As of: February 26, 2024, 2:50 p.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
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Driver's licenses issued before January 19, 2013 must be exchanged gradually.
We'll reveal who's turn it will be in 2024.
A driving license is still a piece of freedom - especially if you live in the country.
However, its appearance has changed over the years: until 1986, drivers were given a “gray rag” after passing the test - which is why many people still like to refer to their driving license as a “rag”.
Afterwards, if you passed your driving test, you received a soft pink driver's license.
Its time ran out in 1999: Instead of a paper document, there was now an EU driving license in credit card format.
From 2013, a new directive further standardized EU driving licenses.
And it is precisely this type of driving license that all previously issued driving licenses must be exchanged for.
There are different deadlines for this.
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Driver's license exchange 2024: Who's turn this year?
Various deadlines apply to the exchange of driving licenses issued by December 31, 1998.
The decisive factor here is the year of birth of the driver's license holder.
Year of birth |
Expiry of the exchange period |
|---|---|
until 1953 |
January 19, 2033 |
1953 to 1958 |
January 19, 2022 |
1959 to 1964 |
January 19, 2023 |
1965 to 1970 |
January 19, 2024 |
1971 or later |
January 19, 2025 |
For those born between 1953 and 1964, the exchange deadline has already expired.
And anyone born between 1965 and 1970 would have had to exchange their “rag” by January 19, 2024.
Driver's license holders who were born in 1971 or later should, if possible, exchange their driver's license during 2024 - although the deadline for them does not end until January 19, 2025, if you get there early enough you will save yourself any stress.
Driving licenses issued before January 19, 2013 must be exchanged within certain deadlines.
(Symbolic image) © Chromorange/Imago
Deadlines for exchanging driving licenses issued from 1999
For driving licenses that were issued from January 1, 1999, the procedure is slightly different: Here, the year the driving license was issued is decisive for the exchange period:
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Year of issue of the driving license |
Expiry of the exchange period |
|---|---|
1999 to 2001 |
January 19, 2026 |
2002 to 2004 |
January 19, 2027 |
2005 to 2007 |
January 19, 2028 |
2008 |
January 19, 2029 |
2009 |
January 19, 2030 |
2010 |
January 19, 2031 |
2011 |
January 19, 2032 |
2012 to January 18, 2013 |
January 19, 2033 |
Exchanging your driving license is not a voluntary action, but mandatory.
If you let the deadline pass, you risk a fine of ten euros.
You should be particularly careful abroad: According to the
ADAC
, anyone who uses their old driver's license after the exchange period has expired can expect problems.
In some countries, an international driving license is required anyway.
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Exchanging a driver's license: This is how it works
You can exchange your driving license at the responsible driving license authority - but it is often also possible online.
A fee of 25 euros is due for exchanging a driving license.
Drivers must present a valid ID card or passport, a biometric passport photo and a current driver's license.
Attention: If the old paper driving license was not issued by the authority of your current place of residence, you will need a so-called index card copy from the authority that originally issued the document.
You can apply for the transcript by post, by telephone or online and send it to the currently responsible driving license authority.