Guide · Driving licence exchange
Do you need to exchange your old driving licence, by when does your deadline apply and what do you need for it?
All driving licences issued before 19 January 2013 must be exchanged for the current EU card driving licence. This affects grey and pink paper driving licences as well as older card driving licences without an expiry date. The deadlines are staggered and laid down in the Driving Licence Ordinance. Here you will find all deadlines in a table, the procedure, the costs and the answer to the question of what happens if a deadline is missed.
Do you have a foreign driving licence?
If you want to have a foreign driving licence converted (exchanged) in Germany, different rules apply. Everything is explained in our guide Convert a foreign driving licence.
In short
- You have to exchange any driving licence issued before 19 January 2013.
- For the paper driving licence, your year of birth matters; for the photocard driving licence, the year of issue.
- All deadlines for paper driving licences have expired – except for people born before 1953.
- The next deadline ends on 19 January 2027 for photocard driving licences issued between 2002 and 2004.
- Only the document is exchanged: your driving entitlement remains, no test is needed.
- The new driving licence is valid for 15 years and usually costs a fee of 26.50 euros.
Deadline calculator: by when do you need to exchange your licence?
The date of issue is in field 4a on the front of your photocard driving licence.
Your driving licence does not fall under the mandatory exchange. It is valid for 15 years: you must apply for a new driving licence by the date in field 4b.
Your exchange deadline expired on – apply for the exchange now.
Your exchange deadline ends today, – apply for the exchange straight away.
Your exchange deadline ends tomorrow, – apply for the exchange straight away.
Your driving licence must be exchanged by – you still have days left.
Allow plenty of time: depending on the authority, processing takes a few weeks—in Munich, for example, up to 14 weeks.
Your driving entitlement remains even after the exchange deadline has passed. The responsible authority is the driving licence authority at your main place of residence; the fee is usually 26.50 euros.
How the exchange works · How much the exchange costs · What applies if a deadline is missed
Non-binding guidance pursuant to Annex 8e of the Driving Licence Ordinance. Your entries will not be saved or transmitted.
What is your deadline? The exchange table
The exchange deadlines are set out in Appendix 8e of the Driving Licence Ordinance. Which deadline applies to you depends on the type of driving licence you hold. Once the deadline has passed, your old document will lose its validity.
As of 17 September 2026:
All exchange deadlines for paper driving licences have passed – except for those born before 1953 (19 January 2033). Photocard licences issued from 1999 to 2001 should also already have been exchanged (19 January 2026). If you have not yet exchanged one of these licences, apply for the exchange now – your driving entitlement remains, but you risk a fixed penalty of 10 euros.
Which driving licence do you have?
| Type of driving licence | Issued | What counts for the deadline |
|---|---|---|
| grey or pink paper driving licence | up to 31 December 1998 | your birth year |
| Photocard driving licence without an entry in field 4b | 1 January 1999 to 18 January 2013 | the year of issue in field 4a |
| Photocard driving licence with an expiry date in field 4b | from 19 January 2013 | not a mandatory exchange, but renewal on the date in field 4b |
Photocard driving licence without an expiry date (issued from 1 January 1999 to 18 January 2013)
Driving licences in credit card format have existed since 1 January 1999. The cards issued up to 18 January 2013 do not yet bear an expiry date – nevertheless, they too must be exchanged. Here, the year of issue of the driving licence counts.
| Year of issue | Exchange by | As of September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 to 2001 | 19 January 2026 | Deadline expired |
| 2002 to 2004 | 19 January 2027 | Next deadline |
| 2005 to 2007 | 19 January 2028 | Deadline still running |
| 2008 | 19 January 2029 | Deadline still running |
| 2009 | 19 January 2030 | Deadline still running |
| 2010 | 19 January 2031 | Deadline still running |
| 2011 | 19 January 2032 | Deadline still running |
| 2012 to 18 January 2013 | 19 January 2033 | Deadline still running |
Exception: Anyone born before 1953 does not need to exchange their driving licence until 19 January 2033 – regardless of whether it is a paper or plastic photocard licence and when it was issued.
