Get a German driving licence (driving school) in Germany

If your licence can't simply be exchanged, you'll learn to drive through a registered driving school (Fahrschule) in Germany and pass both a theory and a practical exam. German training is thorough — and not cheap — with a set number of compulsory lessons, including special drives on the motorway and at night.

⏱️Budget roughly €2,500–3,500+ all-in. From signing up to passing usually takes 3–6 months.

Good to know — wherever you live

• ✓You enrol at a Fahrschule, which registers you for the theory (Theorieprüfung) and practical (praktische Prüfung) tests and guides you through the paperwork.
• ✓Certain lessons are mandatory: a fixed number of theory sessions plus special drives (Sonderfahrten) on the Autobahn, on country roads and at night.
• ✓You'll also need a first-aid course (Erste-Hilfe-Kurs), an eyesight test and a biometric photo before the licence is issued.
• ✓You can take the theory test in English, or in 11 other languages, anywhere in Germany. The practical test is in German, and whether lessons are in English depends on the instructor, so ask before you sign up.
• ✓If your existing foreign licence only needs converting rather than re-sitting, use the licence-exchange route instead — it's far cheaper and faster.

Driving licence in English →