Exchange of an old driver's license (pink/grey) for a new driver's license (application at the Residents' Registration Office)

Prerequisites

• Main residence is Hamburg
• Class 3 driver's license (pink or gray driver's license) or DDR driver's license
• Personal appearance required

Documents required

• Identity document (ID card or passport)
• Current photo suitable for biometrics (size 45 x 35 mm, portrait format, frontal photo)
  The photo must be brought to the appointment, it cannot be taken digitally in the Hamburg Service.
• old class 3 paper driving license (pink or grey) or DDR driving licence
• If the old paper driver's license was not issued in Hamburg, we recommend that you apply for a so-called index card copy from the authority that issued your current driver's license. By doing this, you avoid higher costs. Some authorities send the index card copy directly to the Landesbetrieb Verkehr. If you receive the copy personally, please bring it with you to the appointment.

Please note

• The validity of the driving licenses issued from January 19, 2013 is limited to 15 years.
• If you want to travel abroad in the 3 months after applying, please book your appointment directly with the LBV and not with Hamburg Service.

Deadlines

For driving licenses issued before December 31, 1998, the year of birth of the driver's license holder is decisive:

• Year of birth before 1953 - exchange until January 19, 2033


• Year of birth 1953 to 1958 - exchange until January 19, 2022


• Year of birth 1959 to 1964 - exchange until January 19, 2023


• Year of birth 1965 to 1970 - exchange until January 19, 2024


• Year of birth from 1971 - exchange until January 19, 2025

Driving licenses issued on or after January 1, 1999 have different deadlines. However, exchange applications can only be processed here at the LBV.

Procedure

• Make an Appointment at a Resident Affairs Location (online service; see links below)
• Submit your application in person at Hamburg Service
• Hamburg Service will forward your application to the Landesbetrieb Verkehr
• Your old paper driver's license will be canceled when you apply, but will remain valid and only become invalid after 3 months
• The new driver's license will be sent to you by the Federal Printing Office by registered mail
• If your old driving license was not issued in Hamburg, the Landesbetrieb Verkehr (LBV) is responsible. However, applications can also be accepted by the Hamburg Service. However, you must expect a longer processing time.

Processing time

• The application takes about 15 minutes.


• Processing takes about 12 weeks.

Fees

The fees are EUR 30.40.

• The basis is the scale of charges for road traffic measures (GebOSt).


• The process can be accelerated if you choose the express order, which is only possible with the Landesbetrieb Verkehr (LBV) (online service; see under Links).
  
  It costs an additional EUR 26.40, but the production time is only about three working days.


• If the old driver's license was not issued in Hamburg and no so-called index card copy (excerpt from the driver's license register) was presented to the originally issuing authority at the time of the appointment, an additional fee of EUR 12.00 will be charged due to the increased workload.

Legal remedies

no

Legal basis

• Section 24a of the Driving License Ordinance (FeV)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fev_2010/__24a.html


• Section 25 of the Driving License Ordinance (FeV)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fev_2010/__25.html


• Appendix 3 of the Driving License Ordinance (FeV)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fev_2010/anlage_3.html


• Appendix 8e of the Driving License Ordinance (FeV)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fev_2010/anlage_8e.html


• Fee schedule for road traffic measures (GebOSt)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgebo_2011/index.html

A gray or pink paper license issued up to and including December 31, 1998 must be exchanged by the following dates unless you renounce the license.

• Year of birth before 1953 - exchange until January 19, 2033
• Year of birth 1953 to 1958 - exchange until July 19, 2022
• Year of birth 1959 to 1964 - exchange until January 19, 2023
• Year of birth 1965 to 1970 - exchange until January 19, 2024
• Year of birth from 1971 - exchange until January 19, 2025

A medical examination or other checks are not associated with the exchange of documents.
The rights documented in the driver's license remain in place even if the document is exchanged. Annex 3 of the Driving License Ordinance (FeV) determines which driving license classes are assigned in detail when exchanging a driving license.

In principle, the Landesbetrieb Verkehr (LBV) is responsible. However, you can also exchange your old paper driver's license (pink or grey) at the Residents' Affairs offices. They forward the application to the Landesbetrieb Verkehr (LBV).