Here is how to find the right date: The date of issue in field 4a on the front of your photocard driving licence is decisive. The dates in field 10, on the other hand, indicate since when you have held the individual categories.
Paper driving licence (grey or pink, issued up to the end of 1998)
Grey and pink paper driving licences do not show an exchange date. The deadline arises solely from the Driving Licence Ordinance and is based on your year of birth, because the date of issue on old paper licences is frequently no longer legible. This also applies to driving licences from the former GDR.
| Your birth year | Exchange by | As of September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| before 1953 | 19 January 2033 | Deadline still running |
| 1953 to 1958 | 19 July 2022 | Deadline expired |
| 1959 to 1964 | 19 January 2023 | Deadline expired |
| 1965 to 1970 | 19 January 2024 | Deadline expired |
| 1971 or later | 19 January 2025 | Deadline expired |
Photocard driving licence issued from 19 January 2013: valid for 15 years
Driving licences issued since 19 January 2013 are valid for 15 years from the outset. The expiry date is given in field 4b. These cards do not fall under the mandatory exchange, but must be renewed after expiry: once the validity has expired, you apply for a new driving licence. Every new driving licence resulting from the exchange is also valid for 15 years.
Why is the document being given an expiry date in the first place?
EU Driving Licence Directive 2006/126/EC requires that all driving licences comply with its requirements by 19 January 2033. Previously, more than 110 different driving licence designs were valid in the EU, some of them decades-old documents that were easier to forge. Regular renewal allows new security features against forgery to be applied. According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, the 15-year validity period also serves to keep photographs and, where applicable, names up to date.
What is important is the difference between the document and the licence: only the driving licence as a document has an expiry date. The entitlement to drive cars and motorcycles, i.e. categories AM, A1, A2, A, B and BE, remains indefinite. It is different for lorries and buses: the driving entitlement for categories C and D is valid for a maximum of five years and must be actively renewed.
Exchange, renewal or conversion?
- Exchange: You are exchanging an old German driving licence for the current EU document. That is what this page is about.
- Renewal: The driving entitlement for lorry and bus categories C and D is time-limited and must be renewed. Find out more in the guide Driving licence renewal.
- Conversion of a foreign driving licence: You are having a foreign driving licence converted into a German one. Find out more in the guide Convert a foreign driving licence.
Here is how the driving licence exchange works
- Check deadline: Check the tables above to see by when your driving licence must be exchanged. Apply for the exchange in good time, as the new driving licence should already be available by the deadline. Do not wait for a letter: the authority decides for itself whether to write to you.
- Find the responsible authority: The licensing office at your main place of residence is responsible, or in some cities, the citizen's registration office. Many authorities allocate appointments online, and some also offer an online application.
- Gather documents: You generally need your ID card, a biometric passport photo and your old driving licence. You can find the full list below.
- Get an index card transcript (Karteikartenabschrift), if needed: If your paper driving licence was not issued by the authority at your current place of residence, you need an index card transcript from the authority that originally issued it. It can be requested by post, telephone or online.
- Submit an application and pay the fee: At the latest when you receive your new driving licence, your old one is withdrawn or invalidated. On request, you may keep it once it has been cancelled.
- Receive your new driving licence: The new photocard driving licence is produced by the Federal Printing Office. You collect it or have it sent directly to you for an additional charge.
How long the processing takes depends on your local authority. Hamburg, for example, states a maximum of four weeks, Munich up to 14 weeks. Incomplete documents will prolong the processing time.
You need these documents
- Identity card or passport
- a current biometric passport photo
- your original current driving licence
- an index card transcript, if your paper driving licence was issued by another authority
- a recent eye test if you want to have a glasses restriction removed
You do not need a medical examination, an eye test or a new test for the exchange itself – unless you want to keep category CE with code number 79 when you are over 50 years old. You can read more about the eye test in the guide Eye test for a driving licence: costs, procedure and validity.
