Offices for swapping and replacing driving licences

Online, by appointment or both: it depends on your city

Many cities take licence swaps at a citizens’ office, while others use a separate driving licence authority. Whether you can apply online with a digital ID, and whether the new card must be collected in person, depends on the city. The right counter may also depend on your situation, such as an old paper licence or a lorry or bus category.

1 office in Chemnitz
  • Chemnitz

    Fahrerlaubnisbehörde Chemnitz

    Düsseldorfer Platz 1, Bürgerhaus Am Wall, 09111 Chemnitz

    Pick the driving licence authority, not the ordinary registration counter, when you book, and come in person to sign.

    Bring your old licence, identity card or passport with current registration evidence, and a biometric photograph. For an older paper licence issued elsewhere, obtain a Karteikartenabschrift from the issuing authority; ask Chemnitz about records from the former Volkspolizei-Kreisamt Karl-Marx-Stadt. The city says this extract is unnecessary for licences issued from 1 January 1999. Confirm the accepted photo format before using a passport-photo code.

Related services

Other everyday services in Germany

Other countries

The same task in other countries

Moving on, or comparing before you decide? See how this works elsewhere.

Where to next

Renew or replace your German licence

For drivers who already hold a German licence. See which situation applies to you and where to ask for the new card.

Renew a German driving licence