Transport of dangerous goods: driver inspection (including ADR certificate)

You must possess an ADR training certificate to be allowed to transport dangerous goods by road.

To get certified, you must first attend a training course of at least two-and-a-half days run by a recognised course provider. You then have to pass an examination taken at your local Chamber of Commerce and Industry (r (IHK).

The examination for dangerous goods drivers is usually administered by the locally responsible Chamber of Commerce and Industry following the related training on the premises of the training organiser.

The training courses and hence also the examinations are split into the following: Basic course; the Tanker, Class 1 or Class 7 advanced courses; and Refresher training. All training courses have a final examination.

The training courses have the following durations:

• Initial training
  • Basic course                        45 minutes
  • Advanced course Tankers   45 minutes
  • Advanced course Class 1   30 minutes
  • Advanced course Class 7   30 minutes
  • Refresher training                30 minutes

The ADR training certificate is valid for five years starting from the date when the basic examination is passed. To renew the ADR training certificate for a further 5 years, a refresher training course must be taken and the refresher examination must be passed. This refresher stage must be completed before the ADR training certificate expires. If the date of validity is exceeded, an initial training course and examination must be completed again.

ADR training certificates are renewed for a further 5 years from the date of validity if the refresher training has been successfully completed within 12 months before the ADR training certificate expires.

Contact your Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce approves the courses for the training of dangerous goods drivers, carries out the tests and issues the ADR certificates. The training courses can be conducted by a recognized training organizer.

You can also contact a training organizer directly (search via Internet or IHK), inquire about further modalities and register for the training. Make sure that the organizer has a recognition of an IHK.

• Examination candidates are generally registered by the training provider
• Examination sheet
• Examination log

• Forms: Yes
• Online procedure available: No
• Written form requirement as per German Civil Code Art.126: Yes
• Appearance in person required: Yes (to take the examination)

You will only be accepted for entry to the examination if you have attended all parts of the relevant training course recognised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

You will only be accepted for entry to the examination for an advanced course if you have passed the examination for the basic course as well as having attended an approved course.

You will only be accepted for the refresher examination

if, in addition to taking an approved training course, you possess a valid ADR training certificate.

• In certain German federal states. Appeal
• Administrative court action
• More detailed information is contained in the notification informing you of whether you have passed or failed the exam

First, you attend a course lasting at least 2.5 days run by a recognised provider.

• As a rule, the training provider registers you for the examination at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( IHK). If this is not the case, you register online or in writing with the IHK.
• The IHK administers the examination. This usually takes place directly after the course on the premises of the training provider.
• The examination is deemed passed if the number of errors indicated on the examination sheet is not exceeded.

After you pass the exam, the IHK will issue you with the ADR training certificate and you can undertake work accordingly.

The ADR certificate is valid for 5 years.

As a rule, you will be informed about whether you have passed or failed the exam about 2 weeks after you have taken it.

The fee for the examination depends on the applicable schedule of fees at your local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Course schedules for the individual exam categories can be found here:
DIHK information for dangerous goods drivers