How much does it cost to exchange a driving licence?
The fees are regulated in the Scale of Fees for Road Traffic Measures (GebOSt). According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, a standard fee of 25.50 euros applies for the exchange and 1.00 euro for the register entry, making a total of 26.50 euros. This is also the amount cited by Berlin and Munich, for example.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fee for the exchange (GebOSt No. 202.5) | 25.50 euros |
| Recording in the Central Driving Licence Register (GebOSt No. 126.2) | 1.00 euro |
| Direct home delivery (optional) | depending on the authority, for example 6.32 euros in Berlin and 6.30 euros in Hamburg |
| particularly high effort in determining your driving licence categories (GebOSt No. 202.6) | 10.20 to 30.70 euros extra |
| biometric passport photo | depending on the provider |
Cost note: Your driving licence authority will tell you the exact amounts and payment methods. Some authorities also offer expedited processing for an additional fee.
Deadline missed – what now?
If your exchange period has expired, your old driving licence is no longer a valid document. However, you do not lose your driving entitlement as a result: you are still permitted to drive the vehicles in your categories.
However, when driving you must have a valid driving licence with you. Anyone who is stopped with an expired document faces a fixed penalty fine of 10 euros.
Here is what you should do now:
- Apply for the exchange as soon as possible – this is still possible even after the deadline has passed.
- Allow plenty of time: some authorities, such as Munich, point out that processing can be significantly delayed after the deadline has passed.
Special cases regarding exchanges
Old driving licence categories 2 and 3
Your driving licence remains valid to the previous extent upon exchange. The old categories are transferred to current categories in accordance with Annex 3 of the Driving Licence Ordinance. The old category 3 becomes, among others, categories B, BE, C1 and C1E, plus category CE with code number 79 for vehicle combinations that previously fell under category 3.
Categories C1 and C1E are not subject to a time limit when converting the old category 3. The restricted category CE with key number 79, on the other hand, is only valid until your 50th birthday; after that, it can be renewed in accordance with the rules for lorry categories. If you are already older than 50, it will only be entered upon exchange if you prove your fitness with a medical and an ophthalmological examination. You will also receive B, BE, C1 and C1E without this proof. In the case of the old category 2, categories C and CE are likewise limited until the 50th birthday. These time limits do not arise as a result of the exchange, they merely become visible on the new driving licence.
Motorcycle categories are also added from the old licence category 3. The extent to which this applies depends on the date of issue: If category 3 was issued before 1 December 1954, it also includes categories A, A2 and A1 without restriction. If it was issued before 1 April 1980, it includes category A1, but category A then only applies to three-wheeled vehicles (code numbers 79.03 and 79.04). If it was issued on or after 1 April 1980, categories A and A1 only apply to three-wheeled vehicles. Partially different qualifying dates apply to Saarland.
Pink driving licence: keeping it and disadvantages
You may keep your pink or grey driving licence upon request after the authority has invalidated it. No driving entitlements are lost when exchanging it: your old categories will be transferred to today's categories. The only new thing is that the document must be renewed after 15 years. One advantage: you can only get an International Driving Permit with a photocard driving licence, not with a paper driving licence.
Lost driving licence
If your old driving licence has been lost or destroyed, you must report the loss without delay and have a replacement document issued. The authority will then check the registers to determine which driving licence you hold. Anyone who fails to report a loss without delay also risks a fixed penalty of 10 euros.
Residence abroad
Germans living abroad must also exchange their driving licence if they wish to drive in Germany. Those who live in an EU or EEA state should contact the driving licence authority at their place of residence. Those who live outside the EU and the EEA can contact any German driving licence authority – the authority that issued the driving licence is recommended. You will then receive your new driving licence via the German diplomatic mission abroad.
