Exceptions to long-term validity of EU / EEA driving licence Once the validity of your original EU / EEA licence expires, you will need to exchange it. You can exchange it at any point by following the procedure outlined below. If you are planning on staying in Germany long-term, you might consider exchanging your EU / EEA driving licence for a German Führerschein. To qualify, it must be a full licence, rather than a provisional one or an international driving permit (IDP). There are exceptions for certain categories of driving licence (see below).

If you hold a licence issued by an EU / EEA country, it will usually remain valid in Germany until its expiry date. The amount of time your foreign driving licence remains valid in Germany depends on whether it was issued by an EU / EEA member state or somewhere outside of Europe. Using a foreign driving licence in Germany If in doubt, it is best to always check with your local driving licensing authority ( Führerscheinstelle - usually housed within your local citizens' office) to see how things operate in your federal state.

Despite the fact that driving licensing laws are set nationally, states tend to apply the law differently on a local level.

Like most bureaucratic procedures in Germany, the process for issuing or exchanging a licence can vary greatly between federal states ( Länder). Expats who have recently arrived in Germany can continue to use their foreign driving licence for anything up to 10 years, depending on where it was issued.

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