Applying for the reissue of your driving licence – when and how?

You apply for the reissue of your driving licence (Neuerteilung) at the driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde), as a guide about 3 months before the end of the ban period (Sperrfrist). The authority examines the application and, if there are doubts about your fitness to drive, orders an MPU (medical-psychological assessment, Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung). Because processing and assessment take time, applying early is the most important lever for a seamless transition.

When should you apply for the reissue of your licence?

As a guide, you should apply for the reissue about 3 months before the end of the ban period, sooner rather than later. The authority needs time to process the application, and if it orders an MPU, the appointment and the expert report (Gutachten) come on top of that.

In the case of withdrawal by a court, the court sets the ban period. Under § 69a (1) StGB (Criminal Code), it is 6 months to 5 years. No new driving licence may be issued during this period. In the case of withdrawal due to 8 points (Punkte), under § 4 (10) StVG (Road Traffic Act) the new driving licence may be issued at the earliest 6 months after the withdrawal takes effect.

Important: the application itself is only one building block. If proof of abstinence (Abstinenznachweis) over 6 or 12 months is required, this period determines your timetable far more than the date of application. You can find more on the key dates under MPU deadlines.

What happens from withdrawal to reissue?

In most cases, the route from withdrawal to reissue follows the same stages. The table shows the typical sequence and who is responsible at each stage.

The guide File inspection at the driving licence authority explains why step 3 (file inspection, Akteneinsicht) is so important.

What applies if you still have your driving licence?

If you still have your driving licence, it is not about a reissue but about proof of fitness to drive within a deadline set by the authority. If you do not provide it in time, your driving licence may be withdrawn.

In this case, every week counts. Read the order carefully, request file inspection and clarify early whether the deadline is even long enough for a necessary abstinence programme. If you have doubts about the order or the deadline, a specialist lawyer for traffic law (Fachanwalt für Verkehrsrecht) is the right person to contact.

Who orders the MPU – the court or the authority?

The MPU is ordered by the driving licence authority, not by the court. The court imposes the withdrawal and the ban period; later, in the reissue procedure, the authority decides whether it requires an expert report.

The authority formulates a specific question tied to the reason for the MPU. The legal bases are, for example, § 13 FeV (alcohol), § 13a FeV (cannabis), § 14 FeV (drugs) or § 11 FeV (general fitness) of the Driving Licence Regulation (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV). In points cases, the authority usually orders an expert report under § 4 (10) StVG. The expert report answers exactly this question, so you should read it carefully. The page Do I need an MPU? clarifies whether an MPU is to be expected in your case.

Can you choose the assessment centre yourself?

Yes, you can choose the assessment centre freely as long as it is officially recognised. Such assessment centres for fitness to drive (Begutachtungsstellen für Fahreignung, BfF) include TÜV, DEKRA, pima-mpu, AVUS and ias.

Since 2018, each assessment centre has set its own prices. A comparison can therefore be worthwhile. The MPU itself takes about 3 to 4 hours and consists of a medical examination, a performance test and a psychological interview. You can find the procedure in detail under MPU procedure.

How do you use the time between the application and the MPU?

The best way to use the time between the application and the MPU is for thorough preparation. Typical preparation comprises 10 to 12 sessions of 60 minutes each, usually once a week over 2 to 3 months. Depending on the case, it may be more or less.

If proof of abstinence is required, it must be available without gaps by the time of the MPU. It is run by a laboratory accredited to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 with unannounced appointments. A missed appointment or a positive result can invalidate the whole programme, and the period then starts again from the beginning. The aim of preparation is genuine reflection: understanding the causes, changing your behaviour in a way that can be proven, and conducting the interview with honest information that matches the file.

Do you have to submit the expert report to the authority?

No, submitting the expert report is voluntary. You do not have to submit a negative expert report. The authority does not learn about it, because only the submitted expert report counts.

You submit a positive expert report to the driving licence authority. The driving licence is then issued again. If the reason was a withdrawal due to points, your points balance in the driving aptitude register (Fahreignungsregister, „Flensburg“) is reset to 0 after passing the MPU. Note that in practice authorities usually only accept an expert report for about 1 to 3 years, even though it has no statutory expiry date.

What does the reissue of the driving licence cost?

As a guide, the reissue by the authority costs about €140 to €260. However, this is only a small part of the total cost if an MPU is ordered.

The ranges depend mainly on the length of abstinence and the scope of preparation. The page MPU costs offers a detailed overview.

What you can do now

1. Note the end of the ban period and enter the application date about 3 months before it in your calendar.
2. Request file inspection to know the question and the facts you are accused of.
3. Start an abstinence programme immediately if your case requires it.
4. Clarify open legal questions about the order or deadlines with a specialist lawyer for traffic law.
5. Start preparing and find suitable preparation.