Driving licence (temporary) - apply for extension
Your driving licence is valid for five years for categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D, DE or D1, D1E. You can have it extended for a further five years at a time.
Driving licences for C1 and C1E lorries issued before 27 December 2016 are valid until you are 50 years old. After that, they can be extended for five years at a time.
Please note: With the extension, you will receive a new driving licencerlicence.
Please note: Driving licences in cheque card format issued from 19 January 2013 are valid for 15 years. The deadline only applies to the plastic card, not to your driving licence. The card must be renewed every 15 years. Regular medical examinations or other tests are not associated with the renewal.
Responsible authority
the driving licence office of your place of residence
Is the driving licence office,
- if you live in an urban district: the city administration
- if you live in a rural district: the district administration office
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
temporary driving licence
Procedure
You can apply for the extension at the earliest six months before the expiry date. The application must be submitted in writing to the driving licence office in your place of residence or, if offered by the competent authority, as an online application. If you apply in writing, you can obtain the application form from the driving licence office. You can also submit the written application including the required evidence and documents there.
To apply online, please use the link on this page. You can upload the required evidence and documents as file attachments as part of the online application.
The driving licence office will extend the temporary driving licence. It will issue a new driving licence with a new period of validity.
For an extra fee, you can request an express ordernorder. This shortens the waiting time for the new driving licence. Please contact your local authority for more information.
Deadlines
At the earliest six months and at the latest six weeks before your current driving licence expires
If you apply in good time, your driving licence will be seamlessly extended by five years.
Required documents
- Identity card or passport
- previous driving licence
- a biometric passport photo
- a medical certificate confirming that your eyesight has been examined or a certificate from an ophthalmologist
You can have this examination carried out at:- an ophthalmologist,
- an occupational or company medical practitioner
- an assessment centre for fitness to drive,
- a doctor from the public health department, another doctor from the public administration
A certificate issued is valid for two years.
- medical certificate of aptitude on a form
There is a form for this certificate that doctors have in most cases. You can have the examination carried out at a doctor's surgery of your choice. The certificate must not be older than one year at the time of application. - for categories D, DE, D1 and D1E additionally: certificate of good conduct
- for bus drivers with a driving licence for categories D, D1, DE and D1E from the age of 50 additionally: a performance psychology report
The performance psychology examination includes, for example, a test of resilience, responsiveness, orientation and ability to concentrate. You can provide proof of this in the form of a company or occupational health report or a report from an officially recognised assessment centre for driving fitness.
Costs
45.10 EUR
There are additional costs for the certificate of good conduct.
Miscellaneous
none
Legal basis
Verordnung über die Zulassung von Personen zum Straßenverkehr (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung-FeV):
- § 23 Geltungsdauer der Fahrerlaubnis, Beschränkungen und Auflagen
- § 24 Verlängerung von Fahrerlaubnissen
- § 2 Fahrerlaubnis und Führerschein
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 28.01.2025