Driving: Is my driver's license valid in Germany?
Many people in Germany own their own car, but those who do not wish to have their own can also easily rent one when needed through car-sharing services.
Car-sharing and carpooling websites.
In cities, there are many car-sharing options from various providers. For bookings, you need the corresponding app. Car-sharing helps save on ongoing costs such as insurance, vehicle taxes, or parking spaces, and it contributes to environmental protection. In addition to short trips within the city, you can also rent vehicles for longer durations and return them in other cities.
If you prefer not to drive yourself, you can also find various carpooling websites online. Carpooling can be used for long trips and is often available for spontaneous bookings. It's especially during weekends and public holidays that the prices for long-distance bus tickets and Deutsche Bahn train tickets increase if you don't book in advance.
Driving licence
If you already have a driver's license from your home country, the rules vary depending on the country.
EU, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland driver's licenses:
Your driver's license is valid without restriction. You do not need to modify or exchange it.
Driver's license from another country:
With your driver's license, you can drive in Germany for six months (starting from the day you registered your residence in Germany). For almost all countries of origin, an official translation of your driver's license into German is also required. After these six months, you will need a German driver's license. Whether you need to retake a driving test in Germany depends on the country in which you obtained your driver's license. The competent local authority is the driver's license office. To obtain a German driver's license, you will also always need to present a valid vision test and a certificate of participation in a first aid course.
Vous trouverez ici de plus amples informations sur la validité des permis de conduire étrangers.
If you want to obtain a driver's license in Germany, you must attend a driving school and pass both a theoretical and a practical exam. The fees vary depending on the number of hours you need before the exam and whether you pass the exams on the first attempt. However, there is a set number of mandatory hours that you must complete.
Do you have your own car?
Registration.
You must register your car with a Vehicle Registration Office (Zulassungsbehörde). For this, you will need your vehicle registration certificate (Fahrzeugschein) and your car insurance policy. If you are bringing your car from abroad, check with the registration authority to find out if you need any additional documents.
Technical inspection (periodic technical inspection).
In addition to registration, every car in Germany must undergo a technical inspection (Hauptuntersuchung - HU) every two years. A sticker (vignette) on your license plate indicates the date of the next inspection. The examiner from an officially recognized inspection body (e.g., DEKRA) or a technical inspection center (e.g., TÜV) checks the road safety and exhaust emissions of the car. You must have this inspection carried out and pay for it. If your vehicle has defects, they must be repaired before you can receive a new sticker for your car.
Insurance.
There are different types of insurance for your vehicle.
- In Germany, every car must have car liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung). This insurance covers damages if you are responsible for an accident with your car or if you injure someone. Repairs to your own car are not covered.
- If you want damages to your own car to be covered as well, you can take out comprehensive insurance (Vollkasko) or partial coverage insurance (Teilkasko).
- With a breakdown assistance contract (Schutzbrief), the provider covers the costs if you have a breakdown or an accident, for example, and need towing services or a rental car. Joining an automobile club is slightly more expensive than a breakdown assistance contract. However, you will benefit from many additional services, which are particularly useful if you are often on the road and traveling.
Vehicle tax.
If you own your own vehicle in Germany, you must pay the motor vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer). Registration for the payment of the vehicle tax is done with the competent authority responsible for vehicle registration as part of the vehicle registration process (see above).
What should I be aware of regarding road traffic in Germany?
In Germany, driving is on the right side of the road, and it is mandatory to wear a seatbelt, have snow tires, and use a child seat if required. Additionally, you must always carry your driver's license, vehicle registration certificate (Fahrzeugschein), and ID card when driving. If you are involved in a car accident, call the emergency number 110 (police emergency number). Furthermore, Germany enforces strict blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits.
In the event of a serious breach of the highway code, such as speeding, the offence is recorded in the points system in Flensbourg. A driving licence can be withdrawn if 8 or more points are deducted.
Many German cities have introduced low-emission zones to improve air quality. If you want to drive in a low-emission zone, you must have an environmental sticker (Umweltplakette) displayed on your windshield. You can obtain this sticker from vehicle registration offices, technical inspection centers, or authorized garages that conduct exhaust emissions tests, provided your car meets certain exhaust standards. For more information about the environmental sticker, visit the website of the relevant authority. Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection