Why Does the Eye Test Cost 6.43 Euros? The Fee Explained
If you have ever taken the driving licence eye test in Germany, you have probably noticed the same price everywhere: 6.43 euros. Not six euros, not seven, but 6.43, a strangely exact figure that looks as if someone worked it out to the cent. There is a reason for that number, and it tells you something about how the German eye test works. The eye test cost of 6.43 euros is not a price that opticians chose. It is a fee set by law.
This guide explains the 6.43 euro fee in full: who sets it, what it covers, why it is the same across Germany, why some opticians charge nothing at all, and what you pay when you go to an eye doctor instead. It also explains the extra costs that are not part of the fee, and how to get a proper receipt.
The 6.43 Euro Fee: Who Sets It
The eye test for the driving licence is a test carried out by officially recognised eye test centres, which in practice are opticians, eye doctors and other approved testing bodies. The fee for that test is not set by the market. It is set in the official fee schedule for measures in road traffic, the Gebuehrenordnung fuer Massnahmen im Strassenverkehr, usually called the GebOSt. That schedule lists the fees for official steps in the licensing process, and the eye test is one of them.
The figure of 6.43 euros includes value added tax. That is why the number is not round: the fee was set as a net amount and then tax was added, which produced the odd-looking total. The fee has stayed at 6.43 euros for a long time, and it is reviewed only when the fee schedule is changed. An optician who is an officially recognised eye test centre must not charge more than 6.43 euros for the standard test.
Because the fee is set by law, you can ask for the test by its official name: the Sehtest for the driving licence. If an optician quotes a higher price for the standard test, ask what the extra amount is for. It may be that they are offering an additional service, such as a full eye examination or a pair of glasses, and the basic test itself still costs 6.43 euros. The test and the extras are two different things, and you can say no to the extras.
What the Fee Covers
For 6.43 euros you get the standard driving licence eye test and the certificate that goes with it. The test includes a measurement of your visual acuity, a check of your visual field, and a colour vision screening. The tester records the results, fills in the certificate, the Sehtestbescheinigung, and hands it to you. The certificate is valid for two years, and you do not pay again within that period unless you lose the certificate and need a new one, which is a separate matter.
The test usually takes ten to fifteen minutes. The price covers the tester time, the use of the test equipment, and the certificate form itself. It does not cover a prescription for glasses, a full eye examination, or any treatment. If the tester finds that you need glasses, they will tell you, but the glasses themselves are a separate purchase, and the prescription for them is part of a different service.
One thing worth knowing: the certificate is the same whether you pay 6.43 euros or nothing at all. A free eye test at a large chain produces exactly the same certificate, with the same validity, as a test that costs 6.43 euros at a small optician. The licensing authority does not care what you paid for the certificate. It cares that the test was carried out by an officially recognised test centre.
Why the Fee Is the Same Across Germany
Germany is a federal country, and many things vary from state to state. The eye test fee does not, because it is set by a federal fee schedule. Whether you take the test in Hamburg, Munich, Berlin or a small town in the countryside, the maximum fee for the standard test is the same 6.43 euros. A price comparison between federal states is therefore not needed for this fee, although other costs around the licence do vary.
Our guide to eye test costs by federal state explains the other costs around the licence in more detail, and our cost guide covers the costs of the driving licence eye test in general. The eye test fee itself, however, is fixed, and if you are offered the standard test for a higher price, you can point to the fee schedule and ask for the official price.
There is one exception to be aware of. If you go to an eye doctor, an ophthalmologist, for the eye test, the doctor may bill the test under the medical fee schedule instead, and the price can be different. That is not the same test as the optician standard test. It is a medical examination, and it is charged differently. For most learners, the optician test at 6.43 euros is the right choice, and the doctor route is used when a fuller examination is needed.
Why Some Opticians Charge Nothing
If the fee is fixed at 6.43 euros, why do some chains advertise a free eye test? The answer is that the large chains are themselves officially recognised eye test centres, and they choose to waive the fee as a service to attract customers. The test is the same, the certificate is the same, and the cost to the chain is covered by their wider business. For them, a free eye test is a way to bring people into the shop, where some of them will buy glasses.
There is no catch, but there is a business reason. A chain that tests thousands of people a week can afford to give the test away, because a good number of the people tested will need glasses, and many of them will buy those glasses in the same shop. A small independent optician cannot always afford the same, so they charge the official fee. Neither option is better for the certificate itself, so you can choose based on convenience, not on price.
Our article on free eye tests at Fielmann and Apollo explains how the free tests work and whether they are the right choice for you. In short, a free test is a genuine test, and the certificate is accepted by every licensing authority in Germany, just as a paid one is.
What an Eye Doctor Charges Instead
An ophthalmologist, an eye doctor, can also carry out the driving licence eye test, but the price is not the same. An eye doctor usually charges under the medical fee schedule, the Gebuehrenordnung fuer Aerzte, known as the GOAe, and the price depends on what the doctor does. A simple eye test at the doctor may cost more than 6.43 euros, because the doctor is billing a medical examination, not the standard optician test.
