Service Finder
Applying for a driver card for commercial transport or carriage of goods and passengers for the first time
Service Description
The driver card is used to monitor driving times and rest periods in the commercial transport of goods and passengers. The obligation to have a driver card applies to:
- Motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of more than 3.5 t including trailers;
- motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of 2.8 to 3.5 t including trailers, provided that a digital tachograph is installed;
- and for motor vehicles designed to carry more than nine persons, including the driver.
Exemptions (e.g. for agricultural businesses or postal services) are explained in § 1 para. 2 and § 18 of the Driving Personnel Ordinance and Art 3 of EU Regulation 561/2014.
You are applying for a driver card for the first time if you are not yet in possession of a valid driver card.
The application for issuance of your driver card is to be addressed to the authorities or agencies responsible under state law (e.g. driver licensing authority, Dekra, TÜV).
The issuance is subject to a fee.
You must either identify yourself via the online authentication of the user account or present yourself in person on site.
The driver card is valid for five years. The start of validity is the date of personalization (production) by the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). Card renewal should take place no later than 15 working days before card expiry. If the driver card has already expired at the time of application, an initial order will be placed.
Notes:
The driver card issued to you personally may only be used by you. The driver card is always your property, even if your employer has paid for the driver card.
Process flow
Depending on the federal state, you can submit the application for your driver card with the required documents and information online or on site
- At your local driver licensing authority
- or another competent authority (e.g. TÜV, DEKRA).
- To identify yourself online and check your documents, you must have the option of online authentication by means of a user account and digital upload of the required documents.
- You can pay for the application online via a payment service provider.
- There is a fee for the creation of a driver card.
- As part of the application process, you must provide all required information and submit or upload documents.
- The responsible office will check your information for completeness and accuracy.
- After a successful check, the KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt - Federal Motor Transport Authority) will issue the personalized driver card.
- You can obtain the personalized driver card
- pick it up directly at the responsible office in person or
- have the KBA send it to you directly (after online authentication and online payment).
Notice:
If serious violations (including both criminal offenses and misdemeanors) are found during the initial issuance, the driver card may be refused and the application rejected.
If necessary, administrative offense or fine proceedings will then be initiated.
Who should I contact?
Contact the responsible driver's license authority in the county or city of your primary residence (for at least 185 days per year).
Requirements
You are entitled to apply for the first issue of a driver card if you are
- are resident in the Federal Republic of Germany and
- hold a German EU-card driver's license with one of the following classes: B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE.
Driving licenses issued in a member state of the European Union (EU) or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) must correspond to one of the aforementioned classes.
Which documents are required?
- Identity card (or residence permit or EU citizen card)
- Current, digital biometric photograph
- A digital copy of your signature
- A digital copy of your current EU driver's license or a comparable driver's license for applicants from another EU/EEA country.
What are the fees?
Cost type: variable
Cost amount (variable): from 30 up to 45 Euro
Name of the cost: administrative fee
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
No time limit is required when a driver card is issued for the first time.
Processing duration
1 month
Legal basis
Applications / forms
Opposition
Appeal
Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance required: No
What else should I know?
There are the following indications:
In Germany, employers are not obliged to reimburse their employees for the cost of driver cards. The Federal Labor Court has ruled that employees are not entitled to reimbursement.
Notice:
In the event of damage, malfunction, loss or theft of the driver card, you must apply to the relevant authorities for replacement of the card within seven calendar days at the latest. The theft of the driver card must be reported to the police.
Author
Hessian Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)
Competent Authority
Landratsamt Saale-Holzland-Kreis - Fahrerlaubnisbehörde
Address
07607 Eisenberg
Postal address
07602 Eisenberg
Opening times
General office hours
Monday: 8:30 - 12.00
Tuesday: 8:30 am - 12:00 pm 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Wednesday: by appointment
Thursday: 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30am - 12:00pm
Appointments can also be made outside the above office hours if necessary
.
