In short
An MPU order is the written request from the driving licence authority to submit a report on fitness to drive. It states the reason and a specific question that the expert report must answer. You have the right to inspect your file, are free to choose the assessment centre and decide yourself whether to submit the report.
Who orders the MPU?
The MPU (medical-psychological assessment, Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung) is ordered by the driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde), that is, the driving licence office (Führerscheinstelle) of your town or district. The court does not order an MPU. In criminal proceedings, the court decides on the revocation of the driving licence and the ban period (Sperrfrist) under §§ 69, 69a StGB (German Criminal Code, Strafgesetzbuch); the MPU order (MPU-Anordnung) then comes from the authority.
This separation is important because it opens up two routes. You submit an application for the early lifting of a ban under § 69a (7) StGB (Abs. 7 = subsection 7) to the court, whereas the MPU is handled by the driving licence authority. You should not confuse the two procedures; more on this under MPU deadlines.
| Body | Role in the MPU procedure |
|---|---|
| Criminal court | Revocation of the driving licence and ban period (§§ 69, 69a StGB), early lifting of the ban if applicable |
| Driving licence authority | MPU order with question, deadline, file inspection, decision on issuing or revoking the licence |
| Assessment centre (Begutachtungsstelle für Fahreignung, BfF) | Assessment and independent expert report |
| Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA) | Keeps the driving aptitude register (points in Flensburg) |
On what legal basis is the MPU ordered?
The MPU is ordered on the basis of the Driving Licence Regulation (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV) and the Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsgesetz, StVG). Which provision applies depends on the reason.
| Reason | Legal basis | Typical triggers |
|---|---|---|
| General fitness, illness | § 11 FeV | Report from a doctor, doubts about health or general fitness |
| Alcohol | § 13 FeV | From 1.6 ‰, repeated drink-driving, in certain cases from 1.1 ‰ |
| Cannabis | § 13a FeV | Repeated offences above 3.5 ng/ml THC, additional facts |
| Drugs and narcotics | § 14 FeV | Use of hard drugs, sometimes even without driving |
| Points | § 4 StVG | Revocation at 8 points, reissue usually with an MPU |
The authority decides on a case-by-case basis. With points, for example, it is not only the number of points that counts, but also the type of offences. The page Do I need an MPU? clarifies which reason applies to you.
What is in an MPU order?
An MPU order states the reason, the question and usually a deadline for submitting the expert report (Gutachten). The question is the most important part, because this is exactly the question that the report will later answer.
The authority formulates the question specifically and links it to your reason. With drink-driving, it is about your drinking behaviour; with 8 points, it is about your behaviour in road traffic. So read the order carefully before you start your preparation (Vorbereitung). What is binding for your case is always the order, not a general rule of thumb.
Note: not every order is lawful. A lawyer specialising in traffic law (Fachanwalt für Verkehrsrecht) can check whether the reason, the deadline and the facts used hold up – this is not a question that MPU preparation can clarify.
What is the difference between a current driving licence and a reissue?
The MPU order works differently depending on whether you still have your driving licence or are applying for a new one.
You still have your driving licence
If you still have your driving licence, the authority usually sets you a deadline within which you must submit the report. If you do not provide proof of fitness in time, your driving licence may be revoked. The guide Missed the MPU deadline describes exactly what happens then.
This is particularly problematic with alcohol or drugs. If a proof of abstinence (Abstinenznachweis) covering 6 or 12 months is required, a short deadline is often not enough. This makes it all the more important to start the evidence programme immediately.
You are applying for a reissue
If your driving licence was revoked, you submit an application for the reissue of the licence (Neuerteilung) after the ban period. The authority examines the application and then orders the MPU. So submit the application early, about 3 months before the ban period ends, because processing and the MPU take time. The guide Applying for the reissue of your driving licence explains the individual steps.
| Situation | What the authority does | What you should look out for |
|---|---|---|
| Still holding a driving licence | Orders an MPU with a deadline | Keep an eye on the deadline, start abstinence immediately |
| Driving licence revoked | Orders an MPU after an application for reissue | Submit the application approx. 3 months before the ban period ends |
| Ban period still running | Does not issue a new driving licence | Use the time for abstinence and preparation |
What rights do you have in the MPU procedure?
In the MPU procedure, you have several rights that you should actively use. They give you clarity and room for manoeuvre in your planning.
- File inspection (Akteneinsicht): you can request to inspect your driving licence file. Only then do you know all the facts held against you and the exact question. The guide File inspection at the driving licence authority explains how this works.
- Free choice of assessment centre: you choose the officially recognised assessment centre yourself, for example TÜV, DEKRA, pima-mpu, AVUS or ias.
- Voluntary submission of the report: you do not have to submit a negative report. The authority then does not learn anything about it.
- Legal review: a lawyer can check the lawfulness of the order, the deadlines and whether facts may be used.
May the authority take old incidents into account?
The authority may take entries in the driving aptitude register (Fahreignungsregister, "Flensburg") into account as long as they have not yet been deleted. After deletion, an entry may no longer be used as a basis for assessing fitness to drive.
The deletion periods (Tilgungsfristen) under § 29 StVG are staggered: 2.5 years for administrative offences with 1 point, 5 years for criminal offences without revocation or administrative offences with 2 points, and 10 years for criminal offences with revocation, which also includes the typical alcohol and drug cases. The period starts when the decision becomes final, and the entry is deleted after the deletion period plus a further year of transition period (Überliegefrist).
The timing of your application can therefore decide whether an MPU is needed at all. Have this checked individually by a lawyer specialising in traffic law.
What happens at the authority after the MPU?
After the MPU, you submit a positive report to the driving licence authority, and the authority decides on issuing the licence. The fee for the reissue is about €140 to €260 (2026 guide value).
If the report is negative, you keep it to yourself and prepare thoroughly for a new attempt. If the report recommends a course under § 70 FeV, a borderline result can be turned into "fit" after the course. Failed the MPU explains what the individual results mean.
What happens next?
After receiving the order, first apply for file inspection and note the question and the deadline. Start any required proof of abstinence immediately, because it is usually the factor that determines the timing, and have any legal doubts about the order checked by a lawyer specialising in traffic law. Through MPU Plus, you can find suitable counselling (Beratung) that fits your reason and your deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can the court order an MPU?
No, an MPU is always ordered by the driving licence authority. In criminal proceedings, the court revokes the driving licence and sets a ban period. The MPU order then follows in the procedure at the driving licence authority.
What do I do first when I receive an MPU order?
First, you should apply for file inspection so that you know the exact question and all the facts held against you. After that, you plan abstinence and preparation to suit the reason and the deadline. If you have doubts about its lawfulness, a lawyer specialising in traffic law can help.
May I choose the assessment centre for the MPU myself?
Yes, you are free to choose the assessment centre from among the officially recognised centres. They all evaluate according to the same assessment criteria. The differences lie mainly in price and appointments.
When should I apply for the reissue after a ban period?
Submit the application about 3 months before the ban period ends. Processing, the MPU order and the assessment take time. Any required proof of abstinence should already be running at this point.
Can I challenge an MPU order?
An MPU order is not automatically lawful. A lawyer specialising in traffic law can check whether the reason, the deadline and the facts used hold up, for example where entries have already been deleted. This page does not replace legal advice.