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Editor:
Presscouncil City of Chemnitz
Pressrelease: 568

Driving licence exchange

Exchange deadlines are staggered - driving licence holders are asked to check whether an exchange is necessary now

Following the entry into force of the Third EU Driving Licence Directive, all driving licences issued before 19 January 2013 must now be exchanged for a new EU driving licence by 19 January 2033. This regulation is intended to ensure that driving licences in all member states of the European Union have a standardised and forgery-proof model.
For citizens whose main residence is registered in Chemnitz, the Chemnitz driving licence authority, Düsseldorfer Platz 1, in 09111 Chemnitz, is responsible for exchanging the driving licence.

The area of responsibility of the city of Chemnitz alone will include well over 100,000 driving licences by 2033, which must be exchanged in accordance with the EU Driving Licence Directive.

However, in addition to the exchange of driving licences, the driving licence authority of the City of Chemnitz also has to process a large number of other mandatory tasks (such as the initial issuing of driving licences, the renewal of HGV driving licences, the issuing of international driving licences, the exchange of foreign driving licences for a German driving licence, etc.).

In order to continue to offer the full range of services provided by the driving licence authority to all citizens in a timely manner and to ensure rapid processing:In order to be able to continue to offer the full range of services of the driving licence authority to all citizens in a timely manner and to ensure that every request is processed quickly - without long waiting times - those affected by the exchange are asked to check in the following overview whether a driving licence exchange is already absolutely necessary at this point in time.

For driving licences issued up to 31 December 1998 (paper driving licences), the year of birth of the licence holder is decisive:

  • before 1953: exchange until 19 January 2033
  • 1953 to 1958: exchange until 19 January 2022
  • 1959 to 1964: exchange until 19 January 2023
  • 1965 to 1970: exchange until 19 January 2024
  • 1971 or later: exchange by 19 January 2025

For driving licences issued onor after 1 January 1999, the year of issue of the driving licence applies:

  • 1999 to 2001: exchange by 19 January 2026
  • 2002 to 2004: exchange until 19 January 2027
  • 2005 to 2007: exchange until 19 January 2028
  • 2008: Exchange until 19 January 2029
  • 2009: Exchange until 19 January 2030
  • 2010: Exchange until 19 January 2031
  • 2011: Exchange until 19 January 2032
  • 2012 until 18 January 2013: Exchange until 19 January 2033


Class B car driving licences issued from 19 January 2013 are no longer valid indefinitely, but only for 15 years - these driving licences are therefore also subject to the obligation to exchange.

At present, it is only possible to visit the driving licence authority by making an appointment in advance at www.chemnitz.de or by calling the authorities on 115.