German Driving Licence / Fhrerschein

By Gaurav Tomar in Inder in Deutschland (Files) Edit Doc

Figure: Example copy of the New EU Driving Licence 2013. Applicable to aplicants taking examination after 19. Jan 2013. Fhrerschein 2013 - Vorderseite (Quelle: Bundesdruckerei GmbH)
Important Note: The information below is solely for sharing purpose. It should, in no case be understood as a legal advice on the subject matter herein. Should there be an error in the information given below, please correct it with appropriate citations or bring it to the notice of the group Admin. The information is from experience gained while applying for German Driving Licence Class B and hence the information herein though not exclusively may be understood for this class only, or unless otherwise stated explicitly.

(Feel free to edit the document with valid information. Citation must be provided for better and reliable document. Just like you update a wikipedia page)
How can one get a driving licence in Germany? There are two ways to get a driving licence here in Germany. 1. To apply for a new licence and follow the normal procedure of getting a licence. (Duration Aprox. 3 Months or more) 2. If you already have a driving licence of your home country you can apply for a German Licence under the category "Umschreibung", which literally means Transfer or Circumscription. (the date of issue of your licence should be atleast 6 months A new licence.

Get yourself enrolled in a Driving school. Get a Sight-test and a First-aid course certificate. Eyes test may cost as low as 6.43 and first aid course between 18 to 25. Apply with other necessary documents to the Fahrerlaubnisbehrde in your local area. One has to attend the theory classes in this case. It is necessary Also, one has to do the Sonderfahrstunden. Some fixed amount of driving hours for fixed type of driving conditions. (Consider revision: More exact information can be sought from your city coucil's website. Search for Fahrerlaubnisbehrde. For Munich: Reference 1)

Transfer / Circumscription of your Driving license from home country.

Firstly, make sure that your licence was issued atleast 6 months before you first came to Germany. (Consider revision) Get a "bersetzung", translation of your driving licence in German from a registered translating authority. For example ADAC. Enrolly yourself in a driving school under the category "Umschriebung" Get a Sight-Test and First-aid course certificate. (Check above given website for details on where you can get it, for Munich) Search for your 'First' city registration certificate. (Yes, that one, which you got the first time you registered yourself in Germany in your city's Rathaus/Meldebehrde) Get hold of two recent good quality photographs Register with all the documents above (including your home country's original Licence) at your local licence office. Please do not take a copy. You will sued by the driving licence authority for fraud (YES, no joke). Will cost around 42.xy in Munich (Please verify costs for your city). They proof your identity with Bundes-Kriminalamt and would inform your driving school in 3-4 weeks about your status. That is you are cleared from the office for taking a examination or not. There is also a provision for express registration, which cuts down on time taken in this proofing mechanism. Additional cost of 35.xy is to be paid. Once you have registered you can start with practical driving lessons at your driving school. No need to wait for the information from the office. Once the Fahrerlaubnisbehrde informs your driving school, an everything is in place,Register for a theory and and a practical test. Pass it. and get the licence.


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Attendind theory classes or doing the the fixed number and type of hours is not mandatory in this case. Costs: Only including known fixed costs. TV written exam costs: 20.93 TV Practical Test Cost: 84.97 (Class: B), 113 (Class: A) Driving school will charge some amount over and above the costs listed. Besides these, There would be a initial registration cost in your driving school, around 110 - 150. Other costs include driving learning cost per hour (35 - 40) multiplied by number of hours you use to learn driving.

Things to take care of

Something important: Munich Fhrerhscheinstelle (Eichsttter Str.) does give you your licence back once they are done with verifying your credentials. And No it does not go automatically to your local Traffic Authority in India, nor does it stay here in Germany in any safety box. It comes back to you. Depending upon the office where we apply for German DL, we may get back our Indian DL with a sticker which says "Not valid in Germany" or they may keep our Indian DL for 3 years and then destroy it. The office ( Landratsamtes Mnchen, Bretonischer Ring 1, 85630 Grasbrunn-Neukeferloh) for outside Munich registered persons (like Unterfhring), does not return your Indian DL.

References:

27. http://www.muenchen.de/rathaus/Stadtverwaltung/Kreisverwaltungsreferat/Verkehr/Fuehrerschein.html) 28. http://www.bmvbs.de/SharedDocs/DE/Artikel/LA/fuehrerschein-2013.html 29. Berlin: http://www.berlin.de/labo/fuehrerschein/dienststelle/index.html