Driving license exchange: Last chance for years from 1971!

Driving license exchange: Last chance for years from 1971!

Plöner Straße 27, 24534 Neumünster, Deutschland - A exchange of driving license is imminent and time is pushing! By January 19, 2025, everyone who was born in 1971 or later must exchange their old paper driver's license for a new one. But the numbers are alarming: In the Plön district of around 25,000 expected exchange campaigns, only about 11,000 took place. Other circles such as Pinneberg and Stormarn also report terrifyingly low numbers. If you are still traveling with the old driver's license, you risk a fine of 10 euros - a joke compared to the exchange costs of around 30 euros! But that's not all: there can be serious problems abroad or rental cars.

important deadlines and steps

The countdown is running! The next key date is January 19, 2025. Anyone who was born before 1953 has time to keep their driver's license until 2033. The first step to the new document is to apply for a index card, especially if the old driver's license has been issued in a different circle. Many circles offer this service online, but the processing times can vary - in Neumünster for up to six weeks! This is followed by the procurement of a biometric passport photo that must meet strict requirements.

The application is usually personally carried out personally, whereby some circles also offer postal or online options. Long waiting times are expected, especially in the last weeks before the deadline - up to three months in extreme cases! In some circles, the old driver's license can even be kept while others move in. For later years that received their driver's license after 1999, the exchange only begins from 2026. If you are not acting now, you could soon be without a valid driver's license!