Exchange old driving licence for new driving licence
Service description
Many holders of a driving licence are still driving with the old paper licence. These documents will gradually lose their validity from 19 January 2022 - staggered according to the holder's year of birth.
If the validity of your old paper driving licence has expired, you must have it replaced by the currently valid European Union (EU) standard card driving licence.
As the holder of an older driving licence in credit card format, you are also affected by the exchange campaign.
Driving licences issued from 19.01.2013 are limited to 15 years. Certain deadlines apply to driving licences issued before this date in order to exchange them.
Based on your year of birth, you can see in the following overview by when you must exchange your driving licence. These deadlines apply to driving licences issued up to and including 31.12.1998:
- before 1953 - 19.01.2033
- 1953 to 1958 - 19.07.2022
- 1959 to 1964 - 19.01.2023
- 1965 to 1970 - 19.01.2024
- 1971 or later - 19.012025
Based on the year of issue, you can see in the following overview by when you must exchange your driving licence. These deadlines apply to driving licences issued from 01.01.1999:
- 1999 to 2001 - 19.01.2026
- 2002 to 2004 - 19.01.2027
- 2005 to 2007 - 19.01.2028
- 2008 - 19.01.2029
- 2009 - 19.01.2030
- 2010 - 19.01.2031
- 2011 - 19.01.2032
- 2012 until 18.01.2013 - 19.01.2033
Notes:
- Holders of a driving licence whose year of birth is before 1953 must also exchange their driving licence by 19.01.2033, regardless of the year of issue of the licence.
- The respective time limit only affects the driving licence document, not the underlying driving licence. A medical examination or other checks are not usually associated with the document exchange.
- The rights documented in the driving licence remain in force even if the document is exchanged.
Who should I contact?
You can apply for an EU driving licence at the competent driving licence authority in your district or city. To do so, you must appear in person at the driving licence authority.
What fees are incurred?
- The fee is based on the scale of fees for road traffic measures (GebOSt).
- If the driving licence is sent directly to your home address, an additional shipping fee will be charged.
Legal basis
Short text
- Driving licence issue Conversion of an old licence
- old paper and card driving licences will gradually lose their validity from 2022 and must be replaced by the standard EU card driving licence
- Driving licences issued from 19.01.2013 are limited to 15 years
- If the validity has expired, a new driving licence must be applied for
- Driving licences issued before 19.01.2013 must be exchanged for a current driving licence model by a certain deadline
- Responsible: competent driving licence authority
Typing
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