Driver's license exchange: Deadline for further years ends in January 2023
Created: 12/30/2022, 5:12 p.m
By: Helena Gries, Luisa Weckesser, Lucas Maier
Driver's licenses have an expiry date.
The deadline for another vintage ends in January 2023. An overview of who is affected by the exchange deadline.
Kassel – Whether it's a car, truck or motorcycle: you need a driver's license for almost all vehicles in Germany.
However, under number 4b there is an expiry date on many ID cards.
Previously, however, old driver's licenses were exempt from this - only those issued after 2013 were affected.
Due to an EU regulation, driving licenses issued before 2013 are only 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 had agreed to extend the first deadline to July 19, 2022, the next deadline ends in January 2023. Failure to comply should result in a fine of 10 euros.
You can find out when you need to reapply for your driving license here.
Driving license classes at a glance | |
|---|---|
AM, A1, A2, A | Two-wheeled vehicles (scooter, moped, motorcycle limited, motorbike) |
B | Driving license up to 3.5 tons |
C1, C | truck classes |
D1, D | bus classes |
X+E | The respective class with trailer (except for A classes) |
L and T | tractor classes |
New law from 2022: Car and motorcycle driving licenses will expire
The expiry date only ends the validity of the document.
The driver's license remains in force.
All driver's license documents that were issued before 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.
Driving licenses in Germany will only be valid for a limited period from 2022 and must be exchanged - these are the deadlines.
(symbol image) © Imago
Driving license exchange: millions of people in Germany affected
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.
According to a statement from the state government, around ten million people were affected by the mandatory exchange in North Rhine-Westphalia alone.
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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:
Many driver's licenses invalid: These exceptions apply to motorists
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 driving license is mandatory for everyone.
Exhibition before/on December 31, 1998 | This is graded according to the year of birth |
Exhibition after/on January 1st, 1999 | This is graded according to the year of issue |
Driver's license soon to be invalid - Next deadline ends in January 2023
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.
Time could be tight for those born between 1959 and 1964 (deadline: January 19, 2023).
Many road traffic authorities were not prepared for the onslaught by the last deadline in July 2022, the trade journal
auto motor und sport
reported at the time .
Affected holders of a car driver's license can also check the ADAC website to see which deadline applies to them.
From July 2022, further changes for consumers will also come into force.
Deadlines for driving license exchange: date of issue up to 31 December 1998
Year of birth of the owner | The driver's license must be exchanged by this date |
|---|---|
before 1953 | January 19, 2033 |
1953 - 1958 | expired in July 2022 |
1959 - 1964 | January 19, 2023 |
1965 - 1970 | January 19, 2024 |
1971 or later | January 19, 2025 |
Deadlines for driving license exchange: Issue date after January 1, 1999
year of issue | The driver's license must be exchanged by this date |
|---|---|
1999 - 2001 | January 19, 2026 |
2002 - 2004 | January 19, 2027 |
2005 - 2007 | January 19, 2028 |
2008 | January 19, 2029 |
2009 | January 19, 2030 |
2010 | January 19, 2031 |
2011 | January 19, 2032 |
2012 - 01/18/2013 | January 19, 2033 |
Exchange driver's license: These documents are required
If you want to exchange your driver's license, you need an appointment at the driver's license office in your city and various documents.
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.
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, Luisa Weckesser and Helena Gries)