Last updated: 15.01.2024, 06:00 a.m.
By: Simon Mones
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You are not allowed to drive a car without a driver's license. No wonder that this is collected for rule violations. Sometimes forever.
As everywhere in life, there are certain rules in road traffic. If you don't comply, you'll be fined and, in case of doubt, your driver's license will be lost – at least for a few months. In some cases, traffic offenders are even not allowed to drive for several years. And a lifelong driving ban or the withdrawal of the driver's license is also possible.
Driving ban only temporary: motorists have four months to surrender their driver's license
In fact, a distinction must be made between the two terms. A driving ban is a temporary measure in which a road user's driving licence is withdrawn, but not permanently. This can be imposed, for example, in the case of speeding, gross violations of traffic rules or alcohol offences.
If you don't follow the traffic rules, you risk losing your driver's license. © Ole Spata/dpa/Symbolbild
The duration of the driving ban varies depending on the severity of the violation and can usually range from one month to three months. During the driving ban, the person concerned is not allowed to drive a vehicle. If it is the first violation, you have four months from the date on which the fine becomes legally binding to surrender your driver's license.
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Reissue after driving licence revocation only possible after blocking period
In contrast, the withdrawal of a driver's license means a permanent loss of the driver's license. This usually occurs in the case of serious road traffic offences, such as repeated driving under the influence of alcohol, serious accidents resulting in personal injury or gross violations of traffic rules.
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However, the use of drugs can also lead to the loss of a driver's license. "This can be the case even with the one-time consumption of hard drugs," explains traffic lawyer Tom Louven of Geblitz.de Bild. The rag is also gone if you refuse a medical examination or have collected too many points in Flensburg. "If 8 points are reached and prior admonition and warning, the driver's license will be forcibly withdrawn," says the lawyer. "A new issuance can be made after six months at the earliest." However, only if appropriate evidence and requirements are met.
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Driver's license can be revoked forever – if there is still a danger
The withdrawal of the driving licence is carried out by a court decision or by order of the driving licence authority. It is possible to reapply for a driving licence after a certain blocking period. The legislator provides for a period of six months to five years. However, the ban can also be ordered forever. This is the case, for example, if the offender continues to pose a danger even after the expiry of the statutory maximum period. This applies, for example, to:
- Recidivist
- Severely addicted to drugs or alcohol
- Drivers who drive without a driver's license or despite a ban
- Motorists who used their vehicle for a crime
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model to optimize at their own discretion. All information has been carefully verified. Learn more about our AI principles here.