Documents & ID
How long does a German driving licence take?
Estimated wait
42 days – 3 months
Typically ~57 days
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~50 days
- Average cases~57 days
- Slower casesUp to 3 months
Strong regional variation — a citywide figure is not transferable. Processing starts only on complete submission, and do not confuse it with the card's 15-year validity. The practical wait after passing the test is shorter, since much processing happens before it.
For a first licence, the driving-licence office (Führerscheinstelle) processing plus card production by the Bundesdruckerei together typically take about 4–8 weeks in most districts, stretching to as much as 14 weeks in high-demand cities like Munich. Official pages usually quote one combined "from complete submission to card in hand" figure rather than splitting approval and printing.
More details
The wait is strongly regional — Munich currently states up to 14 weeks, while Berlin publishes a live backlog of roughly 8 weeks — so a figure from one city does not transfer to another.
Last updated: 9 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.