Millions of driver's licenses in Germany will soon be invalid - what drivers need to know now

Created: 2022-02-11Updated: 2022-02-11, 2:39 p.m

By: Luisa Weckesser, Lucas Maier

The big exchange will begin in 2022: then the first driving licenses in Germany will have to be exchanged - older driving licenses are also affected by the new law and will expire.

(Iconic image) © Andrea Warnecke/dpa

Older driving licenses also have an expiry date from 2022.

The first exchange period should end in January.

Now the deadline has been extended.

• From 2022, older

  driving licenses

  in

  Germany

  will have an expiry date.

• The first

  deadline

  was supposed to end on

  January 19, 2022

  , but has been extended.

• However, an expired

  driver

  's license does not invalidate the driver's

  license

  .

Kassel – Whether it's a car, motorcycle or truck: you need a driver's license for most vehicles in Germany.

Number 4b already has an expiry date on many driver's licenses.

Previously, however, old driver's licenses were exempt from this.

So far, only driver's licenses issued after 2013 have this expiration date.

But due to an EU regulation, driving licenses issued before 2013 will soon only be valid for 15 years.

From 2022, these must be exchanged in stages.

Due to the current burdens caused by the corona pandemic, the interior ministers of the federal states agreed at short notice to extend the exchange period until July 19, 2022.

This was subsequently confirmed by the Federal Council.

Only then should a fine of 10 euros be due for non-compliance.

The first deadline was originally supposed to end on January 19, 2022.

You can find out when you need to reapply for your driving license here.

New law from 2022: Car and motorcycle driving license with an expiry date

The validity of the document ends with the expiration date.

The driver's license remains in force.

All driver's license documents that were issued before the key date of January 19, 2013 are affected by the new regulation.

The change has been known since 2016.

In Germany, the order to exchange driving licenses came into force on March 18, 2019 in the Federal Law Gazette.

Not only car driving licenses are affected, but driving licenses of all classes.

Car change: 43 million driver's licenses affected by the exchange campaign

In Germany, a total of 43 million people are affected by the driver's license exchange.

In order to prevent the offices from being overloaded, both the federal states and the federal government have agreed to exchange driving licenses at different times.

Around ten million people are said to be affected by the mandatory exchange in North Rhine-Westphalia alone, according to a statement from the state government.

However, not all driver's licenses are treated equally.

For some it depends on the date of issue, for others it depends on the owner's date of birth.

How to distinguish:

Driving license exchange in Germany: These exceptions will apply to drivers in 2022

If you were born before 1953 and have a driver's license, you are not obliged to exchange it.

The committee justifies it by saying that it is unclear whether license holders will still be able to use it at all in 2033.

From then on, the exchanged driver's license is mandatory for everyone.

Driver's license soon to be invalid - First deadline ends on July 19, 2022

The introduction of the new EU driver's license is not expected to be completed until 2033, but older drivers already have to hurry to exchange them.

The first deadline ends on July 19, 2022. This means that holders of old driving licenses who were born between 1953 and 1958 only have a few months to exchange them.

Many cities in North Rhine-Westphalia expected a rush.

Time could also be short for those born between 1959 and 1964 (deadline: January 19, 2023), as many road traffic authorities are not prepared for the onslaught, reports the trade journal auto motor und sport: “Many authorities refer to the last one on their websites deadline in 2033, leaving readers believing they can wait that long,” the magazine said.

Affected holders of a car driver's license can check the ADAC website to see which deadline applies to them.

Deadlines for driving license exchange: date of issue up to 31 December 1998

Deadlines for driving license exchange: Issue date after January 1, 1999

Exchange driving license until 2022: Biometric image

If you want to exchange your driver's license, you will need various documents in addition to an appointment at the driver's license office in your city.

• The old driver's license.

• Valid identity card, passport or foreign passport;

  upon presentation of the passport or foreign passport, in addition a current registration certificate that must not be older than 6 months. 

• A current biometric photo (size 45x35 millimeters, portrait format, frontal photo).

• If necessary, a copy of the index card from the issuing authority - required when moving.

There is still some time before the mandatory driver's license change, but you should not forget the date.

The new catalog of fines came into force on November 9, 2021*.

In the future, drivers will have to dig deeper into their pockets for illegal parking and speeding.

(Lucas Maier and Luisa Weckesser)