Driver's license conversion, U.S. to German

I'm from Mayo originally (god help me-I Know ) and Im going home for Christmas -- was thinking of going over to GY in the new year with all my paperwork or as much of it as I can gather ---

My real Problem is that due to crazy Insurance Regs in Ireland I cannot drive on an Insurance policy without an EU licence , I Realise its not going to be a 2 min job to change the American licence over - but it will sure beat taking the Test in Ireland !

Jayz, sure you can't beat the Mayo lot. Cuter than a Cavan whore the lot of them. I'd not be surprised if you have the German goverment not only paying for any paperwork but buying you a brand new BMW into the bargain

Good luck with the move lad.

Ha , Doubtful Man , but you never know ...

I just did this myself, the license will take about 5 weeks to arrive in the mail. Also, sort yourself out and tell the MA RMV that you have lost your license because the German authorities may not want to return it, or will charge you a fee to to so...and it will probably take longer than getting the duplicate MA license.

My advice at the KVR, just go early. I did not wait long at all, at all.

I lost my MA license once and got a new one the next day. It was literally, walk in, fill out a form, pay (I have no idea how much) and wait 15 minutes - done.

Is this really important? I just got my ADAC translation, but my MA license doesn't have the date of issue. Will they issue me a German license without this info?

Somehow the translation I had had the issue date of the license on it...

@Kitkat: you can now order a MA Duplicate license on the internet...

Mine doesn't. I hope they don't give me probems.

My experience was that you definitely need the issue date (i.e., of the US license) stated in the translation. They need that to confirm that you have had the US license longer than a required time period (1 year, I think).

I had to get a separate paper from the State of Michigan stating the issue date (because it isn't stated on the license itself) and gave that to the ADAC people, who then filled it in on the translation.

Fellow LSRHSer.

No. You will need to get an official document from the MA RMV stating it's date of issue. You've lived in Germany, you should know that "Ordnung muss sein!"

Teutonically, the reason being is that you could have (theoretically) moved to GY, registerd, realised it's fucking hard to get a German driver's license, went back home, got one, came back and convert it. Thus circumventing the beneign superior German bureaucracy.

No, when presenting your drivers license for translation, you should also present the RMV document stating when you did your test and when your drivers license was issued.

Another thing too: you have to do the license conversion within 6-months of your registration (Anmelden) date. After 6-months, your US license is considered invalid and therefore can't be converted. The 6-month date is the date your "residency" in DE is officially established.

It is my understanding that the 6 months only applies if you intend to drive - If you are not driving while in Germany, you have 3 years to convert the license.

From this site http://www.amcham.de/location-germany/driv...license.html#14
4. Are there any other deadlines I should be aware of?

Yes. If a US drivers license holder would like to apply for a German license on the basis of a US drivers license, this must be done within the first three years of residency. A three-year period is extended to US license holders, beginning with the date of residency registration, to apply for a license during which the license holder is considered an applicant already possessing a valid drivers license (see below). After this three-year period, applicants are classified as not possessing a valid drivers license (see below). Please note, even though you can apply for a German license on the basis of your US license during the first 3 years of residency, you are allowed to legally drive in Germany with your US license for a period of 6 months after registration only.

And from this site http://berlin.usembassy.gov/germany/servic...rs_license.html
If a German license is not acquired within three years after establishing residency in Germany, the U.S. license holder must take the same number of behind-the-wheel and theory lessons as a first time applicant in order to obtain a German license.

Not sure about that. After 6 months, you're not allowed to drive with the US license here in Germany anymore. This much is true. However, I believe you still are able to, up to several years after Anmeldung, convert it. Yep, the Germans toss you a bone on that one.

All this info can be checked with the US Embassy. I'd suggest anyone interested in finding out such info to confirm it on-line with the US Consolate.

I already paid the 49 € to have my license translated. I hope I don't have to do that again. I'm calling the RMV later today to see if they can fax that form to me with my MA license issue date.

@ Mrbrain -
1) I had my MA license converted to a German one and do not have a date of issue on my MA license - so unless this is something new, you do not need a date of issue.
2) I moved here on Aug 31, 2001 and had my license converted on June 11, 2002 - more than 6 months later. So, again, unless they've changed the rules, also not true about the 6 month rule.

Maybe it's better to ask someone from MA who recently had their's converted.

@bumpy... when did you transfer your MA license over?

Speaking of LSRHS, have you seen the new building? It's atrocious. It looks like a route 9 office park. Terrible.

Dude, I'm not sure if I would serve as a good example. I moved to GY in '95 and was here for 1.5 yrs, then moved to the UK, back to GY, NYC, FRK and now MUC. It was while I came back the second time, that I started the painful process, but THEY screwed up my license, yes the Germans can make mistakes. And one thing lead to another and then I was NYC. Only when I came back in 2001 did I re-try. Then I got shit about not picking it up, even though they screwed it up. NO, they will not mail it to you. Even if it's their fault. You have to come back, blah, blah, blah. The only time anything worse ever happened to me was when my wallet was stolen and the police lost my Anzeigesbericht.

