Germany's driver’s licence exchange deadline set for Jan 2027

Germany is implementing the EU‑wide driver’s licence redesign mandated by EU Directive 2006/126/EC. The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) has scheduled a staggered exchange, requiring licence holders to replace their old paper licences with the new EU‑standard card by specific cut‑off dates. The next deadline, 19 January 2027, applies to licences issued in 2002, 2003 and 2004; licences issued before 1953 can be deferred until 2033. The new licences cost about €25‑30, are valid for 15 years and carry no additional medical checks. Failure to meet the deadline is an administrative offence punishable by a €10 warning fine, with higher penalties for repeat violations.

The exchange also raises questions about the vehicle classes covered by older licences. Holders of the legacy “Class 3” licence may still drive passenger cars (B/BE), medium‑weight trucks (C1/C1E) and certain mopeds (AM, L). For vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes gross weight and trailers up to roughly 18 tonnes, the old Class 3 is equivalent to today’s CE class. Drivers over 50 must provide a medical certificate for the CE‑79 endorsement, valid for five years. Violating class restrictions can lead to criminal charges with up to twelve months imprisonment, while late licence renewal remains an administrative fine.