Accompanied Driving (BF17): The Eye Test for Young Drivers

Your child is sixteen and a half, and the question of a driving licence is suddenly real. In Germany, accompanied driving, known as Begleitetes Fahren ab 17 or BF17, lets young people take their car licence at seventeen and drive with a registered adult beside them until their eighteenth birthday. It is a popular scheme, and the statistics show that it works: young drivers who have a year of accompanied driving have fewer accidents in their first year of driving alone. Before any of that, though, there is the eye test, and this guide explains exactly what the eye test for young drivers in BF17 involves, when to take it, what parents need to do, and what happens if it is failed.

The eye test for BF17 is the same test as for any car licence, which is good news, because it means there is nothing special to arrange. What is different is the timing, the paperwork and the role of the parents, and that is where most families have questions. This guide covers all of it in plain English, for the young driver and for the parents, so that the application can go smoothly and the first year behind the wheel can begin on time.

What BF17 is

Accompanied driving, BF17, is a scheme for young drivers in Germany that allows them to obtain a car licence at the age of seventeen. The licence is issued at seventeen, but until the eighteenth birthday it is only valid when a registered companion is sitting in the passenger seat. The companion must be at least thirty years old, must have held a class B licence for at least five years, and must have no more than one point in the driving register in Flensburg. Several companions can be registered, so a parent, a grandparent and an older sibling can all be named, and the young driver may drive with any of them.

The scheme exists because the first year of driving is the most dangerous, and because a year of driving with an experienced adult beside you makes you a safer driver. The young driver must still pass the theory and practical tests, and must still meet the same requirements as any other applicant, including the eye test and the first aid course. The only difference is the age: training can begin at sixteen and a half, the theory test can be taken up to three months before the seventeenth birthday, and the practical test up to one month before it, so that the licence can be issued on the birthday itself.

The eye test for BF17

The eye test for BF17 is the same simple test as for a car licence of class B, and it is carried out in the same way. The young driver goes to an optician or an ophthalmologist, the visual acuity of each eye is measured with the Landolt rings, and the result is recorded on the official certificate. The requirement is a visual acuity of at least 0.7 on the better eye, with or without glasses or contact lenses, and if the standard is reached only with a correction, the licence carries the entry for corrective lenses, and the glasses must be worn whenever the young driver is behind the wheel.

The certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue, which is an important detail for the timing. If the test is taken at sixteen and a half, the certificate is valid until eighteen and a half, which comfortably covers the whole of the accompanied driving period and the change to the full licence at eighteen. There is no new eye test at eighteen, because the full licence is simply the BF17 licence without the companion requirement, and the same certificate continues to cover it. If the test was taken very early, for example at sixteen, check the expiry date before the practical test, because a certificate that has expired cannot be used.

When to take the test

The best time to take the eye test is at the start of the training, when the young driver registers at the driving school, or shortly before, at the age of sixteen and a half. That way, if the test shows that glasses are needed, there is time to have them made and to get used to them before the first lesson, and the driving school knows from the start whether a correction is required. Taking the test early also means that the paperwork is out of the way, and the theory test can be taken as soon as the driving school allows it, which is three months before the seventeenth birthday.

There is no rule that you must be a particular age to take the eye test itself. Anyone can take it at any age, and many parents take their child to the optician at fifteen or sixteen, simply to find out whether glasses are needed, before the licence is even mentioned. That is a sensible idea, because teenagers often do not notice that their vision has changed, and a pair of glasses in time for the first lesson is far better than a failed eye test in the middle of the training. Our guide to the procedure for the driving licence eye test describes the test step by step, and the test for a young driver is exactly the one described there.

The parents’ role

Parents have two formal roles in BF17, and both matter. First, the young driver is under eighteen, so the application requires the written consent of a parent or guardian, and the driving school will ask for it when the training begins. Second, at least one companion must be registered, and the companion must meet the requirements: at least thirty years old, a class B licence held for at least five years, and no more than one point in the driving register. The companion must also be willing to sit beside the young driver for a year, which is a real commitment, because accompanied driving only works if the companion actually goes along.

The companion’s role is not to teach, which is the driving instructor’s job, but to be present, to stay calm, and to help the young driver gain experience in everyday situations: in the rain, in the dark, on the motorway, and in town traffic. It is a good idea for the companion to sit in on a lesson or two with the instructor, to see how the young driver is being taught, so that the same approach can be followed at home. And it is worth remembering that the companion must not have been drinking, must not use a phone, and must be able to intervene if necessary, which is why the companion must hold a valid licence themselves.

If the eye test is failed

Failing the eye test is not unusual for a teenager, and it is usually fixed quickly. Teenagers often do not know that their vision is below the standard, because the change is gradual and because schoolwork does not always reveal a distance problem. In most cases, the answer is a pair of glasses, and the optician will measure the eyes, order the correction, and repeat the test once the glasses are ready. The whole process usually takes between a few days and two weeks, and it does not delay the training in any meaningful way, because the theory lessons can continue while the glasses are being made.

