Fahrerkarte für den gewerblichen Transport bzw. Güterbeförderung und die Personenbeförderung erstmalig beantragen

You are a driver of a truck or bus and must apply for a driver card for the first time.

The driver card is used to monitor driving times and rest periods in the commercial transportation of goods and passengers. The driver card is mandatory for:

• Motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of more than 3.5 t including trailers;
• motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of 2.8 to 3.5 tons including trailer, provided a digital tachograph is installed;
• and for motor vehicles designed for the transportation of more than nine persons including the driver.

Exemptions (e.g. for agricultural businesses or postal services) are explained in Section 1 (2) and Section 18 of the Driving Personnel Ordinance and Article 3 of EU Regulation 561/2014.

You are applying for a driver card for the first time if you are not yet in possession of a valid driver card.

The application for the issue of your driver card must be submitted to the competent authorities or bodies under federal state law (e.g. driving license authority, Dekra, TÜV).

A fee is payable for the issue.

You must either identify yourself via the online authentication of the user account or present yourself in person.

The driver card is valid for five years. The start of validity is the date of personalization (production) by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). The card should be renewed at least 15 working days before it expires. If the driver card has already expired when the application is submitted, an initial order will be placed.

Notes:

The driver card issued to you personally may only be used by you. The driver card is always your property, even if your employer has paid for the driver card.

- Identity card (or residence permit or EU citizen card)

- Current, digital biometric photo

- A digital copy of your signature

- A digital copy of your current EU driving license or a comparable driving license for applicants from another EU/EEA country

You are eligible to apply for the initial issue of a driver card if you

• are resident in the Federal Republic of Germany and
• have a German EU card driver's license with one of the following categories: B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE

Driving licenses issued in a member state of the European Union (EU) or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) must correspond to one of the aforementioned categories.

31 to 67 Euro

You can apply for your driver card with the required documents and information at the driver licensing authority online or on site.

• In order to identify yourself online and check your documents, you must have the option of online authentication by means of a user account and digital upload of the required documents.
• You can pay for the application online via a payment service provider.
• The creation of a driver card is subject to a fee.
• As part of the application process, you must provide all the required information and submit or upload documents.
• The competent authority will check your details for completeness and accuracy.
• After a successful check, the KBA (Federal Motor Transport Authority) will issue the personalized driver card.
• You can obtain the personalized driver card
  • collect it directly from the relevant office in person or
  • have it sent to you directly by the KBA (after online authentication and online payment).

Note:

If serious violations (including both criminal offenses and administrative offenses) are detected when the driver card is first issued, the driver card may be refused and the application rejected.

If necessary, administrative offense or fine proceedings will then be initiated.

7 - 21 days

none

In Germany, employers are not obliged to reimburse their employees for the costs of driver cards. The Federal Labor Court has ruled that employees are not entitled to reimbursement.

Note:

In the event of damage, malfunction, loss or theft of the driver card, you must apply to the competent authorities for the card to be replaced within seven calendar days at the latest. The theft of the driver card must be reported to the police.

Contradiction

• Driver card issue
• Applying for driver cards for the first time
• For bus drivers and truck drivers

Contact your local driving license authority.