German Driving Licence for UK Citizens After Brexit: What Changed
When the United Kingdom left the European Union, the rules for British drivers in Germany changed overnight — and then changed again. For several months in 2021, UK licence holders in Germany faced real uncertainty: would they have to take a test, would their licences still be valid, and what would happen to people who had been driving in Germany for years? The situation has since settled down, and the news today is good: under the agreement between the UK and Germany, a UK licence can be exchanged for a German one without a driving test. This guide explains the German driving licence for UK citizens after Brexit — what changed, what did not, and what you need to do now.
The story has three parts: the six-month rule, which is the same for all non-EU licences; the bilateral agreement, which means no theory or practical test is required for a straightforward car licence; and the usual documents you need anyway — the eye test, the first aid course and a photo. If you are a UK citizen who moved to Germany after Brexit, or a UK citizen who has lived here for years and never got round to exchanging your licence, this guide is for you.
Brexit and UK licences: what changed in 2021
Before Brexit, a UK driving licence was an EU licence: it was valid in Germany for as long as it was valid in the UK, and you could exchange it for a German one at any time, with no test and no deadline. That changed on 1 January 2021, when the UK left the EU. From that date, a UK licence became a third-country licence in Germany, and the rules for third-country licences began to apply: the six-month validity after registration, and a conversion procedure with an eye test and a first aid course.
That created a problem for the thousands of British citizens who had been driving in Germany for years on their UK licences and suddenly faced a deadline. The UK and Germany negotiated an agreement to solve it: from 2021, UK licences can be exchanged for German licences without a theory or practical test. The agreement is reflected in Annex 11 of the German driving licence regulation, where the UK is now listed as a country whose licences are exchangeable without a test. There was also a transition period for people who were already resident in Germany before the end of 2020: they had until 30 June 2021 to exchange their licence without a test, and after that the new agreement applied.
The 6-month rule for UK licence holders
If you move to Germany now and register your address, your UK licence is valid for six months from the date of registration, exactly like any other non-EU licence. During those six months you can drive with your UK licence, and it is sensible to carry your passport and your registration confirmation (Meldebestätigung) with you, so you can prove when the six months started. After the six months, your UK licence no longer authorises you to drive in Germany, and you need a German one.
The difference between the UK and many other non-EU countries is what happens when the six months run out: because of the bilateral agreement, you do not have to take a driving test. The conversion is therefore a paperwork exercise, and it is worth starting it in your first month, so that the German licence arrives before the six months end. Our guide to the validity of the eye test certificate explains how to time your first document so that it does not expire before you apply.
The UK-Germany agreement: exchange without a test
Under the agreement, a valid UK driving licence can be exchanged for a German licence of the corresponding class without a theory or practical test. For a standard car licence, that means the UK category B becomes the German class B. Other categories are converted in the same way, so a UK motorcycle licence becomes the equivalent German A class, and a UK licence with a trailer entitlement is converted with the appropriate BE class.
There are conditions. Your licence must be valid, and you must have lived in the UK for at least six months in the period before you moved to Germany if the licence was issued there — a rule that is checked in some cases. If your licence is a Northern Ireland licence, it is treated the same way. And if your licence was issued in exchange for a licence from a third country outside the EU, the authority may check whether that country has its own agreement with Germany. If it does not, you may have to take a test. For a normal British licence issued in Great Britain, none of that is a problem.
Step 1: the eye test
Every conversion requires the German eye test (Sehtest), including conversions of UK licences. The test takes about fifteen minutes at an optician such as Fielmann or Apollo, checks your distance vision with and without your glasses or contact lenses, and costs around 6 to 8 euros. You must reach a visual acuity of 0.7 with your correction if you wear one.
The certificate (Sehtestbescheinigung) is valid for two years, so take the test once your conversion is under way. Bring your passport or residence permit and your current glasses or contact lenses. If you need glasses to reach 0.7, the requirement will be recorded in your German licence as code 01. An eye test from the UK is not accepted.
Step 2: the first aid course
The second document every applicant needs is the first aid course (Erste-Hilfe-Kurs): a one-day course of nine lessons of 45 minutes each, covering CPR, the recovery position, bandaging and the emergency call (112). It costs about 20 to 50 euros, is offered in English in most larger cities, and the certificate never expires. A British first aid certificate is not accepted.
Step 3: translation or not?
UK licences are in English and their format is well known to the German authorities, so in most cities no translation is required. Some authorities, however, still ask for one, and there is no national rule. Ask your local Führerscheinstelle before you pay for a translation: if one is required, a sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer) or the ADAC can do it for about 30 to 85 euros. If no translation is needed, your UK licence can simply be presented in the original.
Step 4: the application at the Führerscheinstelle
With your eye test certificate, first aid certificate, UK licence, a biometric passport photo, your passport and your registration confirmation, you apply at the Führerscheinstelle of your place of residence. Most cities require an appointment, booked online, and the application fee is around 35 to 45 euros. Your UK licence is normally retained by the authority while your German licence is produced, although some cities will return it to you if you ask. Our article on a lost or expired eye test certificate also explains what to do if a document goes missing while your application is in progress.
