Submitting Your Eye Test Certificate to the Driving Licence Authority
Submitting your eye test certificate to the driving licence authority is the step that turns a passed eye test into a real application, and it is also the step where the most small problems appear. The certificate itself is a small piece of paper, but it has to arrive in the right place, in the right form, and before its expiry date, together with the other documents the authority needs. Get one detail wrong, and the application goes back, or waits, or has to be started again, which is frustrating when the eye test itself was the easy part.
This guide explains the whole submission in order: which authority you need to contact and how to find it, what to bring with the certificate, how the submission works in person, by post and online, what happens after you hand it in, and the problems that most often delay an application. The rules differ slightly from city to city, because the driving licence authority is a local office, but the core of the process is the same everywhere in Germany, and once you know it, the appointment takes only a few minutes.
Which authority, and where to find it
The driving licence authority is called the Fahrerlaubnisbehoerde or Fuehrerscheinstelle, and it is part of your local administration, usually the district office (Landratsamt) if you live in the countryside, or the city administration (Buergeramt or Strassenverkehrsamt) if you live in a town or city. The office that is responsible is the one where you are registered as living, your main residence, and you cannot choose a different office because it is quicker. To find the right one, search for Fuehrerscheinstelle together with the name of your town or district, or ask your driving school, which deals with the same office every week and will know its address, its opening hours and whether you need an appointment.
Many offices now ask you to book an appointment online before you come, and a few will not see you without one. The online booking page usually shows the earliest available dates, which can be days or weeks away, so do not leave the appointment to the last minute, and book it as soon as you have the certificate in hand. If you are in a hurry, check the website in the morning, because cancelled appointments are often released then. Bring the booking confirmation with you, whether on paper or on your phone, because some offices check it at the door. If you cannot book online, a phone call to the office will tell you the easiest way in, and the staff are used to these questions, so there is no need to feel nervous about asking. The full route from the test to the licence is described in our guide to the driving licence eye test procedure.
What to bring with the certificate
The certificate is one document among several, and it helps to bring the set in a folder. You will need a valid identity document, your passport or identity card, a recent biometric passport photo, the eye test certificate itself, and the proof of the first aid course. If you are applying for the first licence, you will also need the application form, which you can usually download from the authority’s website or get from your driving school. The form asks for your personal details and the class you are applying for, and it must be signed. If you already hold a licence and are applying for an extension, for example to class C, you will also need your current licence and, for professional classes, the medical certificate that goes with the eye test.
Check two things on the certificate before you leave home. First, the name on it must match the name on your identity document exactly, including any middle names or hyphenated surnames, because a mismatch is one of the commonest reasons for a delay. Second, the certificate must still be valid: a normal eye test certificate is valid for two years, and for professional classes the medical certificate follows its own rules. If the certificate has expired, or if it is damaged, torn or illegible, get a new one before you go to the authority, because the office cannot accept an expired document. It is also worth taking a copy of everything, either a photocopy or a photograph on your phone, so that if a paper is lost you can show the copy and prove what you submitted.
How the submission works: in person, by post and online
In most cities the normal route is in person. You go to the appointment, hand your documents to the clerk, pay the fee, and receive a receipt, and that is often all there is to it. The fee for the first licence application is usually between 40 and 60 euros, and for an extension a little less, and it is paid by card or in cash, depending on the office. Ask for the receipt in writing, with the date and the reference number of your application, because you will need the reference if you have to call and ask about progress. The clerk will check the documents on the spot and will tell you if anything is missing, so bring the folder with all of the papers rather than only the certificate, and the check takes a few minutes rather than weeks.
Some authorities allow the application to be sent by post, and a growing number allow an online application, but both have limits. By post, you send the originals or certified copies, and the office returns the originals with the licence, but the postal route is slower and there is a risk that a paper is lost, so keep copies and use recorded delivery. Online, many offices now allow the application form and the documents to be uploaded, but the eye test certificate is one of the documents that often still needs to be shown in original form, and you may still have to go in person to collect the licence. If your driving school offers to submit the application for you, that can be the simplest route of all, because the school does it every day and knows the office, and many schools include the service in their fee. Whichever route you choose, do not expect the licence to be issued on the same day: the authority has to process the application.
What happens after you hand it in
Once the application is accepted, the authority checks your documents and your record. The clerk checks that the eye test certificate is valid and was issued by an authorised person, that the first aid certificate is recognised, and that there is nothing in your record that would prevent a licence being issued, for example a previous ban. If everything is in order, the authority forwards the application to the driving test organisation, and once you have passed the theory and practical tests, the licence itself is produced. The production of the card licence usually takes two to four weeks, and it is sent to the authority for collection, or, in some cities, posted directly to your home.
