How to Get German driving license, How to exchange your driving license to get German driving license Procedure to apply for German driving license. How to get driving license in Germany. How to get German driving license for Non-EU persons and also for EU persons.
If you got a driving license the regulations for the exchange can be
pretty confusing ! Here's what ( and in which order ) you have to do to exchange your license.
Before you start please note these hints !
And here you go :
Do an eyetest for a driving license - at almost any optician
( costs about 6.- EU )
Make a passport photo
Attend a first aid course for a driving license.
Official german name is "Lebensrettende Sofortmaßnahmen am Unfallort = immediate life-saving measures".
Costs are 15.- to 25.- EU. At some of the places you can
do the eyetest and the photo as well.
The courses are organized by the German Red Cross for
instance and several other providers.
Links to First Aid Courses in Berlin
Ask for the "Lebensrettende Sofortmaßnamen
am Unfallort" Course !
www.ersthelfer.tv
( Offers courses in English, no fixed starting times, just give them a call : 0800 00 12 999 )
www.ersthelferkurs.de
www.napaso.de
www.m-a-u-s.de
German Red Cross
Arbeiter Samariter Bund
Malteser Hilfsdienst
Click here if you are not living in Berlin
Choose an English speaking driving school in Berlin e.g.
fahrschule berlin prenzlauer berg Your English speaking
driving school in Berlin ;-)
Get your license translated.
You can do it at the Berlin branch of the ADAC ( German
Automobile Club ). Costs are from EU 25.- to 75.- and it
will take one to three weeks. For more information call :
030 86 86 471
It seems that lately ( March 2012 ) the Berlin driving
license authority does not require a translation for US
licenses anymore, so try to apply without a translation
first, if you hold a US license and apply in Berlin.
Download more information from the ADAC here
Apply for the driving license at any registration office.
Please note : You have to do your driving tests in the
municipality where you are registered or do an education
List of registration offices "Bürgerämter" in Berlin
Not all the civil servants working in the registration offices do speak English. If you don't speak any German at all or your knowledge is rather basic, take somebody with you how does, to make things easier.
If your case is "tricky" it is recommandable to go strait to the Berlin driving license authority :
Location and hours of the Berlin driving license authority
Please bring the following documents :
ID-card or passport
Eyetest certificate
First aid course certificate
Your driving license and
(maybe) the translation + copys
Passport photo
43,40 EU fee
You have to name the driving school of your choice at the application, so chose one first. If you want to make your driving license at our school, please state "DEKRA Ferdinand-Schultze-Str." at the testing authority question.
Try to verify the following points when you apply :
Do you need to attend the theory classes
"Teilnahme am Theorieunterricht" ?
Do you need to take the mandatory practical lessons "Sonderfahrten" ?
Do you need to take the theory test ?
Do you need to take the practical test ?
Usually it takes 5 to 6 weeks and it can take up to 12
weeks to process the application. So apply as soon as
possible, you can't take the tests before your application
is processed !
After your application has been processed the permission
by the driving license authority ( "Prüfauftrag" ) that you
are allowed to take the tests will be sent to you.
As you - and me - never know what surprises the german transport bureaucrats come up with next it is best to wait for this letter, because then you - and me - definitly know what you have to do.
If it says "einer Pflichtausbildung bedarf es nicht" you are
lucky, because that means you don't have to attend the
theorie classes ( 14 times 90 minutes ) and you don't have
to do the mandatory practical lessons ( appr. EU 350.- ).
If you know that you have to take the theory test buy learning material to prepare for it :
Textbook, Questionnaires, Online-Access, CD-ROM,
USB-Flashdrive
For learning material in various languages click here
If you know that you have to attend the theory classes you can do it of course while waiting for the "Prüfauftrag". There are 14 lessons - 12 basic knowledge and 2 additional knowledge for categorie B. You can start with any lesson.
Please note : Our "normal" theory classes are in German !
If english speaking customers are attending, the lessons
will be bilingual.
If you would like to have private lessons in English we charge 48,95 EU per lesson ( 90 minutes ).
The charges are PER LESSON NOT PER PERSON so if you bring along your friends, its much cheaper ;-)
After attending the 14 lessons you will get a certificate at the school which you have to present to the testing authority ( DEKRA or TÜV ) in order to take the theory test.
( applys only if you had to attend the theory classes of course ! )
Costs are :
20,83 EU - Theory test in any EU driving license language
84,97 EU - Practical test
Please note : Youl will need your passport or a german ID card to take either test.
If you have to take the theory test and the practical test you have to pass the theory test before you can take the practical test.
If you have to take the practical test you are usualy asked to pay it with the theory test. You don't have to, but make shure that you pay the fee for the practical test well before it's date.
If you have to take the practical test you HAVE to use the services of a driving school. The fee is for the use of driving school car and the driving instructor during the test. The driving instructor will sit on the co-driver's seat translating the directions from the examiner on the backseat if necessary. In summertime the timetables of the testing authoritys ( DEKRA or TÜV )tend to be heavily booked. It can take up to three weeks to get a appointment for a practical test, so inform us well ahead if you have a certain deadline.
Even if you are a expert driver you should take a couple of lessons before the test because during the test you don't have to drive "well", but the way the examiner expects you to. And thats exactly what we will train during the driving lessons !
Costs are :
EU 84,97 fee at the testing authority
EU 75.- at our school
EU 27.- (appr.) for the time which you will practise directly before the test
So failing the practical test is costly. One or two additional
lessons can be a good investment. If you fail, you have to
wait at least 14 days for the next try, or 7 days if you take
at least 3 times 90 min. lessons. About 4 weeks after
passing the practical test you can collect your German
driving license at the Berlin driving license authority
- LABO Berlin Führerscheinstelle, adress see above.
You have to hand over your original driving license.
