Only one week left: Millions of Germans have to exchange their driver's license
Created: 01/13/2022, 12:32 PM
From: Julia Schöneseiffen
By 2033, millions of Germans will have to exchange their old driving licenses for the new EU driving license.
For the first cohorts, the deadline already expires in January 2022.
Munich - When driving, it should always be with you: the driver's license.
But the identity document does not look the same for every driver: gray rag, pink cardboard or white plastic card.
But that should be over by 2033.
Until then, every driving license that was issued before January 19, 2013 must be exchanged for the new EU driving license.
This is happening in stages, with the first deadline ending in January 2022.
Driving license exchange: 43 million Germans affected
A total of around 15 million paper driver's licenses (issued by December 31, 1998) and around 28 million driver's licenses by credit card (issued between January 1, 1999 and January 18, 2013) will have to be exchanged in the coming years, as the ADAC reports.
The exchange takes place according to the year of birth or issue.
Around 15 million paper driver's licenses will have to be exchanged in the coming years.
© Andreas Arnold / dpa
But what is the reason for this exchange campaign?
According to the Third EU Driving License Directive, all driving licenses issued before January 19, 2013 must be exchanged for the new EU driving license by January 19, 2033.
This is to ensure that all driving licenses still in circulation in the EU receive a uniform and forgery-proof model.
Driving license exchange deadlines: The first deadline ends in January 2022
For driving licenses issued
up to December 31, 1998
, the year of birth of the driver's license holder is decisive:
Year of birth of the driver's license holder | Exchange period |
|---|---|
before 1953 | Exchange by January 19, 2033 |
1953 to 1958 | Exchange by January 19, 2022 |
1959 to 1964 | Exchange by January 19, 2023 |
1965 to 1970 | Exchange by January 19, 2024 |
1971 or later | Exchange by January 19, 2025 |
Those born between 1953 and 1958 therefore only have a week to exchange their driver's license, otherwise there is a risk of a fine of 10 euros.
For driving licenses issued
from January 1st, 1999
, the year of issue does not apply, but the year of issue of the driving license:
Year of issue | Exchange period |
|---|---|
1999 to 2001 | Exchange by January 19, 2026 |
2002 to 2004 | Exchange by January 19, 2027 |
2005 to 2007 | Exchange by January 19, 2028 |
2008 | Exchange by January 19, 2029 |
2009 | Exchange by January 19, 2030 |
2010 | Exchange by January 19, 2031 |
2011 | Exchange by January 19, 2032 |
2012 to January 18, 2013: | Exchange by January 19, 2033 |
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Driving license exchange: this is how it works
The driver's license authority of the current place of residence is responsible for exchanging the driver's license document.
Don't worry, the driving test doesn't have to be repeated.
All you need to do for the exchange is bring a valid identity card or passport, a biometric passport photo and your current driver's license.
In addition, a fee of 25 euros is due for the exchange.
Unlike before, the documents lose their validity after 15 years.
They then have to be renewed - such as the identity card or passport.
The 15-year period of validity already applies to driving licenses issued after January 19, 2013.
The time limit is intended to make forgeries more difficult, as passport photos and personal data are regularly updated.
(jsch)