During the waiting time, you can usually check the progress of your application by phone or online, using the reference number from the receipt. If something is missing, the authority will write to you, and the letter will say exactly what is needed and by when. Responding quickly to that letter is important, because an application that is left without a response for too long can be closed, and you would have to start again, including paying the fee again. If the waiting time is unusually long, a polite call can help, but it is normal for the process to take several weeks from application to licence in hand, especially in large cities where the offices are busy.
Problems that most often delay the application
Most delays have a small cause. The most common is an expired certificate, so check the date before you go: a two-year certificate that was issued for an earlier attempt may already have expired. The next is a name mismatch between the certificate and the identity document, which often comes from a married name change or a spelling difference, and it can only be fixed by a new certificate in the correct name, or by an official document that explains the change. A photograph that does not meet the biometric rules, too old, too dark, or the wrong size, is another common reason for a rejection, and the photo booth in the authority’s entrance hall, if there is one, can take a new one on the spot. Finally, the first aid course certificate must be the right one: the course for a driving licence is a specific, recognised course, and a first aid course from a workplace or a sports club may not be accepted.
If your application is delayed, do not assume it has been refused. A delay means the authority is waiting for something, or checking something, and a short letter or a phone call will usually explain the reason. Keep every letter from the authority, and note the reference number and the date on each one, because the reference is the key to finding your file. If the authority asks for a document you do not have, ask what is accepted in its place, because there is often an alternative: a certified copy, a document from another authority, or a translation by a sworn translator if the document is in another language.
Special cases: professional classes, foreign licences and exchanges
If you are applying for a professional class, the submission includes more than the eye test certificate. For classes C and D, you need the medical certificate that goes with the eye test, and for the bus class, a clean criminal record extract, which the authority will request or which you must bring. The eye test for those classes must also be part of the medical, not the simple optician’s test for a car, and submitting the wrong certificate is a common mistake that costs a few weeks. If you are exchanging a foreign licence for a German one, the eye test certificate is also needed, and the authority will tell you whether you need to take a driving test as well, which depends on the country the licence came from: licences from EU countries are usually exchanged without a test, while others require one.
In all of these cases, the same advice applies: ask the authority or your driving school what is needed before you book anything, and submit the full set of papers at once. A part-complete application is much slower to process than a complete one, because every missing paper triggers a letter and a new wait. If you are exchanging a licence, bring the foreign licence itself, a translation if it is not in English or German, and proof of residence, because the authority needs to confirm that you live in Germany before it can issue a German licence. Once the file is complete, the processing time is similar to a normal application, and the certificate does its job quietly in the background.
Your eye test certificate: keeping it safe and valid
Once the certificate is issued, it is a document like any other, and it deserves to be looked after. Keep the original somewhere safe, and make a copy, either a photograph on your phone or a scan, so that if the original is lost, you can show the copy while you ask for a duplicate. The certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue, and the date is printed on it, so check it before you submit it: a certificate that has expired will be rejected, and you will need a new test. If you are applying for more than one licence class, one certificate can cover them all, as long as it is still in date, so keep it until all the applications are complete.
If the certificate is lost, the answer is to go back to the practice that issued it and ask for a duplicate. Most practices keep their records for several years, and a duplicate is usually issued free of charge or for a small fee, and it carries the same date and the same result as the original. Do not try to submit a copy of someone else’s certificate or a certificate that has been altered, because the authority checks the details against its own records and a falsified document is a serious matter. A genuine duplicate, obtained from the practice, is the only safe replacement, and it is usually available within a day or two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit the eye test certificate? To the driving licence authority, the Fahrerlaubnisbehoerde, in the town or district where you are registered as living. Your driving school can tell you the address and whether you need an appointment.
How long is the eye test certificate valid? A normal eye test certificate is valid for two years. For professional classes the medical certificate follows its own rules, so check the dates before you submit.
Can I submit the application online? Many authorities now accept the application form and documents online, but the eye test certificate often still needs to be shown in its original form, and you may still have to go in person to collect the licence.
What if the certificate is rejected? The authority will tell you why in writing. The most common reasons are an expired certificate, a name mismatch, or the wrong certificate for a professional class. Fix the problem and resubmit rather than starting over.
Conclusion
Submitting your eye test certificate to the driving licence authority is a short administrative step, but it deserves the same care as the eye test itself. Find the right office, book the appointment early, bring the certificate with the other documents in a folder, check the name and the dates before you leave home, and keep the receipt and the reference number. Those five small habits will prevent most delays, and the application will move as fast as the office allows.
Once the file is complete, the system takes over: the authority checks it, the tests are booked, and the licence is produced in a few weeks. If a letter arrives asking for something more, answer it promptly and keep copies of everything. The certificate has done its work the moment the office accepts it, and from that point the road to your licence is a matter of time and good paperwork.