Fahrerkarte beantragen

The use of digital recording equipment is mandatory for certain motor vehicles first placed on the market on or after May 1, 2006.

The use of digital recording equipment is mandatory for certain motor vehicles that were first placed on the market on or after May 1, 2006. This applies to vehicles that

• are used for the transport of goods and whose permissible total weight, including trailers or semi-trailers, exceeds 3.5 tons, as well as
• Vehicles used to transport passengers and which are suitable and intended by their design and equipment to transport more than nine persons - including the driver.

The digital tachograph records driving and rest times, makes manipulation more difficult to the detriment of general road safety, and facilitates checks.

The driver card replaces the previous speedometer disc and stores the driving and rest times for at least 28 days. After that, the oldest data is overwritten. Each driver may only have one valid driver card. This is checked (national: Central Tachograph Card Register, international: TACHOnet).

The following data can be read:

• Surname, first name, date of birth, photograph and signature of the applicant
• Driving license number
• Nationality of the issuing country
• Period of validity (from / to)
• Driving and rest periods (including breaks and whether the driver drove alone or in two-driver mode)
• Data concerning the vehicle (operating times, date, registration number, mileage)
• Events, errors and checks

• EU driving license (for holders of a German driving license) or proof of a driving license issued in another EU/EEA state or third country (possibly a certified translation)
• Identity card or passport in conjunction with a confirmation of registration
• Biometric photograph

The applicant must have a main residence in Germany or prove an employment relationship in Germany.
Only holders of a valid driver's license in the form of the EU card driver's license can obtain the driver card. If you do not yet have an EU card driver's license, you must apply for one at the same time as you apply for the driver card. At least one of the following driving license classes must be proven: B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D or DE.

To apply for a driver card, a personal visit to the authority is required, as a signature is required. By signing the application, the applicant confirms the accuracy of the information provided, the spelling of the personal data and the content.

The application must be accompanied by the required documents and the driver card. The competent authority shall issue the applicant with a new card before it expires.

Until he receives his new driver card, the driver must print out the details of the vehicle he is driving at the start of his journey and enter in the printout the details by which the driver can be identified (name, number of the previous driver card or driving license) and affix his signature, as well as enter his driving times, the times for other work and his on-call time, and at the end of his journey, print out the details of the times recorded by the tachograph, note the times not recorded by the tachograph during which he has carried out other work, been on standby or taken a rest break since the printout was made at the start of the journey, and enter on this document the details by which the driver can be identified (name, number of the previous driver card or driving license) and affix his signature.

The driver may continue driving without a driver card for a maximum period of 15 calendar days, or for a longer period if this is necessary for the vehicle to return to its location, provided that the driver can prove that it was impossible to present or use the driver card during this period.

3 working days; 2 weeks for additional application for EU driver's license.

The driver card is valid for five years.
The driver card can be reapplied for at the earliest one month before expiry, but no later than 5 working days before expiry.

Application for issuance of a driver card

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the district councils and independent towns are responsible for issuing driver cards.