Only one week left: millions of Germans have to exchange their driving licenses
Created: 01/14/2022 11:18 am
By: Julia Schöneseiffen
By 2033, millions of Germans will have to exchange their old driving licenses for the new EU driving licence.
The deadline for the first cohorts is January 2022.
Munich – When driving, it should always be with you: the driver's license.
But the ID document does not look the same for every driver: gray cloth, pink cardboard or white plastic card.
But that should be over by 2033.
Until then, every driver's license that was issued before January 19, 2013 must be exchanged for the new EU driver's license.
This is happening in stages, with the first deadline already ending in January 2022.
Driving license exchange: 43 million Germans affected
A total of around 15 million paper driver's licenses (issued until December 31, 1998) and around 28 million credit card driver's licenses (issued between January 1, 1999 and January 18, 2013) will have to be exchanged in the coming years, according to the ADAC.
The exchange is based on the year of birth or year of issue.
Around 15 million paper driving licenses will have to be exchanged in the coming years.
© Andreas Arnold / dpa
But what is the reason for this exchange?
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 are given a uniform and forgery-proof model.
Driving license exchange deadlines: First deadline ends in January 2022
For driving licenses issued
before December 31, 1998
, the year of birth of the driving license holder is decisive:
Year of birth of the driver's license holder | exchange period |
|---|---|
before 1953 | Exchange until January 19, 2033 |
1953 to 1958 | Exchange until January 19, 2022 |
1959 to 1964 | Exchange until January 19, 2023 |
1965 to 1970 | Exchange until January 19, 2024 |
1971 or later | Exchange until January 19, 2025 |
Those born between 1953 and 1958 only have a week to exchange their driver's license, otherwise they will be fined 10 euros.
In the case of driving licenses issued on or
after January 1, 1999
, the year in which the driving license was issued and not the year of birth applies:
year of issue | exchange period |
|---|---|
1999 to 2001 | Exchange until January 19, 2026 |
2002 to 2004 | Exchange until January 19, 2027 |
2005 to 2007 | Exchange until January 19, 2028 |
2008 | Exchange until January 19, 2029 |
2009 | Exchange until January 19, 2030 |
2010 | Exchange until January 19, 2031 |
2011 | Exchange until January 19, 2032 |
2012 to January 18, 2013: | Exchange until January 19, 2033 |
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Driving license exchange: how it works
The driving license authority of the current place of residence is responsible for exchanging the driving license document.
Don't worry, you don't have to repeat the driving test.
All you need to bring to the exchange is 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.
For driving licenses issued after January 19, 2013, the 15-year validity period already applies.
The time limit is intended to make counterfeiting more difficult, since passport photos and personal data are regularly updated.
(jsch)
