Contact Lenses and the “Corrective Lenses Required” Entry

Contact lenses and the Corrective Lenses Required entry in your driving licence are two things that belong together, and many drivers only discover the connection when they look at the back of their licence for the first time. If you passed the driving licence eye test wearing contact lenses, the authority will normally add a note to your licence, and that note has a legal meaning: whenever you drive, you must wear corrective lenses. In Germany this is recorded with a standard code, and the entry is not a punishment. It is simply the condition under which you were found fit to drive, and this guide explains what it says, what it means in practice, and what to do if your situation changes.

In this article you will learn the difference between the three licence codes for corrective lenses, how the entry is created when you take the eye test, what happens at a police check if you are not wearing the right correction, and how to change the entry if you switch from lenses to glasses, or the other way round. We also cover the practical side: how to pass the eye test with contact lenses, what to do if a lens slips or your eyes are dry on test day, and the most common misunderstandings about the entry. This article is about the entry itself and the rules around it, rather than about choosing lenses or getting used to them, which is a different question that is covered in our guide to getting used to new contact lenses before the eye test.

The licence codes: 01.01, 01.02 and 01.06

On the back of a German driving licence, the codes for corrective vision are found in field 12, and there are three that matter. Code 01.01 means that glasses are required while driving: you reached the required visual acuity only with glasses, and you must wear them. Code 01.02 means that contact lenses are required: you were tested with lenses and must wear them while driving. Code 01.06 means that glasses or contact lenses are required: you may choose either, as long as you wear one of them. The authority decides the code from the eye test certificate, and the optician or doctor who issued the certificate records which correction was used to reach the required result.

The distinction matters more than most people realise. If your licence says 01.02, contact lenses required, then driving with glasses instead does not satisfy the condition, even if the glasses give you the same vision, because the entry is the legal condition of your licence. The same applies in reverse for 01.01. Code 01.06 gives you the freedom to choose, and it is the most common entry for people who wear both at different times. If you are not sure which code is on your licence, look at the back in field 12, or check the letter from the authority that came with the licence. The code is also recorded by the authority in its register, so a police officer who checks your licence will see it. If you ever need to change the code, you need a new eye test certificate that shows you reach the required acuity with the other correction.

How the entry is created at the eye test

The entry is created at the same moment you pass the eye test. When you arrive at the optician, tell the optician that you wear contact lenses and that you will drive with them. The test is then done with the lenses in, and if you reach the required visual acuity of 0.7 with both eyes, usually 0.7 for a car licence, the optician issues the certificate with the note that the result was achieved with contact lenses. That information goes to the driving licence authority, and the authority enters the corresponding code on the licence. There is nothing extra to apply for, and no separate fee, because the entry is part of the normal process.

There are two things to get right on the day. First, put the lenses in well before the test, at least an hour earlier, so that they settle and your vision is stable. A lens that has just been inserted can still be moving, and your vision can fluctuate for the first few minutes. Second, bring the packaging or the prescription for your lenses, and bring your glasses as well as a backup. The optician may want to know the strength of your lenses, and if a lens tears during the test, the spare glasses can save the appointment. If you normally wear lenses but turn up without them, the test will be done without correction, and the result will be different. The certificate records the correction you used, so the test must match the way you actually drive, as our guide to the driving licence eye test procedure explains.

Passing the eye test with contact lenses

Passing the test with contact lenses is usually straightforward if the lenses are right for you. The Landolt rings and the chart work in exactly the same way as for glasses, and a well-fitting lens gives a wide, clear field of vision with no frame in the way, which some drivers find easier than glasses. The most common problem is dryness: lenses can dry out during a long day, in air-conditioned rooms, or after a long screen session, and dry lenses blur the vision for a moment when you blink. Using lubricating drops a few hours before the test, and blinking normally during the test, usually solves it. Avoid putting drops in immediately before the test, because a drop can blur the vision for a few minutes while it spreads over the lens.

A second problem is a lens that does not sit well. If a lens is inside out, if it has dried out in its case, or if it is past its replacement date, it will not give you the vision the prescription promises. Check the lenses before you leave home, and if one feels uncomfortable, replace it with a fresh one from a new blister pack. If you wear monthly lenses and the pair is at the end of its life, consider using a fresh pair for the test day, because the last days of a monthly lens are the most likely to be uncomfortable. Finally, tell the optician if you have any discomfort during the test: a good optician would rather pause for a minute and let you re-wet the lenses than record a result that does not reflect your real vision.

What a police check means for the entry

At a roadside check, the police will look at your licence and at what you are wearing. If your licence says contact lenses are required and you are wearing your lenses, everything is in order. If you are not wearing them, or you are wearing glasses instead when the code says lenses, the police can treat it as driving without the required correction, which is an offence under the German driving licence rules. The fine is not enormous, usually a warning or a small fine, but the bigger risk is with your insurance: if you cause an accident while driving without the correction your licence requires, the insurer can argue that you were driving in breach of a condition of your licence, and that can affect the claim. Keep a spare pair of lenses and your glasses in the car so that a broken lens on the road does not leave you with a choice between driving without correction and waiting for help.

