Deadlines for card driving licences
| Year of issue | Exchange by |
|---|---|
| 1999 to 2001 | 19 January 2026 (expired) |
| 2002 to 2004 | 19 January 2027 |
| 2005 to 2007 | 19 January 2028 |
| 2008 | 19 January 2029 |
| 2009 | 19 January 2030 |
| 2010 | 19 January 2031 |
| 2011 | 19 January 2032 |
| 2012 to 18 January 2013 | 19 January 2033 |
The year of issue is in field 4a on the front. Anyone born before 1953 only has to exchange by 19 January 2033, regardless of the year of issue.
What this means for your fleet
A driving licence whose exchange deadline has passed is not a case under Section 21 StVG: the driving entitlement continues to exist. However, the old document will stand out in a police check, and abroad an expired document can cause additional trouble. It is therefore worth reminding drivers in good time.
- For cards without an expiry date in field 4b, check the date of issue in field 4a.
- Enter the exchange date from the table as the expiry date. FleetCred will then remind the driver with your lead time.
- After the exchange, the driver photographs the new card, and FleetCred adopts the new expiry date once you have approved it.
Lorry and bus categories
A separate deadline applies in any case to categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE: they are each granted for five years and extended for a further five years on application. For this the driver needs a medical certificate, which must not be more than one year old at the time of application, and an eyesight test. For bus categories D and D1, proof of fitness is also required from age 50. The City of Cologne recommends applying for the extension at least six weeks before expiry.
The expiry date of each category is on the back in column 11. FleetCred reads it and sends a reminder beforehand.
The information is based on the details provided by the driving licence authorities. The information given by the authority responsible for the driver is what counts.