Take the 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.

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’).

At the same time, training as a professional driver is recognised as an initial qualification for passenger and road freight transport. Training as a driving operations specialist () is only recognised as an initial qualification for passenger transport; training as a road maintenance worker () and as a member of the plant fire brigade () is only recognised for road freight transport.

The initial qualification examination includes a theoretical examination and a practical examination.

You are not required to attend a preparatory course to take the examination.

Nor is a driving licence required at the time the examination is taken.

If you have evidence of expertise in a particular field in accordance with the regulations on access to occupations in the road haulage and passenger transport sector (GBZugV and PBZugV), simplifications are provided in the theoretical portions of the examination. You must, however, take the practical examination in its entirety.

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

1. Regular examination: ‘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.

2. Examination for drivers changing vehicle types: ‘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).

3. Examination for career changers: ‘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

You can find the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) responsible for you here: Local IHK finder (German only)

The Chamber of Industry and Commerce responsible for you

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

To take the initial qualification examination, you will need a suitable examination vehicle in which to take the practical examination. If you do not have any way to provide a suitable vehicle for use during the examination, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry can arrange a suitable examination vehicle for your use upon request.

For the practical examination, you must also provide a driving instructor who holds a valid driving instructor’s licence for CE-category driving licences for road freight transport and DE-category driving licences for passenger transport. If you do not have any way to provide a driving instructor who meets the above requirements, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry can arrange a corresponding driving instructor for you upon request.

• 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

You register for the examination with the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the examination dates (theoretical and practical examinations) are coordinated accordingly.

• The Chamber of Commerce and Industry will confirm your registration for the examination.
• You take the theoretical examination.
• The practical examination will take place after you have successfully passed the theoretical examination.

After passing both portions of 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
• agricultural and forestry transport

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)

not specified

not specified