Converting a foreign driving licence in Berlin: who needs tests, documents, fees

Which group is your licence in?

German law sorts foreign licences into three groups. Find yours first:

Anlage 11 is the official country list in the German driving licence regulation (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV). It is checked against the current version on gesetze-im-internet.de, October 2026.

EU and EEA licences: no conversion needed

If your licence was issued in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, it is valid in Germany. You do not need to do anything.

You can still exchange it for a German card at a Bürgeramt (fee €37.50), for example if your old licence is a paper one or damaged. You need your ID or passport, a biometric photo on paper and the EU licence (even if it has expired). For truck and bus classes there are extra medical certificates.

Anlage 11 countries: conversion usually without tests

If your country (or US state, Canadian province or Australian territory) is on the Anlage 11 list, you get the German licence for the matching classes on paper, with fewer documents and in most cases no tests. You do not need driving lessons, a first aid course or (usually) an eye test.

Countries with no test for class B

Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Israel, Japan, Jersey, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, New Caledonia, New Zealand (class 1), North Macedonia, Republic of Korea (classes 1 and 2, converted to class B only), San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

• United Kingdom: after Brexit the UK is on the list for all classes, no tests. The authority can ask for an eye test.
• Japan: all classes, no tests. You will need a translation, because Japanese licences are not in German or English.
• Korea: classes 1 and 2 are converted, but only to German class B.
• Moldova: no theory test, but the practical test is required.
• Namibia: the licence must have been issued at least two years before your application.
• Albania and Kosovo: for older licences (Albania before 24 January 2017, Kosovo before 1 March 2018), the authority checks the status via the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), which can take longer.

Canada and Australia

All Canadian provinces and territories on the list need no test for the car licence: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario (class G), Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Manitoba Stage L or A licences are not accepted. All Australian states and territories are on the list (car class C), no tests. For ACT, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia you still have to show an eye test. Learner licences are never converted.

US states: no test, theory only, or both tests

For US licences, it depends on the state that issued it. The table shows the car licence (German class B) as listed in Anlage 11:

Instruction permits and learner licences are not converted. For Washington State, only holders aged 18 or older qualify. If you need only the theory test, you can take it in English. See our theory test in English guide.

Ukraine: special rules in 2026

Ukrainians in Germany have two options right now:

• Keep driving with the Ukrainian licence: if you have temporary protection (§ 24 AufenthG), your valid Ukrainian licence is recognised without conversion while your protection lasts. The EU has extended temporary protection until 4 March 2028.
• Convert without tests: since 18 August 2026, Ukraine is on the Anlage 11 list for classes A1, A, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE, with no theory and no practical test. This works for anyone with ordinary residence in Germany, not only people with temporary protection.

Things to know: for truck and bus classes you still need the medical and eye certificates. If your Ukrainian licence has C or D but no B, you need both tests for class B. Ukrainian A1 corresponds to German AM. The licence must have been issued before you entered Germany. In individual cases the authority can still order a test if there are concrete doubts.

All other countries: theory and practical test

If your country is neither in the EU/EEA nor on Anlage 11, you have to pass the theory and practical test for each class you want. The good news: German rules on training do not apply to you (§ 31 FeV). That means:

• No minimum number of driving lessons. No mandatory 12 special drives on the Autobahn, rural roads or at night.
• No mandatory theory lessons. You can learn on your own with an app.
• But you still need a driving school. The practical test is taken in a school car with a driving instructor, and the instructor has to confirm you are ready. LABO also asks for the name of your driving school when you apply.

In practice, almost everyone takes a few lessons anyway. German tests have their own style: checking the right-of-way at unmarked junctions ("rechts vor links"), shoulder checks, speed in 30 zones, trams and cyclists. A few lessons with an instructor who knows the Berlin test routes are cheap insurance, because a failed practical test means paying the test and presentation fees again.

Extra documents for this group: an eye test certificate from an officially recognised place, and proof of a first aid course.

Documents checklist for the conversion

• ID card or passport
• Residence permit, if you are not an EU/EEA citizen
• Main residence registered in Berlin (Anmeldung)
• One current biometric passport photo on paper
• Your original, valid foreign licence. An International Driving Permit is not accepted as a replacement
• A translation, if your licence is not in German or English. The authority decides in case of doubt and can also ask for it later
• Only for other countries (not Anlage 11): eye test certificate and first aid certificate
• If a test is needed: name and address of your driving school and test centre (TÜV Rheinland or DEKRA in Berlin). You cannot change the test centre later
• For truck and bus classes: medical certificates, and for buses a certificate of good conduct

Translation: accepted translators include German automobile clubs and sworn translators. ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg translates licences in person at its offices, no appointment needed: €65 for Latin script, €85 for other scripts such as Arabic, Cyrillic or Greek. It usually takes a few working days, in some cases up to three weeks.

Verification: the licence must have been obtained before you moved to Germany (or during a stay of at least six months abroad). LABO can check whether your licence is genuine and valid. In some cases this means a confirmation from the authority that issued it, sometimes called a Führerscheinauskunft. If your home authority can give you an official driving record easily, it does no harm to bring one.

Fees, timeline and what happens to your old licence

School prices are Berlin medians from Fahrwahl data (October 2026). Each extra lesson adds about €56. More in our cost breakdown.

Timeline: book the Bürgeramt appointment early. LABO does not give a fixed processing time, it publishes current processing times on its website. With tests, you will get a written invitation to the tests after the application is complete. Plan for several weeks for a conversion without tests, and longer with tests.

Your old licence: you hand it in when you get the German one. LABO sends it back to the issuing country or keeps it. The German licence is valid for 15 years and is then renewed as a document.

FAQ