Around 43 million Germans will soon have to exchange their driving licenses. The reason: it becomes invalid. The costs for this amount to at least 30 euros per person. We’ve got everything you need to know about exchanging.
The numbers are huge. In 2021, around 58 million Germans had a car driver’s license. Around 43 million of them will have to exchange their driver’s license for a forgery-proof copy from January 2022 . Not only the approximately 15 million paper driving licenses are affected. Around 28 million new driving licenses in credit card format also have to be exchanged. On January 19, 2023, more drivers will be affected.
THESE COSTS ARE INCURRED FOR THE DRIVER’S LICENSE EXCHANGE
Anyone who obtained their driving license before January 18, 2013 and was issued with it must exchange it by January 19, 2033 at the latest. Not everyone is affected immediately and it is more complicated than some people think. It depends on either the age of the driver’s license holder or the year of issue. Two ADAC tables show who’s turn and when .
Anyone born between 1959 and 1964 must have exchanged their driving license by January 19, 2023.
Now many are probably wondering why the driver’s license has to be exchanged. The reason: In the future, driving licenses should be forgery-proof and uniform throughout the EU. In addition, they want to record them in a database to avoid misuse.
The costs for the exchange campaign amount to more than one billion euros. Each person concerned must go to the local driver’s license office and apply for an exchange there . This takes place without an examination or health examination. The state charges 25 euros for the exchange..
OTHER COSTS NOT EXCLUDED
Anyone who needs to exchange their driving license must present their identity card or passport at the driving license office. You also need a biometric passport photo. If you have this done by a photographer, it will cost you an additional 10 to 20 euros. You have to reckon with costs of around 5 to 8 euros for a biometric passport photo in a machine. But there are also services on the Internet that offer a passport photo generator. You can upload your self-made photo there and choose the image section and the proportions so that they meet the official requirements. But here, too, you have to pay about 7 euros.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T EXCHANGE YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE
The exchange is mandatory for all concerned. Anyone who does not exchange their driver’s license and continues to drive with the old “rag” must expect a fine of 10 euros. You may also encounter other problems abroad.