Processing takes about four to twelve weeks. Your German licence is a European Union card licence, valid for fifteen years, and it is valid throughout the EU. If you need to drive in the meantime, ask whether a temporary permit is possible.
What happens to your UK licence?
When your German licence is issued, your UK licence is normally retained by the German authority. Whether it is returned to you depends on the agreement in force and on the authority’s practice: in some cities you can have it returned, in others it is sent to the DVLA in the UK. If you plan to drive in the UK on future visits, that matters, because a UK licence is the easiest document to use there. It is worth asking your Führerscheinstelle before the conversion how your licence will be handled, and whether you need to make a certified copy first.
In practice, a German licence is valid for driving in the UK as a visitor, so the loss of the physical UK card is less of a problem than it sounds — but if you want to keep your UK licence as well, ask about the options before you apply, not after.
Driving in the UK with a German licence
A German licence is an EU licence, and it is valid for driving in the United Kingdom as a visitor. If you move back to the UK, the rules are different: as a resident you can exchange your German licence for a UK one, and the process is managed by the DVLA. The exchange is straightforward for a car licence, and there is normally no test.
Remember that the UK drives on the left and Germany on the right. If you drive your German-registered car in the UK, or your UK car in Germany, you will need to be careful in both directions, and headlight adaptors or adjustments are worth checking before a longer trip.
Common mistakes UK citizens make
The most common mistake is assuming that nothing changed after Brexit and that a UK licence is still valid indefinitely: it is not, and driving on it after the six months is an offence. The second mistake is not converting at all because the process seems complicated: it is not, and a conversion with no test costs only about 115 to 200 euros. The third is using a British eye test or a British first aid certificate, neither of which is accepted. And the fourth is waiting until the six months are almost over to start, when there is no time to fix a missing document.
UK licences, hire cars and the six-month rule
If you are visiting Germany, your UK licence is enough: you can drive and hire a car with it, and you need nothing else except your passport, which the hire company will ask for. The six-month rule does not apply to visitors — it only starts when you register your address in Germany (Anmeldung) and become a resident.
Once you are a resident, the clock starts. From the date of your Anmeldung you have six months to exchange your UK licence for a German one, and after the six months you must not drive in Germany on the UK licence until the exchange is done. The exchange itself is straightforward: bring your UK licence, your passport, a biometric photo and the certificates the office asks for — usually an eye test certificate — and the fee is around €35. There is no theory or practical test, and the processing takes about four to eight weeks. If you have delayed the eye test, do it before you apply, because the office cannot start the exchange without it.
While the exchange is being processed, you can ask the office for a temporary permit if you need to drive. The office can issue a provisional driving permit — a Vorläufiger Führerschein — that lets you drive in Germany while the German card is being made. You cannot get it in every office, so ask when you hand in your application, and do not drive without it once your six months are up.
If you move back to the UK, you can exchange your German licence back to a UK licence. The UK will accept the German EU licence, and you can drive in the UK on it for as long as you live there — you are not obliged to exchange it, but most people do because the UK licence is easier to use for insurance and car hire. The exchange in the UK is done through the DVLA, and it takes about three weeks.
Two more things to know. First, tell your car insurer about the exchange as soon as you have the German licence: your no-claims bonus usually transfers, but the insurer needs the new licence number. Second, if you hire a car in the UK on a German licence, the hire company may ask for a code from the DVLA to check your driving record — you can generate that code online before you travel, and it is valid for 21 days. And one more: your UK licence is kept by the German office when you exchange it, and it is sent back to the DVLA — you will not get it back, so take a copy before you hand it in.
Frequently asked questions
Can UK citizens still drive in Germany after Brexit?
Yes, for six months after registering your address, on your UK licence. After that you need a German licence, which you can get by exchanging your UK licence without a driving test.
Do UK citizens have to take a driving test in Germany?
No, not for a standard car licence. Under the UK-Germany agreement, a UK licence can be exchanged for a German one without a theory or practical test.
What documents do I need to exchange my UK licence?
The eye test certificate, the first aid course certificate, your UK licence, a biometric photo, your passport and your registration confirmation. A translation is sometimes required, so ask your authority first.
How long does the exchange take?
About four to twelve weeks from the application to the pickup of your German licence, depending on the city.
Can I keep my UK licence after the exchange?
Usually not: the German authority normally retains it, although some cities will return it if you ask. Check with your local authority before you apply.
Conclusion: a small piece of paperwork, not a test
Brexit changed the legal basis for UK licences in Germany, but for most British citizens the practical result is simple: a UK licence can still be exchanged for a German one without a driving test, and the only costs are the eye test, the first aid course, the application fee and a translation if one is required. The six-month rule is the real deadline: start your conversion in your first month in Germany, and the exchange will be done before your UK licence stops being valid. For UK citizens who moved to Germany a while ago and never exchanged their licence, the same applies: the agreement is in force, and it is never too late to do the exchange.