Translating a driver's license into German

I only have a short time to get my license transfered and it seems ADAC is the only place that can offer this service. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Yep, (even though very expensive) ADAC is the place to go

Any authorized translation will do. ADAC just tend to be cheaper (really!) and familiar with the requirement

So any translator could do it? I have friends who are professional translators could they do it?

You said its expensive. Any idea how much?

Have you been to the Führerscheinstelle yet? I and a couple people I know have exchange exchanged US licenses sans translation in NRW.

Even the ADAC (who sells a translation service) suggests it all depends on the Behörde:


http://www.adac.de/Recht_und_Rat/Fuehrersc...rcePageID=10225

Yes and they told us they could do the license in one day if we had the translation. Problem is ADAC takes minimum of 14 days and we need to rent a car and be traveling in 9 days.

I don't know how they'll get it done in one day, as the licenses are printed centrally at the Bundesdruckerei. Maybe they'll give you a temporary document.

Have a friend who is a translator give you a translation. If they have a stamp, make sure they use it. Germans like stamps.
The translation thing is silly, as they are really just basing their decision on the classification, so they sometimes just want a piece of 'official' paper.

Hold on a second... I'll read their minds.

... nope, sorry. I'm not getting a signal.

I have a suggestion though.

How about you ask them?

It's a non-intuitive solution to your problem, I realise, but worth a try.

By the way, you don't ordinarily need a translation of a license in order to rent a car. The car rental company will tell you that.

The question isn't "can my friends who are translators give me a translation?"--the question is "will the Führerscheinstelle accept it?".

But if your six months are up, you don't have a valid license in Germany unless you get a German license or a one-time six month extension.

But if these friends are in the translation business, as suggested, it is most likely that they will be familiar with situations like these.

14 days for what? A translation? I walked in off the street and it was done in 5 minutes

Not necessarily. Translators who translate mostly documents for companies, may never have been asked about a DL translation.

I did say "most likely". But unless she makes that phone call, we'll never know for sure.

I believe that any official translator can do it, I think you just need that trusty stamp of approval!

Mine cost €50 from the ADAC, but i've already bitched and moaned enough about that in another thread

Yes well this is Essen and they say 14 days. I can not figure out what the heck could cost 50 euros to translate on a drives license.

Well we got it done in one day and it cost us 60 euros for 2 licenses. Thats just the translation.

Sounds reasonable. Who did it for you in the end? Any chance of sharing the contact because I think I need the same. Thx.

Yeah, my guy at the ADAC did for free for me as he rightly claimed that €50 for 2 minutes of his time was a joke

For future visitors, now that you have an answer, maybe you would be kind enough answer your own question?

This is great information I COULD HAVE USED YESTERDAY.

Why do I live in the town where the Führerscheinstelle insisted on a translation (of three damn words) and the girl at ADAC didn't hook me up a free translation of those three words?

And the Führerscheinstelle told me I won't be getting my license for at least a month, and there's no temporary option.

But... word of warning: I was told by the Führerscheinstelle I could get it translated anywhere but I'd have to get a stamp from ADAC either way, and that would run me 25 euro on its own. Now the eye exam and then back to another line to pay another fee, after I get my license from ADAC (who knows when).

How did everyone's cavity search go?

Eye exam? I thought you didn't have to do the eye exam if the state was on the list. (I know I didn't.) Where is your license from?
As for the stamp from ADAC, that's probably for the "classification" part. Of course, the Führerscheinstelle has a list of all of the acceptable classifications (it's in Appendix 11 of the FeV).

Didn't the Führerscheinstelle let you keep your current license while they process the new German one?

Yeah, you didn't need an eye exam? ADAC currently has my license. When I get it back from them I'll be headed to the Führerscheinstelle with it and my eye exam results (from any glasses shop).

The Führerscheinstelle has told me they'll keep my license when I submit all this stuff, but I've been here more than six months, so I don't have a valid license anyway. But a paper saying the license is being processed would have been nice, especially since it is an even exchange thing (they're just acknowledging my right to drive).

I've got an Illinois license. Even exchange. And if you've ever seen one you'd know why I'm so upset about the 50 euro for translation. "Birthdate," "corrective lenses" and "state" are all that's in English.

They sure do make it a pain in the ass to live here. "Oh, Illinois license? Sure, we recognize that. You're allowed to drive here. No, we don't need to test your driving skills at all, or even ask you a single question about driving, but please jump through these 17 hoops and give us about 100 euro."

Just be happy that you can do a straight "swap", not like me, who has been driving for over 7 years and now they need to check with both a pratical and theoretical exam that I still can drive! I've already done the eye exam, first aid course, licence translation, now I've gotta find a driving school that will take me (emailed 7 of them, only got one reply), wait 4 weeks for "processing", do my test then, hey presto, 2 months and about €500 euros later, I'll have my licence (again)!

No, I don't mean to complain. I know I've got it relatively easy. Just that relatively easy here is still quite the pain in the ass. I'm impressed with your determination. I'm only doing this so I can rent cars, so if it involved all that for my license I think I'd just scrap the whole idea. Best of luck.

