Deadline for exchanging driving license is approaching! Act now to avoid trouble!

Deadline for exchanging driving license is approaching! Act now to avoid trouble!

There is a major exchange project in Germany that affects all driving license holders. The authorities have already issued a comprehensive reminder of the upcoming deadlines. In particular, all credit card driving licenses issued between 1999 and 2001 must be exchanged by January 19, 2026, like that Sonneberg District Office informed. It doesn't matter whether you have a paper or plastic card driver's license; It is important that you act quickly so as not to miss any deadlines.

But that's not all: there is also important information for older driving license holders. Anyone born before 1953 should exchange their driving license by January 19, 2033 at the latest. This applies regardless of the issue date and applies to both old paper versions and newer credit cards.

Organizational matters and online appointment scheduling

Would you like to exchange your driving license? Then please note that you must submit the application in person to the responsible driving license authority at your current place of residence. The exchange can only be carried out at the Sonneberg district office after prior online appointment. The appointments can be conveniently booked online at this link.

The contact options for the driving license authority are also important: You can reach them on the numbers 03675/871-503, 03675/871-490, 03675/871-477 and 03675/871-280. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us directly – we’ve got something coming up!

What do you need to bring with you?

Take everything you need for the exchange with you! The required documents include a valid ID card or passport, a biometric passport photo and of course the current driver's license. There is also a fee of around 25 euros. Remember, this exchange doesn't require you to retake the driving test — you just need to exchange your old driver's license for the new, tamper-proof version.

If your driver's license was not issued by the current authority, you will need an index card copy. It is also important to point out that the new EU driving licenses are valid for 15 years. Therefore, remember to have it renewed in a timely manner when it expires.

Important deadlines at a glance

• Führerscheine, die zwischen 1999 und 2001 ausgestellt wurden: Umtausch bis 19. Januar 2026.
• Führerscheine, die bis zum 31. Dezember 1998 ausgegeben wurden, müssen je nach Geburtsjahr bis zu unterschiedlichen Stichtagen umgetauscht werden.
• Schließlich muss jeder Führerschein, der vor dem 19. Januar 2013 ausgestellt wurde, bis zum 19. Januar 2033 umgetauscht werden.

The aim of this extensive exchange campaign is a uniform and forgery-proof driving license system within the EU. Around 43 million driving licenses need to be updated at around the same time to avoid traffic problems and distances between the different driving license systems. Any problems abroad, such as difficulties in renting vehicles, will hopefully be a thing of the past. This shows further details on this Federal Government on.

So be quick and act in time! Anyone who misses the deadline could face a fine of 10 euros, which isn't exactly the best idea for securing your driving license. So: off to the driving license authority! Remember, don't panic, but act early and have all documents ready.

For all the latest information and developments regarding driving license exchanges, you can also visit the website ADAC visit, which will keep you constantly informed.