German Driver's License Translation
German driver's license translation for exchanging a Führerschein at a US DMV, proving driving history to an insurer, or renting a car. We translate the EU card license, the old grey and pink paper licenses, Austrian and Swiss licenses, and US licenses into German for the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde.
- Up to 250 words per page
- $25 per page
- Standard turnaround
- From 24 hours
- Certificate of accuracy
- Signed & stamped
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Written for German driver's license records
Reading a Führerschein
A German license follows the EU format, so most of it is numbered fields rather than words, and the meaning sits in the codes.
Numbered fields on the card
The front gives surname (1), first names (2), date and place of birth (3), issue and expiry dates (4a, 4b), the issuing office (4c), the license number (5) and the classes held (9). The back repeats each class with its own first issue date (10) and any restrictions (12). A US DMV wants to know when you first held a car license, and that date sits in field 10 next to class B, not on the front.
Classes and codes
German classes do not match US ones. Class B is a car up to 3.5 tonnes, BE adds a heavier trailer, C1 and C are trucks, A1, A2 and A are motorcycles by power, and AM and L cover mopeds and tractors. Field 12 holds numbered codes, such as 01 for glasses or contact lenses and 78 for automatic transmission only. We translate each code's meaning rather than leave a bare number.
Grey and pink paper licenses
Many drivers still carry the grey paper license West Germany issued until 1985, or the pink one that followed until the card arrived in 1999, with handwritten class entries and the stamp of the Landratsamt or Straßenverkehrsamt. Germany is replacing them on a schedule set by the holder's year of birth, and several deadlines have already passed. We translate every stamp and handwritten entry, and the DMV decides whether the paper still counts.
Who is asking for your German driver's license translation?
The translation is the same. What changes is whether the recipient wants anything added to it.
State DMVs
Most DMV offices accept a certified translation of a foreign license. A few want it notarized as well, so check with your office before you order.
USCIS
USCIS asks for a complete English translation and a signed certification from the translator. No notarization is needed.
US passports and the Department of State
The Department of State wants the translation notarized. Add notarization at checkout and we handle the rest.
Before you upload
Three things that save a day of back and forth on a German driver's license.
Scan both sides
The categories, restrictions and the issue and expiry dates are usually on the back. Upload the front and the back in one order so the translation covers the whole card.
Match the name to your passport
Tell us the English spelling you use. The translation shows the name as the license prints it and notes your spelling so the office can match both.
Ask the office which format they accept
Some DMVs want a certified translation, others want it notarized as well. Check before you order and add notarization at checkout if they ask for it.
Details and pricing
What is included in a German driver's license translation
One price per page covers the translation and its certification. A page is up to 250 words, and the quote tells you the page count before you pay.
Everything on the driver's license is translated, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes. Tell us the English spelling you use for each name when you order.
Certified Translation
Word-for-word translation with a certificate of accuracy for official use.
$25
USD / page
up to 250 words per page
Included
- Signed & stamped certification of translation accuracy
- Certified by a professional translator
- Digital delivery via PDF
- Review and approve final translation
- 100% Guaranteed Acceptance
- Standard turnaround starting at 24 hours
Optional services
- Expedited turnaround
- Priority handling when your deadline is shorter than the standard turnaround.
- By deadline
- Notarization
- A notary public signs and stamps the certification statement.
- $20 per order
- Physical copy
- A wet-ink original of your translation, mailed by express courier.
- $35 per order
- Apostille
- Authenticates the notary’s signature and seal for use in Hague Convention countries.
- $180 per document
What the certificate of accuracy states
Your translation arrives with a Certification of Translation Accuracy issued by ImmiTranslate. It is the page the receiving organization checks first.
- The translation is complete and accurate.
- The document title and the language pair.
- The translator is competent in both languages.
- A signature and the ImmiTranslate certification stamp.
- Our American Translators Association corporate membership.
Our translation process
Our goal is to make the translation process as simple as possible for you. Our service is streamlined specifically for documents of this nature.
German Driver's License FAQ
Most questions about pricing and turnaround can be answered faster by requesting a quote.
- Can I swap a German license for a US one without the road test?
- That depends on the state. Several states have agreements with Germany that let the holder of a valid class B license exchange it without the road test, and some also waive the written test; others require every test. The DMV will usually want the original license and a certified translation. Check your state DMV page before you book.
- Do you translate a US license into German?
- Yes. A US license is valid in Germany for six months after you take up residence. After that you need a German Führerschein from the Fahrerlaubnisbehörde, which wants a German translation of your US license. Many offices accept a translation only from ADAC, a consulate or a translator sworn in Germany. That leaves us out at those offices, so check before you order.
- Is an International Driving Permit the same as a translation?
- No. An International Driving Permit is a booklet issued in your home country that repeats the license data in several languages, meant for police checks while you drive abroad. A DMV or insurer asking for a certified translation wants a full English rendering of the Führerschein itself, which we provide with a signed certification.
- How much does a certified translation cost?
- Certified translation is $25 per page, with a page counted as up to 250 words. Notarization, a mailed physical copy and an apostille are optional and priced separately.
- How long does a certified translation take?
- Standard turnaround starts at 24 hours and depends on the length and language of your documents. If you have a deadline, include it in your quote request.
Other German documents we translate
Driver's license translation in other languages
Each of these pages is written for that language's driver's license records.
Sending it with an application? Read the Certified translations, Notarized translations before you order.