Take the accelerated initial qualification examination for professional drivers

Drivers working in commercial road freight transport or passenger transport must demonstrate special qualification in addition to their driving licence.

If you wish to provide professional road transport services for freight or passengers, you must provide proof of '‘initial qualification’ for professional drivers in addition to your driving licence.

This applies to drivers of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes in road freight and own-account transport, or to drivers of vehicles with more than eight passenger seats in passenger transport, where operation of the vehicle/combination of vehicles in question requires a driving licence of categories C or D.

There is a distinction between simple and accelerated initial qualification.

You will acquire accelerated initial qualification by attending a training course at a recognised training centre and successfully taking a theoretical examination at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (, IHK). Participation in instruction is mandatory here. The theoretical examination, in turn, offers simplification for holders of certificates of field expertise in accordance with the Regulations on Access to Occupations in the Road Haulage Sector.

If you obtained your driving licence prior to 10 September 2008 (bus) or 10 September 2009 (lorry), you do not have to demonstrate initial qualification (‘vested rights’).

You do not need to present a driving licence for the accelerated initial qualification.

The type of examination administered varies depending on the requirements that apply:

1. Regular examination: ‘Accelerated initial qualification’

You must take the regular examination if you are unable to provide proof of an examination of expertise in road freight transport or passenger transport (‘transport manager examination’) for the relevant type of transport, or if you have not taken an examination for the (accelerated) initial qualification for the other type of transport.

1. Examination for drivers changing vehicle types: ‘Accelerated initial qualification’

You can take the examination for drivers changing vehicle types if you have successfully passed the examination for the respective other vehicle type.. Accordingly, in the training course offering accelerated initial qualification of drivers changing vehicle types, only the specific characteristics of the type of transport are addressed. The future bus driver, for example, will be taught how to behave with regard to passengers, as this was not part of his first initial  qualification in road freight transport.

This also applies to drivers who have obtained the driving licence for the other type of transport prior to the relevant reference date (vested rights).

1. Examination for career changers: ‘Accelerated initial qualification’

You can take the examination for career changers if you have valid demonstration of an examination of expertise for the type of transport for which the examination is to be taken.

As the examination of expertise does not test for all of the knowledge a driver must have, as the holder of a certificate of expertise, you must also acquire the initial qualification.

The Chamber of Industry and Commerce responsible for you

The Chamber of Industry and Commerce responsible for you

• Forms: Registration for the examination
• Online procedure: Available in some cases
• Written form requirement as per German Civil Code Art.126: Yes
• Appearance in person required: Yes, for the examination

• For the ‘accelerated initial qualification’ examination, you must have previously attended an appropriate training course
• The prescribed scope varies depending on the type of examination:

• Regular examination – 140 units of instruction of 60 minutes each, thereof ten hours operating a motor vehicle of the respective class
• Drivers changing vehicle types – 35 units of instruction of 60 minutes each, thereof 2.5 hours operating a motor vehicle of the respective class
• Career changers – 96 units of instruction of 60 minutes each, thereof ten hours operating a motor vehicle of the respective class

• In some of the German federal states: appeal
• Administrative court proceedings

More detailed information is contained in the notification informing you of whether you have passed or failed the examination

For the accelerated initial qualification, examination, you must attend a training course and then register to take the examination with the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The certificate of participation issued by the training centre is a prerequisite if you wish to register for the written examination.

• The Chamber of Commerce and Industry will confirm your registration for the examination.
• You take the theoretical examination.

After passing the examination, you will receive a certificate from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for presentation to the driving licence office.

As a rule, you will be informed about whether you have passed the examination or not about 2 weeks after you have taken it.

The examination fee is based on the applicable schedule of fees of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Trips for specific purposes, such as:

• police vehicles, fire brigade, emergency rescue by recognised rescue services offering carriage within the scope of their responsibilities
• carriage by motor vehicles the maximum permitted speed of which does not exceed 45 km/h

are exempt from this obligation.

The procedure can only be carried out in German.

The entire set of questions for use in preparing for the examination for the accelerated professional drivers’ qualification is published on the DIHK website:

Fragenfundus Berufskraftfahrer Güterverkehr (German only) (for professional drivers in road freight transport)

Fragenfundus Berufskraftfahrer Personenverkehr (German only)  (for professional drivers in passenger transport)

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