Driver's Licence Translation
You moved to Germany and need a certified translation of your foreign driver's licence? Or do you need the translation for your trip abroad? Have your driver's licence translated and certified by our sworn translators. Order your translation in a few steps online!
Your Driver's Licence Translation
Our service includes
Note: The certified translation for a German authority also includes the classification of your driver's licence.
Simply enter the source and target language of the document and receive a non-binding price quote immediately.
You can immediately place your order with us without having to request a quote first.
We guarantee that all certified translation done by lingoking will be recognised by all German authorities.
The certified translation of your driver's licence will be done by court-sworn translators.
Your certified translation will be sent to you by registered mail. It will be shipped to you within 3 to 5 business days when choosing standard delivery.
We guarantee the correctness and accuracy of each translation.
You need your certified translation immediately? Choose express delivery and get the translation of your driver's licence within 48 hours.
Please note that we only offer certified translations from German or into German. Our translations follow a standard page rate based on up to 350 words per page.
Order process of your translation
Get your driver's licence translation in a few steps
You can easily configure our services and find out immediately how much the certified translation of your driver's licence will cost.
We will find a suitable translator for you fully automatically within a very short time. You will receive the final certified translation of your driver's licence within just 3 to 5 working days. We look forward to your order!
Select the desired options. You can upload your original document at the end of the order process once payment has been taken.
Select the desired options. You can upload your original document at the end of the order process once payment has been taken.
After the translation, you will receive a notification asking you to approve the final translation.
Once the certified translation is finalised, you will receive a tracking code to keep tabs on your physical translation copy. The translation process is complete.
Why do you need a certified translation of your driver's licence?
If you need to present your driver's licence to an official authority and it is not in the respective langauge, you need to have your driver's licence translated and certified. Only sworn translators can provide a certified translation. Sworn translators confirm the accuracy of the translation with a notarisation, stamp and signature. This way, authorities know that the certified translation corresponds to the original document.
If you have a driver's licence from a country outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), you may need to have your driver's licence translated and certified in order to be allowed to drive in Germany.
If you have your main residence in Germany and have lived here for more than six months, the German authorities may require you to exchange your foreign driver's licence for a German driver's licence. In this case, you may need a certified translation and classification of your foreign driver's licence.
If you are emigrating to another country, you may need the translation of your driver's licence into the respective language. In some countries a translation is not sufficient. In this cases you need an international driver's licence.
If you are travelling to country outside the EU, you may need a translation of your driver's licence. The translation may be necessary for renting a car, camper, etc. and for traffic controls. Foreign authorities need to understand what is written on your driver's licence, for example which classification it has.
Further translation services
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FAQs
Important questions and answers regarding the translation of a driver licence.
If you come from an EU country or a country from the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, you do not need to have your driving licence translated in order to be allowed to drive in Germany. However, different rules apply to drivers from other countries outside the EU. If persons are only staying temporarily in Germany, they may drive motor vehicles of the class for which the driver's licence is issued if one of the following two requirements is met:
- The person holds a valid national driver's licence.
- It possesses an international driver's licence in accordance with the International Convention on Motor Traffic of 24 April 1926, the Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968 or the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic.
If the national driver's licence is not in German or does not comply with Annex 6 of the Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968, the person concerned must have the licence translated. [Source: www.bussgeldkatalog.org]
In order to obtain a German driving licence, you must submit a formal application for conversion to the Führerscheinstelle (driver's licence office). You may then have to take a theoretical and/or practical driving test at a driving school. The conversion of your national driver's licence including examinations takes a total of approx. two months.
The following are required for the application:
- Valid national driver's licence with date of issue
- Certified translation of your driving licence, if necessary with classification
- Identity card or passport
- Biometric passport photo
- Confirmation of first registration in Germany from the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office)
- First aid course
- Eye test from optician (not older than two years)
- Chosen driving school
First call the office that will issue your licence (Führerscheinstelle) to find out which documents are required in order to avoid difficulties. Authorities in Germany often have a different set of requirements depending on their location.
As the holder of a valid foreign driver's licence, you can drive motor vehicles in Germany in accordance with your acquired driver's licence. This regulation applies for a stay of up to six months. After these six months, a transfer of your driver's licence is necessary. If you have an international driver's licence, you do not have to carry a translation in Germany. Translations of official documents must be done by a translator sworn in Germany.
Classification has the task of defining equivalences between two differently named driver's licence classes. More precisely, this means: There have been uniform classes in the EU since 2013. For example, if you have a car driver's licence, your driver's licence will state driver's licence class B. This entitles you to drive a vehicle with a total weight of 3.5 tonnes.
Driver's license translations required for a German authority are always offered at lingoking including certification and classification. Translations for foreign countries, on the other hand, only with certification.
Driver's licence translations required for a German authority are always offered at lingoking including certification and classification. Translations for foreign countries, on the other hand, only with certification. In both cases, the translation is done by a sworn translator in Germany.
By the way: A scan or photo of your driver's licence is sufficient for the translation, we do not need the original.
Please note, however, that the Führerscheinstelle (driving licence office) in Düsseldorf only accepts translations of originals. In this case, contact a local service provider or contact us, we will be happy to help you with your search.
The driver's licence is now valid almost everywhere within Europe. This is not limited to the EU states, but also includes Norway and Switzerland, for example. In some European countries, an international driver's licence is nevertheless recommended. Outside Europe, you must always have an international driver's licence or a certified English translation.
If you want to be mobile on the roads outside the EU and rent or drive your own car, you need an internatinal driver's licence which you can apply for at the citizens' offices — at your city administration or the regional administration office of your place of residence. An international driver's licence is valid for three years and is only valid for driving abroad.
Learn more about international driver's licences and when you need them in our article: International driver's licence.