If the failure is due to something else, such as an eye infection or a squint that has not been noticed, the optician will refer the young driver to an ophthalmologist, and the application waits until the condition has been treated. That is rare, but it is a good example of why the test is taken early: a problem found at sixteen and a half can be fixed before the seventeenth birthday, while a problem found at seventeen can delay the licence. If glasses are needed, they should be worn from the first lesson, so that the young driver learns to drive with the correction in place, rather than having to adapt to it later.

From BF17 to the full licence at eighteen

At the eighteenth birthday, the BF17 licence becomes a full class B licence, and the companion requirement falls away automatically. There is no new test, no new eye test and no new application, and the licence card is simply exchanged for a full one, usually by applying at the driving licence authority or, in some regions, automatically. The eye test certificate that was used for BF17 continues to cover the full licence, because it is valid for two years, and as long as it has not expired, nothing further is needed.

Two things are worth remembering for the first year of driving alone. First, the licence entry for corrective lenses still applies, and driving without the glasses means driving without a valid licence, which is a serious matter at any age. Second, the year of accompanied driving is only the beginning, and the young driver’s accident risk is still higher than average in the first year alone, so it is worth continuing the habits learned with the companion: keeping to the speed limit, not using a phone, and not driving when tired. Our guide to whether an eye test is required for the class AM moped licence covers the other licence many young drivers hold, which is often taken at fifteen and which also needs an eye test, so the two applications can sometimes be coordinated.

Eye test for young drivers: what parents should know before the first lesson

Before the first lesson, there are two things parents should check, and the eyes are the second of them: the first is that the young driver actually wants to learn, because a teenager who is being pushed into it will not learn well, and the second is that the eyes have been checked, because a young driver who cannot see the road properly will not learn well either. The eye test is quick and cheap, and it is the simplest box to tick, and it is worth ticking it before the driving school is paid, because a failed test after the lessons have started is a delay and an expense that could have been avoided. Take the young driver to the optician, get the measurement done, and take the result to the first lesson, so that the instructor knows from the start whether glasses are needed.

The other thing parents should know is that teenagers often do not notice that their vision has changed, because the change is gradual and because schoolwork does not always reveal a distance problem. A young person who sits at the front of the class, or who holds a book close, may have perfect distance vision, while another who sits at the back may have a problem that has never been noticed. Ask the young driver directly: can you read the number plate of the car in front, can you see the road signs clearly, and do you get headaches after reading? If the answer to any of those is no, the optician will find the reason, and it is usually a simple prescription that can be fixed in a week.

It is also worth talking about the glasses themselves, because teenagers care about how they look, and a pair of glasses that is never worn is no use at all. Let the young driver choose the frames, within reason, because a pair they like will be worn, and a pair they hate will stay in the case. If contact lenses are preferred, the optician can fit them, and the young driver can be taught to use them safely, but it is worth having a pair of glasses as well, because lenses can be lost or can irritate the eye, and a spare pair is essential. The goal is not the perfect pair of glasses, it is a pair that is worn every time the young driver is behind the wheel, and that is a matter of choice as much as of prescription.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old must you be for the eye test for BF17? There is no minimum age for the eye test itself. Most young drivers take it at sixteen and a half, when the training begins, but it can be taken earlier.

Do parents need to be present at the eye test? Not usually, although a parent’s consent is needed for the licence application itself. The eye test is a medical examination, and the optician will carry it out without a parent present.

Can the eye test be taken before seventeen? Yes, and it should be. Training begins at sixteen and a half, and the certificate is valid for two years, so a test taken at sixteen and a half covers the whole accompanied period.

What if my child wears glasses? Glasses are no problem at all. The test is taken with the glasses on, the licence carries the entry for corrective lenses, and the glasses must be worn whenever driving.

Can my child take the eye test at fifteen? Yes. There is no minimum age for the eye test itself, and taking it at fifteen means any problem can be fixed in good time before the training begins at sixteen and a half.

Who pays for the eye test and the glasses? The parents usually do, and the cost is small: the eye test is a few euros, and the glasses depend on the frames and lenses chosen. Some health insurers contribute to the cost of glasses for under-eighteens, so it is worth asking.

Does the driving school need to see the eye test certificate? Yes. The driving school will ask for the certificate when the training begins, and the application to the authority cannot be made without it, so take it to the first lesson.

Conclusion

The eye test for BF17 is the simplest part of accompanied driving: the same test as for any car licence, taken at sixteen and a half, valid for two years, and usually passed with or without a pair of glasses. The important thing is the timing, taking it early enough that glasses can be made before the first lesson, and the paperwork, the parental consent and the registered companions, which are the parts that actually take time.

For parents, the message is reassuring: the eye test is quick, cheap and straightforward, and the accompanied year that follows is widely regarded as the safest way for a young driver to gain experience. Book the test, get the glasses if they are needed, and let the driving begin.