Exchange old driver's license for a new one
Source: Serviceportal Rheinland-PfalzMany holders of a driving license are still driving with the old paper license. These documents have been gradually losing their validity since 19.01.2022 - staggered according to the holder's year of birth.
If the validity of your old paper driving license has expired, you must have it replaced by the currently valid European Union (EU) standard card driving license.
As the holder of an older driving license in credit card format, you are also affected by the exchange campaign.
Card driving licenses issued from 19.01.2013 are limited to 15 years. For driving licenses issued before this date, certain deadlines apply for exchanging them.
Based on your year of birth, you can see in the following overview by when you must exchange your driving license. These deadlines apply to driving licenses issued up to and including 31.12.1998:
- before 1953 - 19.01.2033
- 1953 to 1958 - 19.07.2022
- 1959 to 1964 - 19.01.2023
- 1965 to 1970 - 19.01.2024
- 1971 or later - 19.012025
Based on the year of issue, you can see in the following overview by when you must exchange your driving license. These deadlines apply to driving licenses issued from 01.01.1999:
- 1999 to 2001 - 19.01.2026
- 2002 to 2004 - 19.01.2027
- 2005 to 2007 - 19.01.2028
- 2008 - 19.01.2029
- 2009 - 19.01.2030
- 2010 - 19.01.2031
- 2011 - 19.01.2032
- 2012 until 18.01.2013 - 19.01.2033
Notes:
- Holders of a driving license whose year of birth is before 1953 must also exchange their driving license by 19.01.2033, regardless of the year of issue of the driving license.
- The respective time limit only affects the driving license document, not the underlying driving license. A medical examination or other checks are not associated with the document exchange.
- The rights documented in the driving license remain in effect even if the document is exchanged.
Front page:
1. surname
2. First name
3. Date and place of birth
4a. Date of issue of the card
4b. Expiry of the validity of the driving license as a document; in Germany the driving license is valid indefinitely!
4c. Issuing authority
5. Number of the driving license
6. Photograph
7. Signature
8. Place of residence; not provided for in the German model
9. Classes for which the driving license was issued, whereby included classes - with the exception of M, L and T ? are generally not listed.
Back:
9. All driving license classes
10. Date on which the license was issued for the respective category; can also be entered in field 14 under no. 10. Classes not issued are invalidated by a dash
11. Period of validity of driving license categories issued for a limited period
12. Restrictions and additional information (including conditions) in coded form
13. Field for entries of other Member States after change of residence abroad
14. Field for entering the date of issue (see no. 10).