Driving licence in Germany

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Driving licence in Germany
German EU driving licence card (2021 layout)
Type	Driving licence
Issued by	Germany
Purpose	Proof of permission to legally operate a motor vehicle
Expiration	After 15 years

In Germany, the driving licence ("Führerschein") is a governmental privilege given to those who request a licence for any of the categories they desire. It is required for every type of motorised vehicle with the exception of the smallest mopeds below 50 cm³, with a speed limit of 25 km/h, as well as motorised bicycles (even for these, there is a minimum age of 15 years and a small mandatory driving school course). The types of licences one may obtain are the same in all the European Economic Area. See European driving licence.

The minimum age to obtain a driving licence is:^[1]

• 15 years for a small motorcycle up to 50 cm³ and limited to 45 km/h at the age of 15 (Class AM with key number 195).^[2] Certain vintage East German motorcycles (e. g. Simson) with top speeds of up to 60 km/h may be ridden with this type of licence, making them especially popular with young riders.^[3][4]
• 16 years for a restricted motorcycle up to 125 cm³ (Class A1),
• 17 years for a car with a legal guardian (Begleitetes Fahren "BF17"),
• 18 years for unrestricted car (Class B) and a restricted motorcycle up to 35 kW / 48 PS (Class A2)^[5]
• 21 years for buses (Class D1 and D) and cargo vehicles (Class C1 and C).^[6]