The same logic applies to the entry for glasses. A driver whose licence says 01.01 and who forgets their glasses at home is in the same position. The point of the entry is not to catch people out, it is to record the condition on which they were found safe to drive, and it is enforced for that reason. If you are stopped and the officer asks about the entry, explain it plainly, show the correction you are wearing, and, if you have the spare in the car, mention it. There is no need to argue: the code on the licence and the correction you are wearing either match or they do not, and the officer will check the match, not your opinion of it.

Changing the entry: lenses to glasses, or the other way

Changing the entry is a straightforward administrative step, but it does need a new eye test. Suppose your licence says 01.02, contact lenses required, and you decide that you would rather wear glasses while driving. Book an eye test at the optician, take it wearing the glasses, and ask the optician to issue a certificate showing that you reach the required acuity with glasses. Take that certificate, your licence and an identity document to the driving licence authority, apply for a change of entry, and pay the fee, which is usually between 25 and 45 euros. The authority will then issue a new licence, or update the existing one, with the new code 01.01 or, if you ask for it, 01.06, if the certificate shows you can use either.

The same process works in the other direction: from glasses to lenses, or from one specific entry to 01.06, glasses or contact lenses. The 01.06 entry is worth considering if you regularly switch between the two, because it gives you the freedom to choose on any day, without worrying about which correction is recorded. To get 01.06, the eye test certificate must show that you reach the required acuity with both corrections, which usually means two short tests in the same appointment, one with glasses and one with lenses. Ask the optician in advance, because some opticians charge a little extra for the second test. While the change is being processed, your old licence remains valid, so there is no gap in which you cannot drive.

What if contact lenses do not work for you any more?

Sometimes a driver who has worn lenses for years finds that they no longer work: the eyes become drier with age, or a new medication changes the tear film, or the lenses start to feel uncomfortable after a few hours. If that happens, do not force it. Go back to the optician and talk about the options: a different type of lens, a different material, or a switch to glasses, at least for driving. The optician can also check whether there is a medical reason for the discomfort, such as an allergy or an infection, which needs a doctor rather than a new lens. The entry on your licence should reflect the correction you can actually wear comfortably for a long drive, not the one you wore ten years ago.

If the change is permanent, change the entry as described in the previous section, rather than driving with lenses that hurt or with glasses that do not match the code. There is also a longer-term option that some drivers consider: laser eye surgery. If the surgery restores your vision to the required standard without correction, you can take a new eye test without lenses or glasses, and the authority will remove the entry altogether, leaving a licence with no corrective-lens condition. That is an attractive prospect, but it is a medical decision, it costs money, and it is not suitable for everyone, so it should be taken on the advice of an ophthalmologist, not because of the licence entry alone.

Corrective lenses required: what the entry means in practice

The entry for corrective lenses on your driving licence looks formal, and it is, but in practice it is simple: it means that whenever you drive, you must wear the correction that the eye test was taken with. That can be glasses or contact lenses, and you may switch between them, because the entry does not name one or the other, it only requires that your vision is corrected. What it does not allow is driving with no correction at all, and that is the point most people miss: the entry is not a suggestion, it is a condition of the licence, and driving without the glasses is treated as driving without a valid licence.

There is one practical question that comes up often: what happens at a police check, or after an accident? The officer will look at the licence, see the entry, and check whether you are wearing the correction. If you are not, you can be fined, and if there is an accident, the insurance company may argue that you were driving without a valid licence, which can affect the claim. Keep a spare pair of glasses in the car, and if you wear contact lenses, keep a pair of glasses there too, because a lens that falls out or irritates the eye leaves you without a correction, and the spare pair is the difference between a minor inconvenience and a serious problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Corrective Lenses Required entry mean? It means you reached the required visual acuity only with a correction, and you must wear that correction while driving. The licence records whether it is glasses (01.01), contact lenses (01.02), or either (01.06).

Can I drive with glasses if my licence says contact lenses? No. The code is a legal condition of your licence, so you must wear the correction the code names. If you want to switch, take a new eye test with glasses and have the entry changed.

Do I need a new eye test to change the entry? Yes. The authority needs a current certificate showing that you reach the required acuity with the correction you want to use, and then it updates the code, usually for a fee of 25 to 45 euros.

What happens if I am stopped without my lenses? The police can fine you for driving without the required correction, and your insurer may take a closer look if you have an accident. Keep a spare pair of lenses and your glasses in the car.

Conclusion

Contact lenses and the Corrective Lenses Required entry are a simple idea with a simple rule: the licence records the correction you needed to pass the eye test, and you must wear that correction whenever you drive. The codes 01.01, 01.02 and 01.06 tell you and the police exactly what is required, and changing the code is a matter of a new eye test and a short visit to the authority rather than a long process. Get the test right, wear the lenses you were tested with, and keep a spare in the car.

If your eyes or your habits change, change the entry with them. A licence that matches the correction you actually wear is the safest and the simplest licence to have, and it costs little more than a new certificate and a small fee. The entry is there to make driving safe, and when it matches your eyes, it does exactly that.