International Driving Licences

An International Driving Licence is a travel document, which is issued by the  driving licensing authority.  It serves as a “translation” of your national driving license and is therefore only valid in combination with your national driving license.  The international driving license is not valid here nationally.

It is no longer legally mandatory to carry an international driving license within the European Union. Before travelling abroad, it is advisable to gather information from the foreign diplomatic missions or your travel organisation, if carrying an international driving license is mandatory.

Please note: An International Driving License can only be issues on the basis of an existing photocard driving license. If you have not changed your old driving license to a new photocard license, it is recommended you do so well in advance of applying for an international driving license.

Necessary documents:

The following documents are needed for issuing a driving license:

• Identity card or Passport and national photocard driving license
• 1 current “biometric” passport photo (size 35 x 45 mm)
• 1 file card entry: if your driving license was not issued by LRA Rottal-Inn, a file card entry of the issuing authority is needed.
• Applicable cost 15.00 EUR

Transfer of a foreign driving license

General explanatory notes for keepers of an EU or EEA driving license.

In principle, citizens of an EU or EEA member country who hold a valid license issued in such country, are legally entitled to drive in the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany. A change of driving license is not obligatory.

If you are requiring a statement of residence in Germany, please note the following:

Time limitation for driving licenses class C, C1, CE, C1E, D, D1, DE and D1E also apply to EU and EEA driving permits. After expiry of the time limit (acc. to German law) a 6-month driving authorisation is given, in accordance with the date of issue. This driving authorisation does not apply, if a driving permission has expired according to law of the country of issue.

Rules and regulations apply during the probationary period of a driving licence

General explanatory notes for keepers of an EU or EEA driving license.

Persons hold a driving authorisation, insofar they are holders of a valid foreign driving permit, for 6 months, living at a registered residence in the Federal Republic of Germany.      

Driving authorisations in Germany only exist, if a holder was registered living at an official place of residence in his/her foreign country of issue (at least 185 days of coherent main residence) and the driving permit was neither withdrawn, nor the right of use of the foreign driving permit denied in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Important: Please note that this driving authorisation is not applicable to holders of driving licenses obtained outside the EU/EEA (eg. USA) and to those who have not yet reached the legal minimum age of 18 years in Germany (eg. automobile at 18 years).

Necessary documents:

After confirmation through your resident municipality and showing of your driving license and identity card or passport, the completed application is to be submitted with the following documents:

Submission of identity card or passport

1 current “biometric” passport photo (size 35 x 45 mm)

photocopy and officially approved translation of the foreign driving license (generally not applicable for EU or EEA driving permits).

Certificate of sight or testimonial/report of visual capacity (generally not applicable for EU or EEA driving permits). 

Doctor’s certificate in accordance with Annex 5 of FeV (generally not applicable for EU or EEA driving permits).

Proof of first aid training

Applicable cost

for transliteration of an EU-driving license: 29.90 EUR

for transliteration of a Non-EU driving license:  37.50 EUR