Apply for a driving instructor license

Anyone who trains persons who wish to obtain a licence to drive motor vehicles (learner drivers) requires a driving instructor's licence. The driving licence is issued on application in category BE and additionally in categories A, CE and DE.

The applicant for the class BE driving instructor licence will initially receive a temporary driving instructor licence.

The driving instruction licence may only be used together with the driving school licence or in the context of an employment or training relationship with the owner of a driving school.

To the regional council responsible for the place of residence.

Forms for the application for a driving instruction licence can be found on the websites of the licensing authorities:

The applicant shall indicate in the application for which category of motor vehicles he wishes to obtain the driving licence.

The application shall be accompanied by:

1. official proof of the place and date of birth,
2. a curriculum vitae,
3. a medical certificate of mental and physical fitness (the licensing authority may also require the submission of a specialist medical certificate or an opinion from an officially recognised assessment centre for fitness to drive on mental and physical fitness),
4. an officially certified copy of the driving licence (the original licence may also be presented for inspection),
5. documents on driving experience,
6. proof of previous education.

In addition, the applicant must apply for a certificate of good conduct for submission to the licensing authority.

The following documents must only be submitted after completion of the training:

• a certificate issued by the officially recognised driving instructor training centre attesting to the duration of the training provided,

• with the application for the permanent driving instruction licence of category BE, a certificate from the training driving school stating the duration of the training carried out and the report book.

The driving licence is issued if the applicant:

1. is at least 22 years old,
2. is mentally, physically and professionally suitable and there are no facts that make him appear unreliable for the driving instructor profession,
3. has at least completed vocational training in a recognised apprenticeship after completing lower secondary school education or an equivalent previous education,
4. holds a category A2, BE and CE driving licence and, if the driving instruction licence is to be issued for category A or category DE, also a category A or category DE driving licence (a probationary licence is not sufficient),
5. has sufficient driving experience on motor vehicles of the category for which the driving licence is to be issued (it is sufficient if the applicant for the driving instructor licence in categories BE and DE has sufficient driving experience on motor vehicles in categories B and D),
6. has been trained as a driving instructor within the last 3 years,
7. has proven professional aptitude in an examination and
8. has the knowledge of the German language required for the exercise of the professional activity.

The fee for issuing a driving licence is EUR 40.90.

Persons who already have a service driving instructor license (of the Bundeswehr or the police) can acquire a general driving instructor license under simplified conditions.

Persons who have acquired a licence to train learner drivers in an EU or EEA country or in Switzerland may be issued a driving licence under simplified conditions (§§ 2a and 3a FahrlG).