Millions of motorists in Germany still have real "cloths" made of paper. But the days of older driver's licenses are numbered. By 19 January 2033 at the latest they must be exchanged for new plastic cards in a uniform EU standard. The Federal Council voted on Friday for a phased plan to start earlier with the big action - so that not so many wait until the last moment and there is a mass onslaught at the offices. But it is clear: The license itself remains unaffected.
Now the federal government is on the train. It still has to implement the plan in a regulation and put it into force. At first, there was no opinion. It was also unclear how exactly driver license holders should be informed.
43 million drivers have to exchange their driver's license
A total of around 43 million motorists are affected in Germany. A new exam is not necessary for you. But a photo - and according to ADAC about 25 euros fee. If the old driver's license is not exchanged until 2033, there should be a caution money of 10 euros. The uniform EU-wide document should guarantee the most up-to-date protection against counterfeiting. With controls, owners are easier to recognize when the photo is not that old.
The staggering plan now plans to begin the exchange of around 15 million paperwork licenses issued before 31 December 1998, the current driving license authority being responsible for the exchange.
- Motorists born 1953 to 1958 to exchange their licenses until January 19, 2022.
- For the years 1959 to 1964 , the deadline is 19 January 2023,
- for the years 1965 to 1970 to 19 January 2024,
- for the years 1971 or later until 19 January 2025.
Thereafter, there are deadlines for the approximately 28 million card driving licenses, which were issued from 1 January 1999. This exchange is to go according to the age of the documents on the stage:
- Driver's licenses issued between 1999 and 2001 are to be exchanged until 19 January 2026.
- For the exhibition years 2002 to 2004 , the plan provides for a deadline of 19 January 2027
- for the exhibition years 2005 to 2007 until 19 January 2028
- for the exhibition year 2008 to 19 January 2029
- for the exhibition year 2009 to 19 January 2030
- for the exhibition year 2010 to 19 January 2031
- for the exhibition year 2011 to 19 January 2032
- for driving licenses issued from 2012 to 18 January 2013 , the exchange period is to run until 19 January 2033.
After that issued driving licenses already comply with the new EU requirements. Since then, newly issued documents are no longer valid for life, but have a validity period of 15 years.
Older license holders are to be released
The aim of the plan is to exchange as many old driver's licenses as possible by 2028 - from then on, the newly issued licenses since 2013 also lose their validity and have to be renewed. Older drivers license holders who were born before 1953, should be released from the obligation to early withdrawal completely.
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A spokeswoman for the motor-car club ADAC said: "Handy check-card licenses with an up-to-date photograph give undeniable advantages in driving license checks, but especially when traveling abroad, yet we know that many citizens are emotionally attached to their old gray or pink rag." It helps only conditionally that one could get back the historical documents when exchanging valued. "In our view, therefore, persuasion is more appropriate than the national preference of the EU deadlines."