How to Get a German Driving License – der Führerschein – Reciprocity
Life isn’t fair, especially when it comes to driving legally in Germany.
Non-EU: If you are NOT a citizen of Canada or the United States, see this page: Driving License Reciprocity for Non-EU Expats in Germany – otherwise just continue reading.
You’ll need a German driver’s license to drive on the autobahn if you live in Germany for more than six months. PHOTO: Cheryl Flippo
License Requirements for Canadians and US Citizens Living in Germany
An American tourist — who likely knows no German beyond Gesundheit, and even less about German traffic laws — can rent a car and drive in Germany with his or her US driver’s license. But a non-EU resident has to get a German license after six months in order to drive in Germany without breaking the law. Yes, that’s the same German Führerschein that can cost 2,500 euros or more, and requires 20 to 40 hours of instruction at a Fahrschule!
Driver’s License Reciprocity
The lucky American expats are those who come from one of the 27 US states (plus Puerto Rico) that have full reciprocity with Germany. They can walk into their local Führerscheinstelle with their US driver’s license and a few other documents and get a German license without any tests at all. But there is another group of Americans almost as fortunate: those who come from the 10 states (and D.C.) with partial reciprocity. They will only have to take the written test for a German license. (Note: The German written test is far more difficult than the typical US written test.) All the Canadian provinces and territories have full-exchange agreements with Germany. (See the full US list below.) Continues below…
Manual Transmission – Stick Shift
If you need to take driving lessons at a Fahrschule in Germany, keep in mind that you’ll usually be in a car with a manual, “stick shift” transmission. If you don’t know how to use a clutch and a five-speed transmission, you may require more hours of instruction than you think. There is a new automatic transmission/electric vehicle option now, but it limits you to driving automatic shift or electric vehicles. A new law introduced in April 2021 allows applicants also to drive manual transmission vehicles. However… there are conditions! (This is Germany, after all.) Applicants who obtained a license using an electric or automatic transmission vehicle, and also want to legally drive manual-shift vehicles must: (1) take at least 10 one-hour lessons at a Fahrschule, and (2) demonstrate in a 15-minute practical road test that they are capable of driving a Class B (passenger) vehicle in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner. In other words, it’s not an automatic process to expand your automatic-shift/electric license to manual shift.
Just be glad that you’re not trying to do all this in France, where only 13 US states have any reciprocity, or Spain which has no US reciprocity at all for driver’s licenses. On the other hand, EU members Austria and Belgium allow you to automatically convert your US driver’s license without any test at all. As in most of the EU countries, those two countries also allow non-EU citizens to use their own license for 12 months, rather than only six months in Germany. (Expats staying in Germany for less than a year can apply for an exception to the six-month rule.)
NOTE: The information in the tables below is subject to change. It is current as of late 2022.
US States with Full Driver’s License ReciprocityGermany – No test required | ||
| Alabama Arizona Arkansas Colorado Delaware Idaho Illinois Iowa Kansas Kentucky | Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan New Mexico Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota | Texas Utah Virginia West Virginia Washington (state) Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico |
US States with Partial Driver’s License ReciprocityGermany – Only written test required – no road test | ||
| Connecticut Florida Indiana Minnesota | Mississippi Missouri Nebraska North Carolina | Oregon Tennessee District of Columbia |
| Source: US Embassy, Berlin | ||
US States with NO Reciprocity with Germany
You may be surprised by the list of 13 states without any reciprocity at all. The following states have no reciprocity agreement with Germany for a driving license: Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Military Personnel
US military personnel stationed in Germany fall under USAFE rules and regulations. There is a traffic and driving guidebook for US Armed Forces in Europe (USAFE) and information online for persons working in or for the military. (See the next page for Web links.)
The new EU-compliant German driver’s license. We tell you how to get one of these on this page. PHOTO: KBA (www.kba.de)
Time Restrictions
Note: Germany has out-foxed any clever plan you may have to get a license from a US state with full reciprocity and use that to get your German license. You must have held your US license for a period that varies from 185 days to two years in order to convert it to a German one (die Umschreibung einer Fahrerlaubnis). For more licensing details, see our step-by-step guide to applying for a German driver’s license.
