Electronic driving licence check

What is compared during the check

FleetCred knows the layout of the EU card driving licence. The numbers are the field numbers printed on every card:

12

Surname and first name, compared with the driver in your list

3

Date of birth

4b

Expiry date of the document. Card driving licences issued since 19 January 2013 are valid for 15 years.

5

Driving licence number, compared with the number on file

911

On the back: categories and their own expiry date, important for C1, C, CE and D, which are renewed every five years

12

Codes, for example 95 for professional driver qualification

If something does not match, such as a different name, an expired date or a missing category, FleetCred flags the check. The decision is made by an authorised person in your company. On request, FleetCred automatically confirms live captures in which all details clearly match. A rejection is always decided by a person.

How the check works

1. 1

   Request a check

   Automatically at the interval you set, before a new driver’s first journey, or immediately with one click when there is a reason. The driver receives their link by email, SMS, WhatsApp or push notification.

2. 2

   Take a photo

   The driver holds the card in the frame. When it is steady and sharp, the app captures the image itself. The driver then briefly tilts the card until the hologram shimmers in colour, followed by the back.

3. 3

   Evaluate

   Text recognition reads the fields. FleetCred compares them with your master data and points out blur, reflections or a missing hologram.

4. 4

   Approve and record

   You see the photo and the recognised data side by side and approve. The log is sealed with a timestamp and checksum.

How often to check?

There is currently no fixed deadline in law. As keeper, however, you commit an offence under § 21 StVG if you allow someone to drive without a driving licence. In practice, checks are therefore usually carried out twice a year.

A draft law from the Federal Government dated October 2026 is intended to change this: a check before the vehicle is first handed over, and afterwards only if there is reason to believe that something is wrong. More in the article New law on driving licence checks.

In FleetCred, you set the interval between one and 24 months, and FleetCred then requests the initial check and interval checks automatically. Or you switch it off and request checks with one click when there is a reason. FleetCred reminds you of the expiry dates of the card and categories in both cases.

Renewing lorry and bus categories in good time

Categories C, CE, D, D1, DE and D1E are valid for five years; C1 and C1E until the 50th birthday and then also for five years. For renewal, under § 24 FeV (German Driving Licence Regulation), the driver needs a medical certificate under Annex 5 and proof of eyesight under Annex 6, and for bus categories from 50 additional proof of fitness. They can apply no earlier than six months before expiry.

Because medical appointments and the application take weeks, FleetCred reminds you of the lorry and bus categories with its own, longer lead time, preset to 180 days before, and points drivers to the certificate and eyesight test in the message and app. Only the new expiry date from the back of the driving licence is stored, no findings and no health information.

Drivers without a smartphone

Not every driver has a smartphone with them. In that case, you check on site on the tablet or computer in dispatch, with the same verification and the same log. This is also suitable for the initial check, where you have the driving licence in your own hands.

Frequently asked questions

All checked documents at a glance