Using a New Zealand driver's license in Germany

Hello & thanks for taking the time for reading this. I have just arrived in Berlin to live and I am not sure about the current drivers license situation... If you have your full New Zealand drivers license does this allow you to 6 months free legal driving before you have to go for official German documentation?

It has also been suggested to get a D1 form online from www.dvla.gov.uk and exchange your license for a UK one (if you have an address in the UK to have it sent to?)

Any ideas?

thanks heaps

Hi Mate

Yeah - I'm currently going through this myself. I have all my truck classes as well, and am trying to get my Fuhrerschein with LKW klasse from my kiwi one.
Currently, you're allowed to drive here in Germany on a kiwi licence for the first 6 months (if you have become a resident here or are visa enabled for work & living). During those first 6 months, you need to get a German Fuhrerschein (licence) which for a car licence, means you have to sit a theory test, which you can do in English.
If you want to convert truck licence classes (like me) then you have to re-sit the truck theory classes, and also drive & demonstrate your abilities to an instructor until your instructor is happy with your ability. (Can take 2 hours, or 25 hours!) Problem with this, is that it costs so damn much here to do your licence...
The UK thing is great - you can literally exchange your NZ licence for a UK one, but you need to be a resident/have a permanent address in the UK in order to receive this. Once you have either a UK or a German licence, you're obviously legal to drive anywhere in Europe.

Hope this helps!
Mike

thanks heaps!

I thought that under the new rules it was a straight swap for the Kiwi-Kraut license? I know when I did mine a few months before they changed the rules, I hat to resit the theoretical and practical exams, but I thought that was all done away with.

Need to do this ASAP myself. And I'm sure if I go in to the office without the relevant documentation.. they'll want me to resit everything.. like I was told 2 years ago.

Anyone have any links to the rules here..? I'm not to good at trawling through german law sites :\

If I really just have to only resit the theory .. thats great..! If I have to do the practical (at great expense), I'll be looking at the UK option. Anyone know if I would need to have a residency visa for that..?! Or could I just 'borrow' a permanent address..?

Thanks heaps! (he he.. I've just infected my german girlfriend with saying 'heaps'.. quite amusing)

Ouch... I've been registered here for 3 years and haven't converted my license yet. Therefore I have to start from scratch it appears.
http://www.german-way.com/germany-drivers-...eciprocity.html

The good news appears to be that I can find a Driving school that can fast-track experienced drivers for €200 rather than €1000.

Hi Howard - just to let you know - the following information from your link is outdated:

As of November last year this rule has been dropped, which means you don't need to start from scratch anymore. You only need to take the written and practical test and maybe, if you like, one or two driving lessons to get used to the German way of thinking/driving. You still need a driving school to take you to the test, but they should reduce your enrolment fee if you just want to convert. Good luck!

Hey ho..!

Does anyone have any training materials they'd care to pass on for a Klass-B car license test..?
Test papers, CD-roms, Training books etc..
Will pay postage and reasonable costs etc.

Cheers all!

Have a nosey on the noticeboard thing on thelocal.de - often people are selling their books & papers etc. I've just bought some on there for myself.
Further to the UK licence swapping situation you actually need to be a resident/have a registered address to you... I'd thought maybe it was the easiest way for me, and have friends there with an address I could use, but wouldn't work unless you've all the other stuff associated with living there - I'm guessing tax codes, etc etc.
Good luck!!!
Mike

they keep changing the rules-when i first came here you could transfer part of your car and motorcycle licenses-needed to do the tests, but only within 1 year of arriving, later changed to 6 months...then in 2007 new zealand was listed in anlage 11 for car and motorcycles only and you needed to sit the theory but only if done within 6 months of arriving...now the time period has been removed and you can transfer your car and motorcycle licenses only regardless of how long youve been here by sitting the theory lessons and tests...you can get a cd with the current questions (they change from time to time) from your local driving school in english or german for €30...better than the paper questions as it marks itself and prepares you for the real test which is only done on a computer...good luck...ka kite...enjoy...

Hey guys,

Just going to butt in on the thread with a couple of questions that I hope someone can answer.

Went to my local Fuhrerscheinstelle today as I want to change my NZ license to a German one.

Now, I only need to sit the theory exam, but where do I do this? Is it at a local driving school or back at the Fuhrerscheinstelle

Also is it compulsory to be trained by a Driving School or can you get the books, study, then sit the exam?

And which vehicle class is applied to just an everyday car?

Thanks for any help you may have!

They sure know how to do things the hard way here!

EDIT: OK, I think I may have it wrong. I have to gather all the necessary documents stated on the form I was given, then take that back to the Fuhrerscheinstelle THEN I can start to study...or am I wrong again?!