Fahrerkarte wegen Diebstahl oder Verlust ersetzen

You are a driver of trucks or buses and need to have your driver card replaced due to theft or loss.

The driver card is used to monitor driving times and rest periods in the commercial transportation of goods and passengers. The driver card is mandatory for:

• Motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of more than 3.5 t including trailers;
• Motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of 2.8 to 3.5 tons including trailer, provided a digital tachograph is installed;
• and for motor vehicles designed for the transportation of more than nine persons including the driver.

Exemptions (e.g. for agricultural businesses or postal services) are explained in Section 1 (2) and Section 18 of the Driving Personnel Ordinance and Article 3 of EU Regulation 561/2014.

You apply for the replacement of a driver card due to theft or loss.

You submit the application to replace your driver card to the competent authorities or bodies under federal state law (e.g. driving license authority, Dekra, TÜV).

A fee is payable for the issue.

You must either identify yourself via the online authentication of the user account or present yourself in person.

The end of validity of the driver card to be replaced corresponds to the end of validity of the previous lost/stolen driver card if the remaining term is more than 185 days.

The start of validity is the date of personalization (production) by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). If a replacement card is issued, the application must be submitted within 7 calendar days.

Once the application has been submitted and checked, the card will be issued within 8 working days. During this time, the driver may continue driving without a valid driver card for a maximum of 15 days. For the period in which the driver is not in possession of a driver card, printouts must be made from the digital tachograph and carried in the correct manner.

In addition to the usual documents, a written declaration must be enclosed in the event of loss, a theft report in the event of theft and the faulty card in the event of malfunction or damage. The authority processing the application may request an affidavit.

- ID card with eID function (or residence permit or EU citizen card)
- Current, digital biometric photo
- A digital copy of your signature
- A digital copy of your current EU driving license or a comparable driving license for applicants from another EU/EEA country
- Confirmation from the police regarding the theft report, if applicable

You are eligible to apply for the initial issue of a driver card if you

• are resident in the Federal Republic of Germany and
• have a German EU card driver's license with one of the following categories: B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE

Driving licenses issued in a member state of the European Union (EU) or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) must correspond to one of the aforementioned categories

Depending on the federal state, you can submit the application to replace your driver card with the required documents and information online or on site

• At your local driving license authority
• or another competent authority (e.g. TÜV, DEKRA).
• In order to identify yourself online and check your documents, you must have the option of online authentication by means of a user account and digital upload of the required documents.
• You can pay for the application online via a payment service provider.
• The creation of a driver card is subject to a fee.
• As part of the application process, you must provide all the required information and submit or upload documents.
• The competent authority will check your details for completeness and accuracy.
• After a successful check, the KBA (Federal Motor Transport Authority) will issue the personalized driver card.
• You can obtain the personalized driver card
  • collect it directly from the relevant office in person or
  • have it sent to you directly by the KBA (after online authentication and online payment).

Please note:
If serious violations (including both criminal offenses and administrative offenses) are detected during the replacement, the driver card may be refused and the application rejected.
If necessary, administrative offense or fine proceedings will then be initiated.

In Germany, employers are not obliged to reimburse their employees for the costs of driver cards. The Federal Labor Court has ruled that employees are not entitled to reimbursement.

Contradiction

• Driver card replacement
• Apply for a replacement driver card
• For bus drivers and truck drivers

Contact your local driving license authority.

Forms available: Yes

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: No