Survival Tip #45: Driving & Getting Your Driving License
For Americans, there are a few key differences between driving in Germany and driving in the US. For the most part, it is business as usual and if you drive defensively and have a keen eye, all should be well. Americans can drive for 6 months with their own license, before having to take a driver's exam and get a German license. In any case, rules and laws differ and it is always a good idea to read up on the rules of the road before driving in another country.
If you are lucky, your state license can be converted into a German license without complication. Each state is different. Other state licenses may not be convertable, and you may be required to take either one or both tests: a theoretical test (written test) and a practical test (driving test). In my home state of Oregon, only a theoretical test is required. In the case that you must take a test, there are a number of documents that must be prepared.
There is a process to preparing the documents required for a driving license. Unlike in the US, where all you need is proof that you have practiced, and the cash to pay for the physical license, in Germany you need several things:
1) Proof of completion of a first-aid course, no older than 6 months. These courses can be done in German or English.
2) Eye exam. Again, no older than 6 months, and costs about 30 euros.
3) Official translation of your foreign license. You need to take your actual license (must still be valid) to a translation company like ADAC. Again, it costs money, maybe around 40 euros.
4) Your passport or identification showing your nationality and status of residence.
German bureaucracy is completed and harsh, so be informed of what you need before you go to signup for the tests. Different departments, branches, and employees may not know what you need to do, or may tell you something unnecessary, and it is your job to tell them what is required of you. For example, the agent who helped me sign up for my test was 100% positive that I needed to take a course through a driving school, which is quite expensive. However, it is not required (at least in Rheinland) to take a driving course before taking a theoretical test. After two visits, the agent finally called someone higher up who verified this information. But if I hadn't known what was required of me, I would have taken her at her word and paid hundreds of euros for an unnecessary course (although of course you should find another, cheaper way to study for the test).
Signing up is done through your local city office/town hall/buergerzentrum. Signing up also costs money, 50 euros. After that, you have to wait for an official letter from the testing agency (in my case, TÜV Rheinland) which will inform you when and where you can take your test(s).
Hopefully you have a native German citizen who has taken the driving exam and can help you with all of this, but even so there are a lot of exceptions and special situations for foreigners that must be taken into account. The best thing you can do is look at websites, make phone calls, and solicit advice from other people in your situation. Be patient and prepared to wait, as this process can take weeks or even months depending on how long it takes you to prepare your materials.
If you want to study for the driving test, the best website I have found is Bryan's Guide to Getting Around Germany, which covers all of the rules and regulations you will encounter in the theoretical test. There are also (paid) websites that have practice tests you can take. The one I used was Fuehrerscheinbestehen, which costs upwards of 25 euros per month. Of course, you can take a course, but they are expensive and finding them in English is difficult. The theoretical test only permits a few missed questions before outright failing, and there are hundreds of potential questions, so it is not a good idea to attempt the test before you are thoroughly studied all of the rules of the road.
These are the best pieces of advice I can give you. This is a long blog entry because the process is complicated. Honestly, if you want the smoothest process, be able to speak fluent German before you come to Germany, and have a license from a state or country that doesn't require testing for conversion. For everyone else: study, study, study!
