Replace driver card due to loss

You are a driver of a truck or bus and your driver card has been lost? Then you need to apply for a replacement card.

The driver card is used to record driving times and rest periods in the commercial transport of goods and passengers.

If you are a driver of trucks or buses and have lost your driver card, you can apply for a replacement card from the office responsible for you.

From the time of loss, you may continue to drive without a valid driver card for a maximum of 15 days until you receive the replacement driver card. As long as you are not in possession of your driver card, you must record the driving and rest times manually. You must make printouts of these from the digital tachograph and carry them with you.

The replacement driver card is valid until the same date as the lost original card - if it would have been valid for more than 6 months. Therefore, the validity period does not start all over again.

When the replacement card is issued, the previous card loses its validity. If you do find it again, you must return the driver card to the responsible office or the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). You may not continue to use it.

Your employer is not obliged to reimburse you for the cost of the driver card.

• Application for replacement driver card
• Proof of identity
• valid domestic driver's license or driver's license of a state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), respectively
  • entitles the holder to drive vehicles for which regulations on driving and rest times must be observed
• Proof of residence in Germany and address
• proof of birth and surname, first names, day and place of birth
• photograph against a light background, 35 mm x 45 mm in size, showing the applicant without headgear in a frontal view (biometric passport photograph)
• written statement about the loss
• the issuing authority may also require the holder of the driver card to make an affidavit stating that and for what reasons he/she is unable to return the driver card

• You have your residence in the Federal Republic of Germany.
• You hold a valid driver's license with one of the following classes: B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE.
• Your valid driving license must correspond to one of the aforementioned classes if it was issued in an EEA member state.

There are no clues or specifics.