What you need to know about driving license deadlines and new rules

Have you already exchanged your driver's license? Then it might be high time. Various deadlines are still pending. Those born between 1965 and 1970 had their deadline on January 19, 2024. If you are one of them and don't yet have a new driver's license, you are committing an administrative offense. If you are stopped, you face a €10 fine. An exception applies to those born before 1953. For them, the deadline ends on January 19, 2033 .

The staggered exchange for paper driving licenses (issued before 31.12.1998) is as follows:

• Those born before 1953: Deadline until January 19, 2033
• Those born between 1953 and 1958: Deadline until January 19, 2022
• Those born between 1959 and 1964: Deadline until January 19, 2023
• Those born between 1965 and 1970: Deadline until January 19, 2024
• Those born after 1970: Deadline until January 19, 2025

Next up are holders of card-based driving licenses (issued between 1999 and January 18, 2013). The year of issue counts:

• 19.01.2026: Exhibition years 1999 to 2001
• 19.01.2027 : Exhibition years 2002 to 2004
• 19.01.2028 : Exhibition years 2005 to 2007
• 19.01.2029 : Exhibition year 2008
• 19.01.2030 : Exhibition year 2009
• 19.01.2031 : Exhibition year 2010
• 19.01.2032 : Exhibition year 2011
• 19.01.2033 : Exhibition years 2012 to 18.01.2013

The exchange standardizes driver's licenses across the EU and increases protection against forgery. However, the EU is now also limiting their validity: New cards are only valid for 15 years . Important: After that, you only renew the document, not the driver's license. However, EU member states are free to impose conditions on the reissuance of new licenses, such as a health test. German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has clearly rejected this .

When exchanging your license, be sure to make sure you don't lose a driver's license class. For the old Class 3 license, this means the following classes must be entered on your new license:

• Class B (cars up to 3.5 tonnes permissible total weight)
• Class BE (car with trailer, where the 3.5 ton limit also applies)
• Class C1 (vans and trucks with a total weight of 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes)
• Class C1E (towing vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes with trailer, maximum weight of the combination 12 tonnes)
• Class AM (light motorcycles (mopeds) up to a maximum of 45 km/h, with a maximum displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or a maximum power of 4 kW (for electric scooters)
• Class L (agricultural tractors, for example tractors, up to a maximum of 40 km/h)

The transfer can be quite complicated, according to the ADAC: "Anyone who wishes to retain their full Class 3 driving license, including heavy trailers over twelve tons, must also tick the box for Class CE 79 when switching to a credit card driving license and, if they have already reached the age of 50, also submit a medical certificate. Class CE 79 is then issued for a limited period of five years," the club explains. However, this restriction for Class CE 79 already existed before the new EU driving license.

The EU is also planning a comprehensive reform that will fundamentally change the driving license system. An agreement has already been reached, but concrete implementation into German law is still pending.

The biggest change will be a digital driver's license . It's intended to complement, not replace, the physical driver's license. You could then simply store it on your smartphone. During a driver's license inspection, the license will be scanned via a QR code.

Driving bans will also apply across the EU in the future. A driving license suspension imposed in one EU country will have cross-border effect.

There are also changes for motorhome drivers . In the future, holders of a category B driving license will be allowed to drive motorhomes with a gross vehicle weight of up to 4.25 tons. This applies not only to many current models, but also to future developments with more comfort, technology, and alternative drive systems (electric drives in particular are making our cars increasingly heavier). This will be possible through special training or a test – depending on how the member states implement it.

Reports keep surfacing that a driver's license might also be required for e-scooters or bicycles. This is incorrect . There is currently no such requirement for either e-scooters (up to 20 km/h) or bicycles. The minimum age for e-scooter riders remains 14.