Exchange of driving license: This is how you avoid fines before the deadline!

Exchange of driving license: This is how you avoid fines before the deadline!

A dramatic call to hurry: By January 19, 2025, everyone who was born in 1971 or later must exchange their old paper driving license for a new one! But the reality looks dark: in many circles, including Plön, Pinneberg and Stormarn, only about 11,000 out of 25,000 expected exchange campaigns took place. Time is running, and if you are still caught with the old driver's license, you risk a fine of 10 euros - a joke compared to the exchanging costs of around 30 euros! But be careful: this can lead to serious problems abroad or rental cars!

important deadlines and steps

The countdown is running! Anyone who was born before 1953 can keep their document by 2033. For everyone else it means: act now! The first step to the new driver's license is the requirement of a index card, especially if the old driver's license was issued in a different circle. In most cases, this is quick and free of charge by email. But be careful: Neumünster states that the processing can take up to six weeks!

The next step? A biometric passport photo! Only a few authorities have had machines on site, ideally photographed themselves and have them developed in drugstores. But the picture has to be sharp and without shadow - otherwise there are problems! Applications must be submitted personally or by post, with some circles also offering online processing. The waiting times are increasing the closer the deadline. The federal printing company needs between two and six weeks to issue the new driver's license, and in the high phase it could even be up to three months!

In some circles, the old driver's license can even be kept, while others insist that it is devalued or moved in. So if you haven't exchanged, you should hurry and take the necessary steps to avoid nasty surprises!