By 2033, there should only be driver's licenses in a uniform format in the EU. Older documents must therefore be exchanged in waves. For some motorists, a deadline expires in mid-January.
Many drivers born between 1959 and 1964 should have exchanged their driving license for a new EU document in credit card format by January 19, 2023. The Automobile Club of Germany (AvD) points this out.
Background: The driver's license should have a uniform, forgery-proof format in the EU by 2033. Around 43 million documents have to be exchanged in order to convert everyone to the only valid credit card format. This generally applies to all driver's licenses for cars and motorcycles that were issued before January 19, 2013. Truck and bus driving licenses are excluded from the graduated plan. Content-related limitations and other legal consequences apply to these.
So that the exchange does not end in chaos, it happens in stages over the years at specific deadlines. Two points are important for the key date: the year of birth of the holder and the date of issue of the certificate. The latter can be found in the current document.
The year of birth is relevant for certificates (paper) issued up to and including December 31, 1998. The first deadline was July 19, 2022 for those born between 1953 and 1958.
By January 19, 2023, those affected who were born between 1959 and 1964 would have to have exchanged. By January 19, 2024, everyone born between 1965 and 1970 will be asked to exchange them.
If you have a credit card-sized document issued between January 1, 1999 and January 18, 2013 inclusive, you can use the date of issue alone as a guide. Here the deadline for the first exhibition years (1999 to 2001) does not expire until January 19, 2026, according to the ADAC, which has extensive information available on its website.
A general exception: If you were born before 1953, you can wait until January 19, 2033 to exchange - regardless of the date of issue or the format of the driver's license.
Here is an overview of the data:
Deadlines for driving licenses issued up to and including December 31, 1998 (grey, pink, GDR):
Year of birth, deadline:
Deadlines for driving licenses issued from January 1, 1999 up to and including January 18, 2013 (credit card format):
date of issue, deadline
What do I need for the exchange?
A valid identity card or passport must be presented when applying to the driving license office. The previous driver's license is also required. According to the AvD, a biometric passport photo is required for the new document, and a fee of around 25 euros is also due.
If the old driving license was not issued at the current place of residence, a so-called index card copy from the issuing office is also required. This can be requested by post, telephone or online. If you want to keep the old "rag" or the old map as a souvenir, you can do so - the document will of course be canceled beforehand.
Good to know: When exchanging, only the document is renewed - without an examination or health examinations. However, the authorities may have concerns about fitness to drive in individual cases, for example if there are obvious physical limitations such as a walker or crutches.
Then you have to prove the suitability, according to the ADAC. Conditions or restrictions may be imposed in the event of limited fitness to drive. But that is independent of the exchange. In principle, the driver's license is retained in the previous scope. Special rules only apply to professional drivers.
The validity of the new driving license document is limited to 15 years. Again, this does not apply to the driver's license itself, but only to the driver's license as the document that documents this permission.
What happens without an exchange after the deadline?
The driver's license is always retained, even if the driver's license is no longer valid. In contrast to driving without a license, an expired license does not constitute a criminal offense according to the ADAC, but only an administrative offence. A fine of ten euros is usually due for this.
