Germany's Driver's License Reform Sets New 4a Date Rules and Parental Training Plan

The German government is overhauling the EU‑wide driver’s licence system. The field labelled “4a” on the front of the new plastic licence card records the card’s order date, not the issuance date. This date determines the deadline for swapping older paper licences or cards issued before 1999 into the new fraud‑proof format. About 43 million licences must be exchanged by January 2033, with a staged schedule based on the holder’s birth year.

A further element of the reform, slated to take effect in early 2027 if parliamentary procedures run smoothly, introduces a “laienausbildung” (parent‑or close‑relative‑led driving practice). Learners who have passed the theory test and completed six practical lessons may log at least 1,000 km under the supervision of a person who has held a licence for seven years and has no more than one point on the driver‑aptitude register. The practice must be documented in a logbook. The measure aims to lower the average €3,400 cost of obtaining a licence and reduce administrative burdens on driving schools.