When would you go to a doctor instead of an optician? When your vision is complicated: one eye much weaker than the other, a condition such as cataracts or glaucoma, diabetes affecting the eyes, or a previous failure at the optician. The doctor can measure more precisely, test your visual field in detail and write a report for the licensing authority, which can accept the doctor certificate even when the optician test was not passed.
Health insurance does not normally pay for the driving licence eye test, whether it is done by an optician or a doctor. The test is needed for your licence, not for a medical problem, so it is your own cost. If the doctor finds a medical problem during the examination, that part of the visit may be covered as a medical matter, but the eye test itself is usually billed to you.
Extra Costs the Fee Does Not Cover
The 6.43 euro fee covers the standard test and the certificate, and nothing else. It does not cover new glasses, contact lenses, a full eye examination, a visual field test at the doctor, or a replacement certificate if you lose the original. If you lose the certificate, the optician can usually issue a duplicate, but that may be charged as a separate service, and the price depends on the shop. Keep the certificate safe, and take a photo of it as a backup.
Other costs around the licence are separate too: the first aid course, the passport photos, the theory test fee and the practical test fee, the driving lessons themselves, and the fee for issuing the licence at the authority. Together, the licence costs hundreds of euros, and the eye test is one of the smallest items. That is worth remembering when the price of the whole process feels high: the eye test is the cheap part.
If you are offered a package that includes the eye test, read the price carefully. A package that includes the test, a pair of glasses and an eye examination may be good value, but the eye test part of it should still be 6.43 euros at most. A shop that charges more for the test itself, hidden inside a package, is not following the fee schedule.
Paying and Getting a Receipt
Paying for the eye test is simple. Most opticians take cash and card, and the large chains also take contactless payment. You pay before or after the test, and you receive the certificate at the same visit. Ask for a receipt if you need one for your records or for your employer. The receipt should show the amount of 6.43 euros and the words Sehtest or Augentest, so that it is clear what you paid for.
Keep the receipt and the certificate together until your licence is issued. If the licensing authority has a question about your certificate, the receipt is proof that the test was carried out. If you need a duplicate certificate, the receipt also proves that the original test was done, which can make the duplicate easier to issue.
One last tip: if an optician tries to charge you more than 6.43 euros for the standard test, you do not have to argue. You can simply thank them, go to a different optician, and take the test there for the official fee or for free. The certificate is the same wherever it is issued, and the choice of where to take the test is yours.
The Eye Test Fee in Other European Countries
Germany is not the only country that asks for an eye test before the licence, and the price varies widely. In many European countries the eye test is part of a medical check for the licence, and the fee is often higher than the German one, because the test is carried out by a doctor rather than an optician, and a medical examination costs more than a ten-minute test in a shop. In some countries the eye test is included in the price of the driving school course, so the driver never sees the fee at all.
In the United Kingdom, there is no separate eye test fee at all. The practical driving test itself includes a number plate reading check, in which the candidate must read a number plate from a distance of twenty metres, and any extra checks are done by an optician at the driver’s own cost. That system puts the responsibility on the driver to know that their vision is good enough, rather than on a certificate. Germany’s approach, with a fixed fee and a standard certificate, is more formal, but it means that every learner is tested in the same way.
Germany’s system, with a fixed fee of 6.43 euros and officially recognised test centres, is one of the cheapest and simplest in Europe. The low price is the result of the test being standardised and carried out by opticians, rather than by doctors, which keeps the cost down and the test accessible. If you take the test in another European country as part of an exchange or a move, expect a different price and a different process, and ask the local licensing authority what is needed before you pay for anything.
Conclusion
The eye test costs 6.43 euros because that is the fee set by the official fee schedule for officially recognised eye test centres in Germany. The fee covers the standard test and the certificate, it is the same across the whole country, and it includes tax. Some large chains waive the fee and offer the test for free, which is allowed, and an eye doctor may charge differently under the medical fee schedule. Either way, the certificate is the same, and the eye test remains one of the cheapest parts of getting a driving licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the eye test cost 6.43 euros?
Because the fee is set by the official fee schedule for measures in road traffic, the GebOSt, which applies to officially recognised eye test centres. The amount includes value added tax, which is why it is not a round number.
Can an optician charge more than 6.43 euros for the eye test?
Not for the standard test. An officially recognised eye test centre must not charge more than the official fee for the standard test. Extra services, such as a full eye examination or glasses, are charged separately.
Is the eye test really free at some opticians?
Yes. Large chains such as Fielmann and Apollo often offer the eye test free of charge as a service. The test and the certificate are the same as a paid test, and the certificate is accepted everywhere.
Does health insurance pay for the driving licence eye test?
Normally not. The test is needed for your licence, not for a medical problem, so it is your own cost. If a doctor finds a medical problem during the examination, that medical part may be covered, but the eye test itself is usually billed to you.
What does the 6.43 euro fee include?
It includes the standard eye test, a visual acuity measurement, a visual field check, a colour vision screening, and the Sehtestbescheinigung certificate, which is valid for two years. It does not include glasses, a full eye examination or a replacement certificate.
Do I need a receipt for the eye test?
It is a good idea to ask for one, especially if you need proof of payment for your records or your employer. The receipt should show 6.43 euros and the words Sehtest or Augentest.