If you want to convert your US driving license into a German one, you may need a certified German translation of your home country license (required by some offices) that will be accepted by any German authority.
Applying for a German Driver’s License (Führerschein)
Even if you have now happily discovered that you come from a state with reciprocity, that does not mean you don’t have some work to do. On the next page we’ll tell you how the application process works and which documents you must present before you get your new German license — usually four to six weeks later. (Welcome to Germany!)
You used to have to be 18 years old to get a driver’s license in Germany, but now you can get a preliminary license at 17. (You can start taking lessons at 16-and-a-half.) A 17-year-old driver is required to have an older licensed driver in the car (begleitetes Fahren ab 17). But… if you’re driving with a US or other non-German license, you must be at least 18 years of age! That applies even if the US state requirement is only 16 or 17!
How Long Is a German Führerschein Valid?
You may have heard that a German driver’s license has no expiration date, but that is no longer true. That changed in 2013 when, conforming to EU guidelines, German driving licenses became valid for only 15 years. Licenses issued before January 19, 2013 will expire no later than January 19, 2033. If you obtain a German Führerschein now, it will expire in 15 years.
The IDP
Some brief words about the International Driving Permit (IDP)… Although it is a good idea to get one before you go to Germany, either as a tourist or a resident, an IDP is usually not required. (But see below.) Importantly, you need to know that an IDP, despite its name, is not a driver’s license. It is only a translation document that goes with your US or other license, and it is only valid with the original license. It must be obtained in your home country (from AAA in the US) before you leave. Your US (or other) license must also be valid for the entire time you will be driving in Germany (up to six months). NOTE: Rental car agencies in Germany only want to see your valid US driver’s license, not an IDP. But recently we have heard reports that beginning in 2022, rental car agencies in Germany have wanted to see an IDP in addition to your US license. If true, that is a big change from past requirements. To be on the safe side, verify this with your rental car agency and get an IDP to be safe. It now costs $20 (2023) at AAA, plus the cost of two identical passport photos, as well as postage costs if applying by mail. An IDP is valid for one year.
One last bit of good news: It’s very easy to get around in Germany’s big cities using public transportation (S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus). Even people with a driver’s license and a car use public transport to avoid urban parking problems (and save the planet)!
Next | Getting a German Driver’s License
Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY
- Driving License Reciprocity for Non-EU Expats in Germany – Information concerning the 20+ non-EU/EEA countries that have agreements with Germany (besides North America, which is covered above on this page)
- Expat “How To” Guides – All of our “How To” guides for Germany
- Legal Requirements for a Residence Visa in Germany
- The identity card – der Personalausweis
- GW Expat Blog
ON THE WEB
- Germany.info – The website of the German Embassy in Washington, DC has a lot of good information for Americans traveling to Germany.
- Auswärtiges Amt – The website of the German Federal Foreign Office also has useful information in English and Deutsch about working or studying in Germany.
Legal Notice: We are not responsible for the content of external links.
NOTE: The information on this page and website is not intended as legal advice. You are advised to consult a lawyer concerning any specific legal concerns regarding a German residence permit or working in Germany.
flybd5on August 21, 2017 at 3:27 am
None of this applies for motorcycle licenses, and it seems each German state has different practices. Some will allow straight exchange, some will require only written test, some practical and written, and it depends in what mood you catch the public service employee…
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joshjon April 25, 2022 at 9:05 am
Hello,
For the 3 year limit… what counts as residency?
I entered on a travel visa, then got a job seekers visa, then got a blue card. At which point was I considered a resident; when I received my Bluecard?
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HFon April 25, 2022 at 9:58 pm
In these cases, it is always best to inquire locally. Not all German Führerscheinstellen have the same rules and procedures. It can even vary from one official to another.
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juvanon May 8, 2022 at 11:06 am
Comment *Hello, im US CDL truck driver with 8 years experience, im wondering to know if my US CDL license valid to driver trucks in EU contries, if NOT, how to convert it to US licene to be valid?
any replies,pls?
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