before sitting any exam, you must submit your complete document set to the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde. They issue a Prüfauftrag — an authorisation that allows TÜV/DEKRA to schedule your theory and practical tests.
8

STEP

Theory Exam (Theorieprüfung) at TÜV/DEKRA

30 questions, 45 minutes, a maximum of 10 penalty points allowed. The exam is available in twelve languages set by Annex 7 FeV, including English and Russian. Preparation with the official question catalogue is the key.
9

STEP

Practical Driving Exam (Fahrprüfung) at TÜV/DEKRA

A 45–60 minute drive with a TÜV/DEKRA examiner and your driving instructor in the car. The examiner assesses safe, rule-compliant driving — not perfect technique. Pass and your German license arrives within 2–6 weeks.

COSTS AND DEADLINES

What you pay for on this route

ADAC translation serviceStandardised format accepted by all German authorities nationwide€50–80
Sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer)Varies by language pair, complexity, and region€30–120
Vision test at opticianSome chains (e.g. Fielmann) offer it free or at very low cost€6–15
Processing feeVaries by state and municipality€30–50
Erste-Hilfe-Kurs (9 units)ADAC: approx. €35; DRK and Johanniter often slightly cheaper€25–40
Trial drive (Probefahrt, 1–2 lessons)Assesses your existing skill level; cost varies by school and city€50–80
Driving lesson (45 minutes)Experienced drivers typically need 3–8 lessons; less experienced drivers may need more€50–80 per lesson
Administrative processing feeVaries by state and local authority€30–50
Theory exam feeRegulated by law; slight variation between test centres€22–26
Examiner fee (TÜV/DEKRA)Fixed fee for the exam; usually collected by the driving school on behalf of TÜV/DEKRA€100–120
Instructor fee on exam dayCovers the instructor's time and use of the school vehicle; charged separately€80–150

Deadlines you cannot miss

6 months to drive from Anmeldung (§ 29 FeV) — after that no driving, but the exchange stays possible.Country Check: Which Route Applies to You?hard deadline

Amounts follow official fees as of each step’s verification date. Your city may charge a different rate — check the step itself.

› More about this route

The second key figure is six months. Under §29 FeV a foreign licence is valid for six months from the day you register your address, after which you may no longer drive. The conversion itself does not expire, though: for Annex 11 countries it remains available test-free later on. But appointments at the licensing authority in large cities are booked six to ten weeks ahead, so start looking immediately rather than in the final month.

While waiting for that appointment, several steps can be done in parallel without any authority. A translation is needed if your licence is not in Latin script: the ADAC charges €50–80, sworn translators €30–120. An optician's eye test costs €6–15 and is valid for two years. The conversion fee itself is €30–50, and the finished card arrives two to six weeks after your appointment.

WHERE PEOPLE MOST OFTEN LOSE MONEY AND TIME

Taking the eye test too early. The certificate is valid for two years, and with a long wait for an appointment it can expire precisely when you come to file.
Waiting for the appointment and doing nothing else. Translation, eye test, and on the longer path the first-aid course and driving school registration, do not depend on the authority and run in parallel.
Treating an international driving permit as an extension. It does not replace conversion and does not extend the six-month period — clarify your own situation with the authority in advance.
Not confirming the document list before the appointment. Some offices have their own requirements that are not on the website; a call two or three days ahead saves an entire appointment.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ROUTE

From the first step to holding the card — what is the realistic timeline?▾

For a direct conversion, six to ten weeks waiting for an appointment in large cities plus two to six weeks to produce the card. If tests are required, count in months: from application to the first exam usually takes two to four months, because the authority first issues a testing order and forwards it to TÜV or DEKRA.

Where do you start so as not to waste money?▾

By checking your issuing country against Annex 11 of the FeV and confirming the procedure with your own authority. That is what determines whether the path is short or test-bound — and therefore whether conversion costs a few dozen euros or several hundred. Only then does ordering a translation or booking make sense.

What does it cost?▾

Direct conversion: €30–50 fee, €30–120 for translation depending on the provider, €6–15 for the eye test. The test-bound path adds a first-aid course at €25–40, driving lessons at €50–80 each, the theory exam at €22–26 and the practical at €100–120 plus €80–150 for the instructor's attendance.

What can be done while waiting for the appointment?▾

Everything that does not depend on the authority. The licence translation and the eye test — though not too early, given its two-year validity. On the longer path, the first-aid course, which takes a single day, and a trial driving lesson so the instructor can assess how much practice you actually need.

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