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Visitors carry one, residents exchange, travelers apply
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Janine El-Saghir
Janine El Saghir is an editor at How-to-Germany.com, where she specializes in the practical aspects of daily life and integration for expatriates. With years of...
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Erkan Boga is the founder and CEO of qmedia GmbH, the publishing house behind How-to-Germany.com. He established the platform with the clear vision of creating...
- Visiting Germany: your national license is what counts. If it is not in German and not from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you carry either an international driving permit or a certified translation with it. Berlin’s licensing office puts it plainly: most foreign licenses need one or the other.
- Moving to Germany: the permit buys you nothing beyond the first six months. It is never exchanged for a German license, and it is only valid together with the national license it was issued for.
- Living in Germany and travelling: you get a German international permit from the licensing office or, in Berlin, any citizens’ office, for €15 in Berlin and €16.30 in Munich, on the spot if you hold a German card license. It is valid for three years, never longer than your license.
An international driving permit (IDP, in German Internationaler Führerschein) is a translation booklet issued under one of three road-traffic conventions. It proves nothing on its own. Germany accepts the 1926, 1949 and 1968 versions as proof of a foreign license, and the common 1968 version only together with the national license. The two situations expats ask about are the opposite of each other: arriving with a foreign license, and leaving on a trip with a German one.
Arriving in Germany with a foreign license
You may drive on your foreign license as a visitor without a time limit, and for six months after you take up residence. The question is what to carry with it. The rule has three parts. A national license needs a translation if it is not in German, not issued in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, and not in the format of the 1968 convention. Germany has waived the translation for licenses from Andorra, Hong Kong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland and Senegal. An international permit replaces the translation.
Whether a particular US, Canadian or Australian license counts as the convention format is a question the licensing office answers, not this page. The safe route is to carry a permit from your home automobile association, or a translation made by an automobile club in your country, by a German automobile club, or by a sworn translator in Germany.
Three things the permit does not do:
- It does not extend the six months. After them you need a German license, whatever your permit says. How that works: converting a foreign driving license.
- It is not exchanged. The licensing office converts only valid national licenses, never the permit.
- It is not valid alone. A 1968 permit without the national license is no license at all.
Getting a German international permit for travel
If you hold a German license and plan to drive outside the EU, you may need a permit for your destination. Germany issues two versions: the 1968 Vienna convention permit, valid for three years, and the older 1926 Paris convention permit, valid for one year, for the few countries that only recognize that one. Neither is valid beyond the expiry of your license. Within the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway you never need one.
| Berlin | Munich | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | any citizens’ office, in person | licensing office, in person with an appointment, or online |
| You need | passport or ID card, your German card license, one biometric photo on paper (Munich takes an image file for the online route) | |
| Fee | €15.00 | €16.30 |
| Processing | on the spot | on the spot with an appointment, up to six weeks online |
| Sources: City of Berlin and City of Munich service pages, retrieved 4 November 2026. The federal fee schedule sets the office’s fee at €11.20 to €15.30. Munich’s total is higher than that range. | ||
You must be 18. A paper license from before 1999 has to be swapped for the card first. If you still hold a foreign license rather than a German one, you can apply too, but Munich needs about six weeks for that and asks you to get in touch at least six weeks before the trip. Berlin sends foreign license holders to the licensing office instead of the citizens’ office.
Before you travel
The permit is the smallest part of driving abroad. If you drive your own car, check what your car insurance covers outside Germany, and carry the registration document, which German officers call the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I.
Bottom line
A permit earns its place on a visit, where most licenses from outside the EU need one or a translation. Moving here? Put your effort into the license exchange, because the permit never replaces it.
Part of driving in Germany. Related: converting a foreign license · US license · UK license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only as a companion to your national license, and only if that license is not in German, not from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, and not in the international convention format. A certified translation does the same job. Berlin’s licensing office says most foreign national licenses need one or the other.
No. The licensing office exchanges valid national licenses only. The permit is a translation and has no standing on its own.
No. Six months after you take up residence in Germany you need a German license, with or without a permit. The only extension is for people who can show they will stay less than a year.
Three years for the usual version under the 1968 convention, one year for the 1926 version that a few countries still require. Neither is valid beyond the expiry of your German license, and it cannot be renewed.
An internationally recognized automobile club in the country that issued the license, a German automobile club, a sworn translator in Germany or an official body of the issuing country. Germany has waived the translation for licenses from Andorra, Hong Kong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland and Senegal.
Yes, if your foreign license is valid in Germany. In Berlin you apply at the licensing office rather than a citizens’ office. Munich needs about six weeks and asks you to contact the office at least six weeks before you travel.
Sources and legal basis
Sources and legal basis (retrieved on 4 November 2026)
- Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (driving license regulation), section 29: proof of a foreign license by the national license or an international permit under the 1926, 1949 or 1968 conventions; translation requirement and who may translate; six months after taking up residence.
- Federal Ministry of Transport, leaflet on licenses from outside the EU and EEA (4 April 2022): the 1968 permit is only valid with the national license, translators, the waiver for Andorra, Hong Kong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland and Senegal, the permit is not enough for the exchange.
- City of Berlin, information on licenses from outside the EU: most foreign national licenses need an international permit or a translation; visitors drive without time limit.
- City of Berlin, exchange of a license from outside the EU: international permits are not exchanged.
- Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, section 25a (application: age 18, card license or valid foreign license, photo) and section 25b (1926 version valid one year, 1968 version three years, never beyond the national license).
- City of Berlin, applying for an international driving permit: any citizens’ office, in person, card license required, documents, €15.00, issued on the spot, not needed in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, foreign license holders apply at the licensing office.
- City of Munich, international driving permit: both versions and their validity, card license since 2002, online or in person, documents, €16.30, processing on the spot or up to six weeks, about six weeks for foreign license holders, no 1949 version issued.
- Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr (fee schedule), Annex, fee number 207: €11.20 to €15.30 for the decision on an international permit.