Applying for your driving licence: when, where and with which documents

From when?

You can submit the application at the earliest six months before the minimum age (§ 21 Abs. 4 FeV):

• Class B: from 17 years and 6 months
• BF17 (accompanied driving, Begleitetes Fahren): from 16 years and 6 months

Many people apply early because processing can take several weeks depending on the city.

Where?

The responsible authority is the driving licence office (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde) at your main residence – even if your driving school is elsewhere. Each state or city itself regulates how you submit the application:

• In Berlin you submit it in person, by appointment, at a Bürgeramt or at the LABO – or your driving school submits it online through the “FAO” procedure, if it takes part.
• In many other cities, Bürgerämter or customer centres accept the application; some offer an online application.

You can find out what applies in your city on our city pages, for example Driving licence application in Berlin – or via all cities.

Which documents?

• ID card or passport
• One biometric passport photo that complies with the Passport Ordinance (Passverordnung). In Berlin it must be on paper; paper photos are not printed on site.
• Eye-test certificate (Sehtestbescheinigung) – no more than two years old when you apply
• Proof of first-aid training (9 teaching units)
• Name and address of your driving school; in Berlin also the test centre (TÜV Rheinland or DEKRA)
• A declaration of whether you already hold, or have applied for, a foreign driving licence

Additionally for BF17: the companions (one form per person, with a copy of their ID and driving licence) and the consent of your parents or guardians (Erziehungsberechtigte). For B197 you can submit the proof of manual driving (Schaltnachweis) later.

You do not need a certificate of good conduct (Führungszeugnis) for class B – it is only required for the bus classes.

What does the application cost?

The fee is made up of items from the nationwide fee schedule; cities publish different final amounts. For class B, the published amounts in October 2026 were between €44.70 and €53.22, and in Berlin €45.90. BF17 costs more because of the test certificate and the companions. The exact figures for your city, with the source, are on the relevant city page.

What happens after the application?

1. The authority checks your details and queries the driver aptitude register (Fahreignungsregister).
2. It sends the exam order (Prüfauftrag) to the technical test centre (TÜV or DEKRA).
3. From then on, deadlines run: you must pass the theory exam within 12 months of the exam order being received, and the practical exam within 12 months of passing the theory exam.

In Berlin, according to the LABO, these deadlines are not extended – you would then have to submit a new application.

How long does processing take?

This varies greatly from city to city and fluctuates. Berlin regularly publishes the dates of the applications currently being processed. Munich states “up to 14 weeks”, Düsseldorf an average of 12 weeks. On the city pages we show only the authorities' figures, with the date.

Changes cost money

If, after applying, you change the driving school or the class (e.g. from B to BF17) or add a companion, the authority charges a change fee – in Berlin €12.80 per change. So take your time planning before you apply.