Eye Test at Fielmann and Apollo: Free Eye Tests for Your Driving Licence
Two names dominate the eye test for a German driving licence: Fielmann and Apollo. Together the two chains have more than a thousand branches across Germany, they offer the eye test at Fielmann and Apollo for about 7 euros — and sometimes free — and they are where most expats and learners take the test. Which one is better? Where should you book? And is the free eye test really free? This guide answers those questions and explains exactly what to expect when you take your eye test at Fielmann or Apollo.
The short answer is that the two chains are very similar for the driving licence eye test: the test itself is standardised, the certificate is the same, and the cost is about the same. The differences are in the booking, the branches, the service and the promotions. Below you will find the cost, the booking process, the test itself, and what to bring — plus the situations in which a “free” eye test is not enough.
Fielmann and Apollo: the two big chains
Fielmann is the larger of the two, with more than 700 branches in Germany and a well-known reputation for service: the company is an optician chain with a focus on quality and on its own brand glasses. Apollo is the other big chain, with more than 500 branches, and it is part of a larger European group, known for fashionable frames and for a modern, style-oriented approach. Both have been in Germany for decades, and both are trusted by the licensing authorities.
For the driving licence eye test, what matters is that both are officially recognised opticians and that the certificate they issue is the same Sehtestbescheinigung that any independent optician issues. One chain is not more official than the other. Choose the one with the branch nearest to you or the one that has a free slot soonest, and you will get the same result.
Is the eye test really free at Fielmann and Apollo?
Sometimes, but not always. The standard price for the driving licence eye test is around 6 to 8 euros — the standard fee in the German fee schedule is about 6.43 euros — and both chains charge about that amount for the eye test on its own. However, both Fielmann and Apollo regularly run promotions in which the eye test is free when it is booked together with a free eye examination (Sehtest or Augenprüfung) or when the customer is buying glasses. In those cases the driving licence eye test is given free as part of the visit, and the certificate is included.
There is no catch, but there is a condition: a free eye test is usually free because it is part of a broader service that the optician is providing. If you only want the certificate and nothing else, you will usually pay the standard fee. That is still cheap: even a paid eye test is only about 7 euros, and the difference between paying and not paying is a coffee or two. Our guide to the eye test at the optician explains the differences between the chains and independent opticians in more detail.
What does the free eye test include?
The driving licence eye test itself is a short check: distance vision with and without your glasses or contact lenses, measured on a Landolt chart or in a vision testing device, with the result that your vision reaches 0.7 with your correction if you wear one. That is what the certificate confirms, and it is what the licensing authority needs.
What the free offers often add, and what you may or may not want, is a full eye examination: a check of your current prescription, your near vision, your binocular vision and the health of your eyes. That examination is a useful service if you have not had your eyes checked for a long time, and it is genuinely free in a promotion, but it takes longer than the driving licence test alone. If you agree to the free examination, be ready for a longer appointment, and for the optician to suggest new glasses if your prescription has changed.
How to book an eye test at Fielmann
Booking at Fielmann is straightforward: go to the Fielmann website, use the branch finder to find the nearest shop, and choose the service “Sehtest für den Führerschein” or “Kostenloser Sehtest”. You can pick a date and a time slot, usually within the next few days, and you receive a confirmation by e-mail. Walk-ins are also welcome, and on a weekday morning there is usually no wait at all, although Saturdays can be busy.
If you are booking for the driving licence, say so when you book, so that the Fielmann optician prepares the official certificate for the licence and checks your ID in advance. Bring a photo ID — your passport or residence permit — and your current glasses or contact lenses. You do not need a health insurance card or a referral.
How to book an eye test at Apollo
Apollo works the same way: the website has a branch finder and an online booking for the “Sehtest für den Führerschein”, and you can pick a slot within the next few days. Apollo has a strong online presence and often sends you a confirmation and a reminder, and a few branches allow you to book the free eye examination and the driving licence test together in a single appointment.
Walk-ins are also possible at Apollo, and the wait on a weekday is usually short. As with Fielmann, say that the test is for a driving licence when you book or when you arrive, so that the right certificate is issued. Bring your ID and your glasses. Our guide to what an eye test costs at the optician compares the price of the test at the two chains and the independent opticians.
What to expect: step by step
At both chains, the visit is the same. You register at the counter, show your ID, and say that you need the eye test for a driving licence. The optician checks your vision with a Landolt chart or a vision testing device: you read the broken rings, and the optician records the smallest line you can read reliably. The test is done with your glasses or lenses on, and then without them, and each eye is tested separately.
The whole process takes about fifteen minutes, including the paperwork. Afterwards the optician tells you the result and prints the certificate, which is stamped and signed. If you need your glasses to reach 0.7, the certificate records a correction requirement, which is later written into your driving licence as code 01. You take the certificate with you, and it is valid for two years.
What to bring
Bring a photo ID — passport or residence permit — and your current glasses or contact lenses. The optician has to enter your name and date of birth on the certificate, and without ID the certificate cannot be issued. Bring both glasses and lenses if you use them, so that the optician can record both. You do not need to bring your licence application, a health insurance card or any other paperwork.
