If you hold a Chinese driver's license and plan to drive in Germany, you must carry both the original license and a German translation. This guide explains the rules for temporary and permanent stays, plus how to get your license officially recognized.
I. Temporary Stay in Germany
If you are staying in Germany temporarily, you may drive the vehicle categories listed on your Chinese driver's license, provided you comply with all its requirements and restrictions. According to German driving license regulations, you must carry the original Chinese driver's license together with a German translation*.
The German translation can be provided by:
- A sworn translator appointed by a German court (names and addresses can be found at http://www.justiz-dolmetscher.de/), or
- An official Chinese authority.
In practice, it is highly recommended to have your Chinese driver's license and its German translation notarized and authenticated. The procedure is as follows:
- Take your Chinese driver's license to a Chinese notary office authorized to issue notarized documents for use abroad. The notary will prepare a notarized certificate based on your license and provide or arrange for a certified translation company to produce the German translation. The notary usually also confirms the correctness of the translation.
- Then, this notarized certificate must be authenticated by the Consular Authentication Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Foreign Affairs Office of your province or municipality.
- Finally, the German embassy or consulate responsible for your region must re-authenticate the already authenticated notarized certificate.
You can find details about re-authentication by the German Embassy and consulates in China at this link: https://china.diplo.de/cn-de/service/beglaubigung/1209070#content_1. On the same page, you will also find contact information for service providers that can assist with the authentication and re-authentication process.
II. Permanent Residence in Germany
If you take up permanent residence in Germany, your Chinese driver's license and its German translation (see Part I) may be used for a maximum of 6 months.
After 6 months, your Chinese driver's license is no longer recognized in Germany, and you must obtain a German driver's license.
For information on how to obtain a German driver's license and the requirements, contact the local driver's license authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde) in your place of residence in good time. If you can prove that your stay in Germany will not exceed 12 months, you may, upon application, be granted an extension of the validity of your Chinese driver's license for a further 6 months.
III. Further Information
Detailed information for holders of foreign driver's licenses, especially on converting a foreign license to a German one, can be found in the German and English information sheets of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (formerly: Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development) available on our embassy website.
Driving with a foreign driver's license that is not or is no longer recognized in Germany will be treated as driving without a license and is subject to penalties.
Disclaimer
The information in this notice is based on the knowledge and experience of the German diplomatic missions abroad at the time of writing. No legal claims can be derived from this notice.
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