If you have a foreign driving licence, the exchange does not apply – the conversion does. How it works is explained in the guide Convert a foreign driving licence.
HGV and bus licence
Categories C and D have their own deadlines because the driving entitlement itself is time-limited. What you need for this is explained in the guide Driving licence renewal.
Frequently asked questions about driving licence exchange
Which years of birth have to exchange their driving licence?
With the paper driving licence, the year of birth is the deciding factor. For everyone born in 1953 or later, the deadlines have already passed. Those born before 1953 have until 19 January 2033. With the photocard driving licence, on the other hand, it is not the year of birth that counts, but the year of issue.
Do I need to exchange my plastic photocard driving licence from 2005?
Yes. Photocard driving licences issued between 2005 and 2007 must be exchanged by 19 January 2028. Even if your card does not show an expiry date, the exchange is compulsory.
When do I have to exchange my driving licence if there is no expiry date on it?
Then the deadline is based on the table above: for the paper driving licence according to your year of birth, for the photocard driving licence without an entry in field 4b according to the year of issue in field 4a.
Which driving licences will no longer be valid in 2026?
Following the expiry of 19 January 2026, photocard driving licences issued between 1999 and 2001 are no longer valid. All paper driving licences belonging to people born in 1953 or later expired even earlier. After 19 January 2027, photocard driving licences issued between 2002 and 2004 will follow.
How long is the pink driving licence still valid?
That depends on your year of birth. If you were born in 1953 or later, your pink or grey paper driving licence is already invalid. If you were born before 1953, it remains valid until 19 January 2033.
Is it compulsory to exchange your driving licence?
Yes. Once your deadline has passed, the old document is invalid. Your driving entitlement remains, but when driving you must carry a valid driving licence – otherwise you risk a fixed penalty of 10 euros. You therefore have to apply for a new driving licence unless you give up your driving entitlement.
How much does it cost to exchange a driving licence?
Usually 26.50 euros: a fee of 25.50 euros under item 202.5 and 1.00 euro under item 126.2 of the Scale of Fees for Road Traffic Measures. If you have the licence sent to you, postage is added – the Federal Ministry of Transport cites 6.50 euros, some authorities charge differently. The biometric passport photo costs extra, depending on the provider.
Do I need an index card transcript (Karteikartenabschrift)?
Only if your paper driving licence was not issued by the driving licence authority of your current place of residence. You can get the transcript from the authority that originally issued the licence – by post, by phone or often online. Some authorities request it themselves, which can delay processing.
Do I need to take an examination or an eye test when exchanging my licence?
No. The exchange is purely a document swap. A new driving test, an eye test or a medical examination are not required for this. Only those who are over 50 and wish to keep category CE with code number 79 from the old category 3 must provide medical proof of their fitness. Separate rules apply to the renewal of lorry and bus categories.
How many passport photos do I need for the exchange?
You need a recent biometric passport photo. Some authorities expressly require a physical photo on paper.
Can I exchange my driving licence online?
That depends on your driving licence authority. Some cities and regions offer an online application, while others only offer an appointment in person. Your local authority can provide you with information.
Am I allowed to keep my old driving licence?
Yes, upon request. The authority makes it visibly and permanently invalid beforehand. In the case of a photocard driving licence, this is done by punching a hole in the bottom right-hand corner.
Can I continue driving until the new driving licence arrives?
Your driving entitlement remains even after the exchange deadline has passed. If you have a photocard driving licence issued from 1999 onwards, the authority can, on application and together with the new driving licence, affix a temporary validity sticker to your old card. It then remains valid for a limited time, at the latest until the new driving licence is delivered, and only in Germany.
Does the new EU driving licence directive change the exchange deadlines?
No, not as things stand today. The new Directive (EU) 2025/2205 also sticks to 19 January 2033 as the end date for the exchange. In Germany, the deadlines of the Driving Licence Ordinance continue to apply.