Well it seems we were lied to. When we went back yesterday we were told the information we were first given was wrong and they changed everything. Sometimes I feel like living in Essen is like living in the Third Reich!!! When My husband wanted to talk to the department head, he tod my husband, in perfect English "I speak perfect English but refuse to speak to you in English. You can speak to me in German or get out of my office". What an A**hole. So we are still without a license. I don't know what to do now. At the moment I am fed up with German Bulls**t.

Have you ever stopped to think that the problems you experience might not be Germany's fault, or the fault of other people in general, but rather, your own attitude. Quite frankly, given the mean-spirited tone of many of your posts to this forum (many of the worst of which appear to have been removed already) I'm not surprised that people tell you to get out of their office.

That, and you are in Germany. People speak German here, and unless they're job description forces them too, they aren't required to speak English if they don't wish.
Germans like paperwork, and processing said paper work takes time and money. I personally enjoy being able to have proof and records of everything that's being done while I'm in a foreign country, but maybe that's just me.

I often wonder why people living in a foreign land expect local people to speak their language rather than offer tolerance and flexibility in communication. Imagine a German going into an office in the USA and expecting the folks there to speak German from the outset! Using the words "lied to" and "Third Reich" is a little extreme - it seems you need some cultural tolerance...

Actually, I don't expect people to speak anything other then German. My learning German has been hampered by months in the hospital and many other issues. BUT when someone tells me they lived in the USA and speak better English than German but refuse to speak to me in English. I have a problem with that!!

I used the word LIED because that is exactly what they did. The truth is the truth. The women told us something and then when she found she was wrong she claims it is because her English(which is perfect) is not so good. A spade is a spade in any language.

As for the third reich...its how I feel at the moment and I don't say it lightly. I know exactly what I am saying and I chose the word on purpose!!

You seem such a hypocrital bunch. You bitch, moan and complain, but when others do the same you attack them as if your all so perfect. Its amazing to me.

Methinks your issue is one of communication, not language.

QED

I went through the same rigmoral last year...then after I finally got my licence, NZ & Germany entered into a reciprocal straight swap agreement. Fucking awesome...I didn't need that €600 anyway.

To be honest, I've been in more than a few situations with Germans who speak English very well and there are still communication problems. Unfortunately, it's possible they may say something quite literal, without knowing how it will be understood by a native speaker. Miscommunication happens all the time. If she says her English isn't great, it's probably not; I'd say she knows better than you.

You hear different things from different people all the time when it comes to paperwork etc. Yes, it's annoying that people don't have their story straight. Get used to it, it happens all the time.

Yes, we attack people, and then bitch and complain ourselves. All you get here are opinions (even if some are in fact sourced), and you can't take it personally when someone's experiences or opinions differ from yours.

Just a little FYI - I transferred my license in Hamburg about 6 months ago and I didn't have to have anything translated. They took the license as is, no translations or stamps required. However, it did take about 3-4 weeks for the license to come in the mail.

I think each office does things slightly differently, so I really think you just have to go in and ask them exactly what they require. If you want to make doubly sure then ask them nicely to write it out for you. It's something you can show to a supervisor should you encounter a problem and it's a good reminder for you in case you didn't hear exactly what you thought you heard.

My problem is that I was issued with a " for life " license , but now, after all this time, notice that it has an expiry date of July 2008. I really need this license for when I hire a car on my visits to my Mother in the UK. I did contact DVLC in Wales. They said they would not renew my license as I now live in Germany.
The German authorities, although having copies of all UK licenses back as far as 1965, do not have mine as it was issued in 1963... So, I have more than a Catch 22 situation. Where the hell do I go from here.?

You are presumably 60 in July - that's when a UK license must be renewed. But I don't understand your problem. You are entitled, upon application to a direct swap to a German license. Your current (UK) license is all you need to arrange this. It takes 4-6 weeks to process via the local Führerscheinstelle. Your new German license is every bit as valid for car rental in UK.

Raffles...I think the DVLC will provide acceptable documentary evidence that you have a UK licence. You can then use this to swap your UK licence for a german one...

YL. I will be 70 in July . I went to Ruttenscheid and they said they couldn't understand my license qualifications. I said it was for Private cars, motorcycles of any capacity, and tractors, but they wouldn't accept this and referred me back to DVLC ... who don't want to be involved.

If you don't have an EU Model driving license then you can get a formal translation from the ADAC which is good for the German exchange process

YL ... yes, I have been told this. Do you have to be a member of ADAC to get this translation done.?

No, you don't have to be a member, but there is a small discount if you are.

Many thanks to you all. Can't get moving just yet, but will post when I have a conclusion.

I was lucky enough to still have a probationary license. The thing is, in Australia they don't put an issue date on the probationary licences (EVERYONE knows it's only for 3 years!) who would care to ask anyhow? The driver has a licence today, I wouldn't care that he couldn't drive 10 years ago (Hell, I was too busy hiding erections and squeezing pimples to even think about driving a car 10 years ago!)

Anyhow, after 5 months of going to the driving school to register (apparently I need to apply to "learn" to drive again) and doing the eye test and the first aid course, I still need to sit the exams and do at least 12 "pflichtstunden". Funny thing is: I've now had a licence of some kind for over 5 years.

Save yourself the time and effort: get your licence in your own country and swap over.