Overview
- Drivers whose cards were issued in 1999–2001 must replace them by 19 January 2026 as part of a staggered swap running to 2033 that covers about 43 million licences.
- Missing the cut‑off invalidates the document but not the driving entitlement, with a €10 warning fine in Germany and potential complications for foreign travel or car rentals.
- The exchange is administrative only with no new test or health check, requires ID, a biometric photo and the old licence, and typically costs around €25 plus photo and postage.
- Local authorities report heavy demand and multi‑week processing times, with many urging online applications as appointments are scarce in cities such as Kassel, Frankfurt, Hanau and Wiesbaden.
- New EU‑format licences are valid for 15 years, and a separate bill would allow a digital licence on smartphones domestically from late 2026/early 2027, while the physical card remains necessary for travel until EU‑wide digital recognition arrives closer to 2030.