Finally: Germany has recognized Ukrainian driver's licenses

From 18 August 2026 Ukrainians in Germany will have the opportunity to exchange Ukrainian driving licences for German ones without taking theoretical and practical exams. The corresponding changes were officially published in the Federal Law Gazette on 17 August 2026, and the main part of the regulation comes into force the next day. (recht.bund.de)

Ukraine has been included in Annex 11 of the German Regulation on driving licences – Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (FeV). This list specifies the countries whose licences can be reissued in Germany under a simplified procedure. For Ukrainian documents, the fields regarding the need for theoretical and practical exams now say “no”.

The simplification applies to Ukrainian licences of categories A1, A, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE. That means the new rules concern not only drivers of passenger cars and motorcycles, but also holders of truck and bus categories.

There is an important clarification for professional drivers. For categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE, requirements remain regarding proof of fitness to drive and eyesight. If Ukrainian categories C or D were obtained without category B, to obtain the German category B applicants will have to take the theoretical and practical exams.

The new measure does not mean that all Ukrainians in Germany must urgently change their licences. Ukrainian driving licences for people who are in EU countries under temporary protection have already been recognized for the duration of that status. The new rule primarily makes the procedure for obtaining a German licence much simpler for those who need or want such an exchange.

Thus, from 18 August 2026 one of the main obstacles for most Ukrainian drivers when switching to German documents disappears – the need to reconfirm theoretical knowledge and driving skills by retaking exams.

Earlier we wrote:

• Driver’s licences in Ukraine will be issued for 5 or 15 years
• Proposed changes to issuing driver’s licences in Ukraine: what will change for future drivers
• A Mykolaiv minibus driver worked with a forged driver’s licence
• Will licences be revoked faster? The Cabinet is preparing tough changes for drivers: what will change
• Driver’s licence “with a surprise”: who actually gets behind the wheel in Mykolaiv