But to answer your question, it says 28.10.2002 on it. Which is bullshit because I've had my driver's license since 3.1987. Which on the surface, doesn't mean anything until: 1) you need to rent a car here. Or 2) you try to get car insurance (really a separate issue, but you can get your US insurance company to provide a letter stating your driving history). Which was my earlier point.

No I haven't seen the new HS, my mother moved to Wayland (very far away). Btw, did you take German at LSRHS? Is Karin Flynn still there teaching it? I'd be excited to see it, I'm sure it's rep has gotten even better since the constrution.

I didn't take German there, but my buddy did. I'm pretty sure that was his teacher. I vaguely remember him talking about some Frau Flynn, but I could be wrong. If you go back to visit your mom in Wayland soon, take a spin past the building. You won't even recognize the grounds. The new school is basically where the tennis courts used to be, going back down the hill towards the sports fields. I haven't dared to enter the building, monstrocity that it is. Sudbury always scared me.

Consoling oneself with the bravery of minks and muskrats?

@ Bumpy ,

Hi Again , I Have a Full class A Licence , If I Have all My Stuff together Do you think I Can Get a Full Artic Licence In Germany ? Also Does the ADAC do the licence Translation rigth there and then ? or does it take a couple of days ?

Mike

Mike1920, my MA license is a Class D. Not even sure what that is? Is A better than D?

My experiece with ADAC was that they were able to do it on-the-spot.

Gettting your driver's license converted will be no snappy issue. You will drop your stuff off, and then have to come back to pick it up - from 1-17 weeks. They will not mail it to you. Don't loose it or let it get stolen either, cause GY ain't like MA - where you call the RMV and give your CC# and they post you a new one...

When I went to get mine translated it took them about 5 days and 49 €.

Thanks for all the help,

D o you Guys think that I am better off going to a small town place or in the downtown location ?

the Class A licence is a tractor trailer Licence

Do the Driving Licence Authority send you something In the mail to tell you when its ready to be picked up or ? I Am trying to limit this whole process to 2 trips over and back to get squared away ...

Is There a Central ADAC office in Munich ?

Mike

There is a good ADAC office in Sendlinger Tor, right by the tram stops. I would venture to guess that a drivers license for tractor trailer would be a different process altogether. I would imagine that Germany and the EU would have different rules for this kind of license transfer, but who knows? Go to ADAC, they do the translation, make take a few days. Go back and pick it up. Then head to the DMV or whatever it's called. Go with a passport sized photo, the translation, the orginal license, and make copies of your passport, visas, residence registrations and pass them all in. They will tell you when they will be ready to be picked up. Be prepared to let go of your MA license in exchange for the German one.

@ MrBrain , Thanks a lot , I am Learning as I go... Hopefully I can Get the full Licence , member Darkknight has said that he got it done but I cannot contact him

AH HA!

BUT, when they take it, you call RMV in MA and order another one - tell 'em it got stolen. The Germans lose this round.

Supposedly, when you hand in yours, they teutonically collect and ship them off to MA where someone who gives a shit is supposed to cancel your license. My MA one has not been cancelled as of yet though... Which leads me to believe that someone in the Verkehrsamt or RMV is just throwing them in the bin.

If you are in a rush for the translation go to the ADAC at Ridlerstr 35 and it will take them 5-10 minutes to finish the translation, and cost 49EUR.

That's where I got my done as well!

I seriously doubt you can convert a class A license. I'm not from a reciprocal state, so couldn't convert anyway, but I did have a class A license, and I asked the local amt about conversions for those with the possibility, and they told me no way. I didn't have to pursue though, so don't know if that could be fought.

Would you want to do an automatic conversion though, without any additional training? The regulations here are quite different, and there are considerably different situations to anticipate. Taking theory & driving classes is not exactly a time-wasting activity.

Even on this forum, I remember reading that someone's family was killed in a train vs. auto accident when crossing tracks in the countryside (sometimes no gates, bells or any sort of warning).

anybody know if they will swap a New York License?? The websites aren't loading.

for some reason i was under the impression that i had one year from the time of registrn to change from my US driver license to a local one. I just learnt that it had to be done within six months. yesterday i applied for a change of license and was told that it would take around 6-7 weeks to get one. Does it mean that I cannot drive until i get the new one - any suggestions

Yes, you can still drive. They give you a piece of paper(and take your old drivers)...something like a 'temporary' license until you get the new one. But they should explain it all to you.

edit: US to German

You actually have up to three years from your initial registration. Only catch is that after six months (if you haven't applied for the swap), your US license is invalid and you will get into trouble for driving (if caught). Note: I'm not entirely sure what the trouble is (i.e. a fine or inability to get a German license as in a revocation of the license or what - maybe someone knows). But as RB-Tee says if you have applied for the swap then you get a "temp license" until you get a new one.

Thanks for the update

When I did the swap they did not give me the temporary license.

I am not sure what should I do now. I am continuing to drive ...

any thoughs on this ..

I need to convert my US license to German license. But unfortunately I have TX license - a state with no reciprocity agreement. But before that I had a OH license. Can I show proof of surrendering my OH license (Ohio has a reciprocity agreement with Germany) to get the German license?

Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

gayathri - I had similar problem (have MN (must take written and driving test) now, but got first one in IN (1-1 swap)). I had IN send me official record of having the first license from that state and went to the German office to get the license swapped. They told me that I had to have the actual IN license in hand. They said that as long as I had this document from IN and got the license switched the next time I go back to the states (within the 3 yrs of course), that they would indeed do the 1-1 swap for me. They said as long as you can prove that you had a previous 1-1 state prior to your first moving to Germany, that was acceptable (ie, you go back just to change to a 1-1 state without having had that state before).

Hope this makes sense. I go back in April to do the switch. Hope they keep to their word (I did get it in writing).

If you are lucky or persuasive, they may give you your U.S. license back without a fee. You should come with a letter on company stationery saying you need your old license because of travel or something. If they do want to charge you like they did me, I thought it was worth paying instead of having to worry about not having a license on my next trip to the states. I know at least one person who got the old one back without paying extra, however.

Just tell them that you travel at least once am month to the land of the big PX, and because Americans use the DL as an ID also, you can not give it up, or let them keep it. This worked from me, I had the same problem in the DMV of Giessen, and when i asked to speak to a manager they OKed the deal.

when I got my German license they gave me my US one back when they handed the new German one to me. All they did is stick a sticker on the US one (that you can just rip off if you don't want it on there). this was sometime this past Spring.

Thanks Eurobabs! I am thinking of going there today, will let you know how it goes. Unfortunately, I have no intention of going to Ohio any time soon and I dont have a residence there for address that I can use to transfer my licence back to OH :-(

I went to the Fuehrerscheinstelle on friday. I was told that though I used to have a OH license, what matters is the driver's license I hand in for conversion. So, I have to now take the theory and practical to get my license :-( Oh well!

yes, but know this: YOU ONLY HAVE TO TAKE THE TESTS. I had an Oregon drivers license (and only needed theory test)- After many phone calls in looking for the best place to sign up for theory lessons, one driving school honestly told me that I ONLY needed to take the tests. I repeat, as far as theoretical test goes, you are required by law only to take the test. you can save yourself hundreds of euros, by just buying the questionnaires (you can take the test in English) and memorizing them. that is what i did over a months and passed with 100%.

some driving schools may recongize your driving skills and only require you to do a few hours on the road. the driivng test is not easy in germany. they don't purposely try to flunk you,well... anyhow, they are very strict. i know an american who flunked the first test because he drove too far too the left (or right?) down a one-way street. he had been driving for 20 years already. and repeating the driving test is expensive. something like hundreds of euros.

gayathri - This is true, you do need to have the old 1-1 state license in hand, BUT if you are going back to the states before your 3 yrs is up, you can change back to OH and then they will change it for you - I got this in writing from them. Again, this works ONLY if you held the old state before changing to the current state (non 1-1 swap state) you hold now. If you didnt hold a 1-1 state before and go back only to get a 1-1, they wont allow this. But as long as you have the official state record stating the original date (being prior to your first registration in Germany) then this IS allowed, but you do need to switch back to the origianl 1-1 state. I know this sounds really confusing, but I hope it makes sense.

Has anyone had a name change (i.e. marriage) and tried to apply for the US to German license conversion using your old license and marriage certificate? I am debating whether I have to change my license now (with my old name) and then get another new one in a few months with the married name or if I can do it just once.

I currently hold a license with reciprocity with Germany so I don't need to take any driving tests or classes.

A somewhat related question - I have a German driver's license, but when I got it, they took my Kansas one. I said I needed it for driving in the States, and they said I would have to come and pick it up when I go the States, and they would hold my German one. Considering all the hoops I had to go through to get the damned thing in the first place, I don't want to give the German one to them.

So the question is, has anyone driven in the US with their German license? If I get pulled over, will it be a big drama? Or is it worth the considerable (at least to me) trouble of picking up my Kansas one before heading off to the States next month?

When you get back to Kansas, just go get a new Kansas license. Tell them you lost it or it was stolen. That's how I got my US license back after giving it up to get my German one.

Anyway, when I am driving in the US, and if I were to get stopped, I would give my German license and my passport and tell the cop I live in Germany now. They'll either let you go because they can't be bothered with the hassle (depending on how severe your traffic violation is), or simply make you pay the fine without points on your license.

Anybody know who I've got to contact to take this "Erste Hilfe" all day course I was told to take? I'm in Berlin. None of the embassy websites (U.S. or German) mention it but Herr Burgeramt, it seems, is better informed.

I've figured it out. Anybody else who comes across this, for class A or B Fuhrerschein you need to take the Lebensrettende Sofortmassnahmen (LSM) Kurs. Here's a good website for Berlin courses: http://notfallmedizin.de/ldb/linx/links.php?cat=54 It seems to be 8 x 45 min. segments over a 6-8 hour period. Average cost is 20 Euro. I read another post from someone who said they didn't have to take it, but I can't get that lucky.

why do you have to take it?
did everyone who converted a US license? I didn't.