Driving instructor license; application for recognition of a foreign professional qualification

Working as a driving instructor is regulated in Germany. This means that you need a driving instructor's license to work in this profession. Only with this permit are you allowed to train people to drive vehicles.

You can also obtain a driving instructor license with a professional qualification from abroad. To do this, your foreign professional qualification must be recognized as part of the procedure for issuing the driving instructor permit. In the procedure, the competent body (an authority) compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the issue of a driving instructor license.

In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also meet other requirements for the issue of a driving instructor license.

It is irrelevant what nationality you have or in which country you acquired your professional qualification.

You can also submit the application from abroad.

• You have a professional qualification as a driving instructor from abroad.
• You are at least 21 years old.
• You are mentally and physically fit.
• You are professionally and pedagogically qualified.
• There are no facts against you that make you appear unreliable for the driving instructor profession.
• You are in possession of a valid driving license for the category for which the driving instructor license is to be issued.
• You have the necessary knowledge of German to teach learner drivers.
• You want to work in the profession in Germany.

You submit an "Application for a driving instructor's license" to the competent authority.

• The competent authority will then check whether you meet all the requirements. An important requirement is the professional qualification.
• The competent authority compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. If your professional qualification is equivalent, it will be recognized. You must still meet the other requirements and provide proof of your language skills. You will then receive the driving instructor license as a written document.
• If your professional qualification is not equivalent, it will not be recognized. You will then receive written notification of the differences in your professional qualification.
• If your professional qualification is not equivalent, you can choose between an aptitude test and an adaptation period in order to compensate for the differences.
• In the aptitude test, only the differences identified by the competent body will be examined. The aptitude test consists of a written and oral examination. You will also have to take theory and practical driving lessons.
• The adaptation period is a practical post-qualification course and lasts a maximum of 3 years. During the adaptation period, you must complete written exercises and give theoretical and practical lessons.
• If you complete the adaptation course or pass the aptitude test (and meet all other requirements), you will receive the driving instructor license as a written document.
• You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first speak to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.

Freedom to provide services

You can also work temporarily and occasionally as a driving instructor in Germany. In this case, a corresponding note will be entered in your driving instructor license. In this case too, the competent authority will check whether your professional qualification from abroad is equivalent to the training and examination required in Germany. If significant differences are found and public safety is endangered as a result, the issue of the permit may be made dependent on an aptitude test. The above requirements apply equally.

In addition, you must report your work to the competent authority prior to your first activity and annually thereafter. The competent authority will inform you in detail about the procedure.

Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a late repatriate, you can go through the recognition procedure either in accordance with the law mentioned here or in accordance with the Federal Expellees Act. You can decide for yourself. Your responsible office will advise you on this.

None.

Sometimes documents are still missing from the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you must submit the documents.

If the documents are complete, the procedure usually takes a maximum of 3 months.

Required documents

Required documents, Bavaria-wide: The responsible office will let you know which documents you need to submit.

Important documents are generally

• Proof of identity (identity card or passport)
• officially certified copy of your proof of qualification to work as a driving instructor
• Valid driving license for the relevant driving license categories
• If working as a driving instructor is not regulated in your home country: a certificate stating that you have worked as a driving instructor for at least 2 years in the last 10 years
• Proof of your personal reliability. This proof must be from an authority in the country of your professional qualification. This can be an extract from your criminal record or a Certificate of Good Standing. (The proof should be a maximum of 3 months old at the time of application).
• Proof of your mental and physical health from the country of your professional qualification. The proof must prove that you are suitable to work as a driving instructor. (The proof should be a maximum of 3 months old at the time of application).
• It may be that your home country is unable to issue proof of your personal reliability or your mental and physical health. In this case, you can replace these documents with a declaration in lieu of an oath. The competent authority will inform you of this.
• The competent authority will inform you which documents you must submit in the original or as a copy. If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are publicly appointed or authorized.

The responsible office will inform you of the costs. The costs generally depend on the time and effort required for processing.

Additional costs may be incurred (e.g. for translations and certifications). These costs vary from person to person.

The issue of a driving instructor's license and a driving instructor's certificate costs 40.90 EUR. Expenses are charged in accordance with the scale of fees for road traffic measures.

Legal basis

• Legal basis, Bavaria-wide: § 1 ff. Law on driving instructors (Driving Instructors Act - FahrlG)
• Legal basis, Bavaria-wide: § 1 Implementing regulation for the Driving Instructors Act
• Legal basis, Bavaria-wide: No. 302.2 Annex Fee Regulations for Measures in Road Traffic (GebOSt)
• Legal basis, Bavaria-wide: § 10 Law on the Affairs of Displaced Persons and Refugees (Federal Displaced Persons Act - BVFG)
• Legal basis, Bavaria-wide: Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of September 7, 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications. Version from 24.05.2016

Administrative court action