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How to get a German driver’s license as an American Expat
If you love driving (like me) and want to have the opportunity to drive while living in Germany or other parts of Europe, you will need to get a German driver’s license. Many European countries are starting to crack down on allowing foreigners to drive with non-European driver’s licenses (see our experience on Paxos here), so if you live in Europe it’s a good idea to get a license. I personally wanted to have the freedom to rent a car if I wanted to, although we do not own a car here in Berlin as there is no need with great public transportation.
If you don’t have a license already, then you will have to start from scratch. Take driving lessons, then take the written and driving tests. This can put you back a couple of thousand euros. Oh, and the tests are in German so make sure you are comfortable in the language, too!
Why Do You Need A German Driver’s License?
So why do you need a German driver’s license if you are living in Germany? Your American driver’s license is only valid for the first 6 months if you live in Europe. Once you have been in Germany longer than 6 months, you run the risk of getting fined and/or arrested if you have a driver’s license that is not German. By law, you must have a German driver’s license to continue driving.
How To Check If You Are From A Reciprocal Or Non-Reciprocal State
If you already have a license and you are from the United States, then check out this link for more information on reciprocal states with Germany. Reciprocal states (like Michigan) only have to fill out some paperwork and hand in their American driver’s license to get a German driver’s license. Some states need to take a written test before getting a license, and others (like New York ) are non-reciprocal and you will have to go through the whole process to get a license as if you never had one in the first place.
How to Apply For A German Driver’s License
I can only speak from my own experience, which involves how to apply with a license that has full reciprocity with Germany. My driver’s license is from Michigan, which makes the process very simple.
For a full-reciprocity license, you will need:
- Your American license (valid, not expired)
- Your passport
- Anmeldung
- €35 (cash or EC card only)
Some partial reciprocity states also need some or all of the following:
- Eye exam results
- First aid certification
- Written exam
- Driving test
Non-reciprocal states are treated as though they do not have a license at all and will need to do everything, including driving lessons.
Once you make an appointment with the Bürgeramt, all you will need are the items they request you to bring. All I brought to my appointment was my license, passport, Anmeldung, and payment. All they needed from me in the appointment besides these items was my signature and confirmation of all of my legal documents. I was then given a letter telling me that they would contact me when my license was ready. The letter said it would be ready in a few weeks, but in reality, it can take 3-4 months or even longer. The reason behind this is that there is only one driver’s license office in the entire state of Berlin. You cannot drive until you pick up your new license.
How To Pick Up Your German License When It Is Ready
Once you receive your letter (I applied in October and received my letter in March), follow their instructions. You will have to bring your American license to the office to exchange for the new license. It is a fairly simple process, but go early before they open because the line can get long! You will need to get a ticket and wait for your number to be called. Give them your letter and they will give you a new number. Once your new number is called, go to the desk indicated and give your letter and license to the person behind the desk. They will give you your new license and ask you to check for any errors. If everything is fine, you will leave your American license with them and are free to drive!
Can you keep your American license?
There is a lot of debate over whether you can keep your license or not. Germans are very uneasy with the idea that people can hold two licenses. They also don’t really understand that Americans use their licenses as IDs in the States. They will keep your license on file and will give it back to you if you exchange your German license back. It’s just very inconvenient to be doing this every time you travel to the States!
If you really want to have an American license alongside your German one, you have a few choices.
- My recommendation is to let your American license expire and then re-apply for a new one back in the States. This worked out really well for me because my American license expired two months after I got my German license.
- If your timing isn’t that great and your German is excellent, you could make an argument for keeping both licenses. I have heard of people winning these arguments, and also losing these arguments. It doesn’t hurt to try! Some staff will let you keep your license, but make you come back for it after it’s been “processed.”
- You could explain the situation to your local Secretary of State and see if they will give you a new license.
- If you have another idea to share – let me know!
Was this article helpful for you? I hope that it gives you a bit of useful information if you are applying for a German license. If you don’t live in Germany but got this far, I hope it gives you a little insight into what it is like to apply for a license in a foreign country!
Great post! I really like cars!
Thank you! I love cars, too. Maybe one day I will get my dream car!
Very interesting post! One of my friends from Russia after moving to Berlin needed to do all again from the beginning! It cost a lot and was a pain in the ass, but she did everything very well! Luckily I am from Europe, from Latvia and after moving to Berlin I don’t need to worry about making a new driving license!
P.S. You have a great blog! Do you are also teaching singing?
Yes, it’s great if you have an EU license. The German system can be very tough! I teach violin, viola, and cello … I can sing but only for fun – I would have no idea how to teach it!
This is interesting, I’m also looking for a car and driver license but in different country and I see that’s way different.
I’m sure every country has its own thing. Germany is pretty tough, but I’m happy because German drivers tend to be very safe. I bike more than I drive and it’s great to see how aware drivers are of bikers and pedestrians in busy cities.
This is really helpful to know. I was thinking to get a Portuguese one. I think I need to consider it more now.
Portugal might have a completely different system. It’s worth looking into – maybe it will be easier than Germany?
It is good to know that a US driver’s license is only valid for 6 months and then, you need a German license in order to rent a car or drive legally. Thanks for all the important info to how to get a proper driver’s license.
I’m happy to be of service! It’s something a lot of people don’t even think about. I know lots of expats who have been driving in Europe for years but weren’t aware of the license laws. If they got pulled over or got a ticket now they would be in a world of trouble!
Well. This is messed up. California doesnt even have parial RECIPROCITY! Taking a test in German is an immediate fail.
Hahaha I know, right??? My husband has a New York license and also doesn’t have any reciprocity at all. They would treat him like he doesn’t know how to drive at this stage, so I’m the designated driver!
Very useful blog post. I’m wondering what happens if you go out from Germany and return. Your six months starts newly again?
These regulations apply to residents of Germany. If you are a legal resident and have a registered place to live then it doesn’t matter how long you are out of the country. They will count from the date that you became registered.
That’s crazy to me how some U.S. states are treated differently than others when it comes to getting a license – I never would’ve thought!
It makes more sense when you think about driving tests in each state. For example, some states have four-way stops and other states might have roundabouts. I know a guy from NY who didn’t know how to work a four-way stop so I guess he didn’t get that training when he did his test in NY.
I never drove in a different country before. This was very informative and insightful when wanting a German license!
I’m happy to enlighten you! It can be intimidating driving in different countries with different laws.
I live in England so I can technically drive in Germany and France and such, but it’s so difficult because we are on the other side of the road! Don’t think I would ever get used to that.
Yes! I lived in Kenya for 9 years and they drive on the left side so I feel like I can drive on either side now. It’s still better to be safe and not drive if you feel you won’t react in the right way when you drive on the opposite side from what you are used to.
Good to know. Expats are always looking for good articles like this.
Glad to be of service! Articles like this were very helpful to me when I first moved to Germany.
Thanks for the good info on how to get a drivers license. What fun that you get to be the designated driver.
You are welcome! I love driving so am very happy I can now do so.
Thanks for publishing something that’s new. I keep finding advice from 2007! would be good to see another article on how Brexit will impact UK drivers. Coming from the UK , sorting out my car was possibly the most frustrating process when arriving in Germany. I did find one blog that was useful https://www.carinsurancegermany.de. It might prove helpful for expats.
You are very welcome – I’m glad it was helpful! Things change day by day, don’t they?!