Fielmann vs Apollo: which is better for the eye test?
For the driving licence eye test there is no real difference: the test, the certificate and the price are the same. The differences are in the shops: Fielmann is known for service and for its own-brand glasses, Apollo for a larger choice of fashion frames and for a more modern store design. Which one is better for you depends on the branch and on the person who serves you.
Choose on practical grounds: the nearest branch, the soonest free slot, the shop where you feel most comfortable. If you also need new glasses, it can make sense to take the eye test at the optician where you plan to buy them, because they will already have your prescription on file afterwards. If you are unsure, you can use the free eye examination at either chain to get your vision checked, and then decide.
When the free test is not enough
The simple eye test is enough for a car licence, but it is not enough for everyone. If you are applying for a lorry or bus licence (classes C or D), you need a full ophthalmological examination by an eye doctor, which is a different and more expensive service that is not covered by the free eye test. If you failed at the optician, you will also need the doctor’s examination, and if you have an eye disease the optician will refer you to a doctor as well.
It is also worth knowing that neither Fielmann nor Apollo can issue a medical report for the licensing authority: only an ophthalmologist can do that. So if your situation is not straightforward, the free test at the optician is a first step, and the doctor is the second.
Other opticians: independent shops
Besides Fielmann and Apollo there are thousands of independent opticians in Germany, and they are often a good choice. They offer the same officially recognised certificate, they are usually more flexible about appointments and walk-ins, and some offer the test for free or for a student discount. If you live in a smaller town, the independent optician may be your only local choice — and it is a perfectly good one.
The only thing to check is that the optician is officially recognised for the Sehtest, which any optician can confirm when you ask. If you are unsure, Fielmann or Apollo is the safe choice, but an independent optician is just as valid and sometimes cheaper.
What a free eye test does not include
The free eye test is a screening, not a full eye examination. It checks one thing: your visual acuity — whether you can see the Landolt rings at the required distance, with or without correction. It does not check your retina, your eye pressure, your colour vision or the health of your eyes. If you want those checked, you need a full eye examination, which the optician offers separately, usually for €20 to €50. A full examination also involves eye drops that dilate your pupils, so you cannot drive afterwards — plan the appointment accordingly.
The certificate is the point of the free test, and it is the only thing you need for your driving licence. The test takes about fifteen minutes, and the certificate is issued on the spot, valid for two years. The optician does not keep a copy, so keep yours safe: if you lose it, you need a new test and the €6.43 fee applies again.
Chains and opticians use the free test to get you into the shop, and you will probably be offered more. A common offer is a full eye examination or a new pair of glasses, and the staff may suggest that your prescription is out of date. You are not obliged to accept anything, and the free Sehtest does not depend on buying glasses. If you do want new glasses, compare the price with another shop — the frames and lenses are where the money is, not the test. Ask for the price of any extra test before it starts, and ask for the result in writing — a full examination is only worth the money if you get a written report and a copy of your prescription.
There are a few situations where a free test is not enough, and you should see an ophthalmologist instead. If your vision is blurred even with your glasses, if you see flashes or a dark spot, if you have a family history of glaucoma or if you have diabetes, book an appointment with an eye doctor. The ophthalmologist can do a full examination, check your eye pressure and retina, and issue the medical report that the driving licence office needs if the Sehtest result is not clear.
One more thing the free test does not include is advice about driving. The optician will not tell you whether you are fit to drive, and they will not check your peripheral vision or your reaction time — that is the ophthalmologist’s job, and only if the office asks for a report. For most people the simple Sehtest is all that is ever needed: fifteen minutes, a certificate, and no discussion about the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Is the eye test free at Fielmann?
Sometimes. The standard fee is around 6.43 euros, but Fielmann often runs promotions in which the eye test is free when it is booked together with a free eye examination or with a glasses purchase.
Is the eye test free at Apollo?
Sometimes. The same applies: the standard price is about 6 to 8 euros, and Apollo regularly offers the test free as part of a promotion, especially with a free eye examination or a glasses purchase.
Do I need an appointment at Fielmann or Apollo?
No, both accept walk-ins, and a weekday visit usually takes about fifteen minutes. Booking online avoids waiting on Saturdays and in busy branches.
Is the Fielmann or Apollo certificate accepted everywhere?
Yes. The Sehtestbescheinigung from Fielmann, Apollo or any officially recognised optician is accepted by every Führerscheinstelle in Germany.
What do I need to bring to the eye test?
A photo ID (passport or residence permit) and your current glasses or contact lenses. No referral or insurance card is needed.
Conclusion: pick the nearest branch and go
Fielmann and Apollo are the easiest places in Germany to take the driving licence eye test: the chains are everywhere, the test costs about 7 euros and is sometimes free, and you can walk in on most weekdays and be out again in fifteen minutes with the certificate in your hand. Choose the branch that is nearest to you, book a slot if you want to be sure, and bring your ID and your glasses. The eye test is the cheapest and quickest part of your licence — and with Fielmann and Apollo, it is also the simplest.