MPU because of drugs (§ 14 FeV): use, abstinence and proof

When may an MPU be ordered because of drugs?

An MPU (medical-psychological assessment, Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung) because of drugs is likely as soon as the authority learns of use of or dependence on so-called hard drugs. The legal basis is § 14 FeV (Driving Licence Regulation, Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung), which applies to narcotics and psychoactive medicines, with the exception of cannabis.

Hard drugs include cocaine, amphetamine and opiates, among others. Under § 14 FeV, the authority can demand an expert report (Gutachten) if facts indicate one of the following situations:

• Dependence on narcotics or other psychoactive substances
• Use of narcotics
• Misuse of psychoactive medicines
• Unlawful possession of narcotics

An MPU must be ordered if your driving licence has already been revoked for one of these reasons, if it needs to be clarified whether you are still dependent or continue to use, or if there are repeated offences under § 24a StVG (Road Traffic Act, Straßenverkehrsgesetz). You can find a general overview of all reasons under Do I need an MPU?.

Why is even one-off use without driving enough?

Even one-off use of hard drugs can rule out fitness to drive, regardless of whether you drove. This is the most important difference from alcohol and cannabis, where driving, blood alcohol or THC levels are usually what matters.

The authority finds out, for example, through the police, criminal proceedings or a check. If it considers your fitness to be ruled out, it revokes your driving licence. To get it reissued, you then have to prove that you no longer take drugs and have worked through the causes.

Precisely because you can lose your licence here without a traffic offence, it is worth taking a close look at the order. A lawyer specialising in traffic law (Fachanwalt für Verkehrsrecht) can check whether it is lawful.

How do you get your driving licence back after drug use?

After drug use, you usually only get your driving licence back with a proof of abstinence (Abstinenznachweis) and a positive MPU expert report. The assessment criteria (Beurteilungskriterien, 5th edition, 2026) assign each drug case to a hypothesis that determines what you have to prove.

With hard drugs, it often comes down to D2 and therefore 12 months of documented abstinence. Controlled use, as is possible with alcohol in mild cases, plays no role with drugs. The route always goes through abstinence.

Because the proof period must be completed before the MPU, it determines your timetable. The page MPU time limits explains how time limits, ban periods and the application fit together.

How is abstinence from drugs proven?

Abstinence from drugs is proven through urine screenings or hair analyses, which must follow the so-called CTU criteria. CTU stands for chemical-toxicological testing (Chemisch-Toxikologische Untersuchung), and only proofs meeting this standard are recognised for the MPU.

The same formal requirements apply to both methods:

• The laboratory is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025.
• The appointments are unannounced; you are summoned at short notice.
• There is an identity check and complete documentation of the sample (chain of custody).
• The programme runs continuously. A missed or positive appointment can invalidate the entire programme.

For the entire proof of abstinence, you should expect around €200 to €900, depending on duration and method (guideline, as of 2026). Stay away from "ready-made" proofs or backdated programmes, because that is forgery of documents (Urkundenfälschung). You can read more about this under Proof of abstinence.

What applies to mixed use?

Mixed use significantly tightens the requirements for the MPU. Anyone who has used drugs together with alcohol, cannabis or medicines such as benzodiazepines is more likely to be assigned to an advanced hypothesis by the assessors.

Combinations such as alcohol and drugs are regarded as a separate, more serious group of cases. The authority can then set a combined question covering several topics. The fee for the expert report is also higher for a combined question, around €650 to €900 instead of €550 to €750 (guidelines 2026). You can find an overview of all cost items under MPU costs.

Can I drive a car while on substitution therapy?

With substitution therapy, fitness to drive is possible if your dosage is stable, you are under medical supervision and you have no additional substance use (Beikonsum). This applies, for example, to opioid substitution with methadone.

On the other hand, being newly started on the medication, signs of impairment and mixed use with alcohol or benzodiazepines speak against fitness. Prescribed medicines in principle fall under the medication privilege under § 24a (4) StVG (Medikamentenprivileg nach § 24a Abs. 4 StVG), but this does not protect you if you are unfit to drive.

If in doubt, a medical or medical-psychological assessment will clarify whether you are fit. You can find more about health-related questions under Medical MPU.

How does the drug MPU differ from the cannabis MPU?

The drug MPU under § 14 FeV is considerably stricter than the cannabis MPU under § 13a FeV. With cannabis, occasional use has no longer automatically called fitness into question since 2024, and an MPU is usually only ordered from the 2nd drive above 3.5 ng/ml.

With hard drugs, on the other hand, even one-off use is enough, even without driving. If you have used cannabis together with other drugs, the stricter standards usually apply. The page MPU because of cannabis explains the rules for cannabis use alone.

What happens next?

Apply for file inspection (Akteneinsicht) so that you know which substances and which question the authority states. Then register with a recognised abstinence programme as early as possible, because the 6 or 12 months are usually the bottleneck. For preparation that fits your case, you can find suitable counselling through MPU Plus.