Driving in Germany with a UK licence, and getting around Berlin without one

Brexit didn't stop Brits driving in Germany: you get six months on your UK licence, then a straight swap, with no driving test, at a Berlin Bürgeramt.

The short version

• Once you live in Germany, you can drive on your UK licence for up to six months, then you must exchange it for a German one [1].
• The UK is on Germany's list of countries whose licences are swapped without a theory or practical test, for all classes [4].
• In Berlin, the exchange costs EUR 37.50 (about £31) without a test [5].
• You can't renew or replace a UK licence while you live in Germany, so don't let it lapse before you swap [1].
• Most Berliners get by on the BVG and S-Bahn. A monthly Deutschlandticket costs EUR 63 (about £52) in 2026, and a further rise is expected from January 2027 [8][9].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = EUR 1.2002).

Is your UK licence valid?

The rules differ for visitors and residents.

Visitors. The FCDO travel advice says you can drive in Germany for up to six months with your UK photocard licence [3]. When we checked on 7 November 2026, the Germany travel advice was still current at 5 November 2026 and had last been updated on 11 August 2026, with new information on the Entry/Exit System [2]. The same advice says you may need a UK sticker on your car, and written permission from the owner if you drive someone else's car [3].

Residents. The FCDO's Living in Germany guide says you can drive on a UK licence for up to six months after you move, and to keep driving after that you must exchange it [1]. Apply before the six months are up [1]. The exchange may need an eye test or a medical certificate [1].

The big trap: you can't renew or replace your UK licence with the DVLA once you live in Germany [1]. If your photocard is due for renewal, or you lose it, you're stuck. Our guide to driving abroad on a UK licence explains the UK side.

Swapping your UK licence in Berlin

Germany's driving licence rules include a list of countries (Anlage 11 of the Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung) whose licences can be exchanged on easy terms. The United Kingdom is on it, for all classes, with no theory test and no practical test [4]. A footnote lets the authorities ask for an eye test [4], but Berlin's service page says one isn't generally needed for Anlage 11 countries unless the list says otherwise [5].

You apply in person, and Berlin lets you book the appointment at a Bürgeramt in any district through the citywide booking system [5].

1. Register your address first. You need your main home (Hauptwohnsitz) in Berlin [5]. See Anmeldung: registering your address in Berlin.
2. Book an appointment for "Umschreibung einer ausländischen Fahrerlaubnis aus einem Nicht-EU/EWR-Land" on service.berlin.de [5]. Appointments can be scarce, so book early in your six months.
3. Gather your documents [5]: - passport or ID card - your residence permit or Aufenthaltsdokument-GB - one current biometric photo on paper (photos aren't printed on site) - your original, valid UK licence
4. Pay the fee: EUR 37.50 (about £31) for an exchange without a test, or EUR 45.10 (about £38) if a test is needed [5].
5. Collect your German licence when you're told it's ready. Berlin publishes current processing times on its licence office pages [5].

Your licence must still be valid when you apply, and an International Driving Permit can't be exchanged [5]. No translation is needed, because your licence is in English [5]. Ask at the appointment what happens to your UK card. If you hold lorry or bus entitlements, there are extra medical checks [5].

Driving in Berlin: the green sticker and other habits

The environmental zone. Central Berlin, inside the S-Bahn ring (locally called the "Großer Hundekopf", the big dog's head, after its shape), is an environmental zone (Umweltzone) [6]. Only lower-emission vehicles may enter, and they must show a green sticker (grüne Plakette) [6]. This applies to UK-registered cars too [3][6]. You can buy a sticker for a few euros from a vehicle registration office or order one online; Berlin's environmental zone pages also explain the rules for cars registered abroad [6].

Other differences from home:

• You drive on the right, and "right before left" (rechts vor links) applies at unmarked junctions, which catches out lots of Brits in residential streets.
• Trams have priority in many situations, and cyclists in Berlin are numerous and fast. Check your mirror before opening the door.
• Parking in much of central Berlin is managed by zones, with resident permits from the district office.
• The RAC's Germany guide, which the FCDO recommends, lists legal requirements such as kit to carry [3].

If you're bringing a UK-registered car, the rules on registering it in Germany are separate from the licence rules. Our guide to moving pets and belongings from the UK covers the basics.

Getting around without a car

Plenty of Brits in Berlin sell the car within a year. The public transport network, run mainly by the BVG (U-Bahn, trams and buses) and the S-Bahn, is dense, frequent and runs through the night at weekends.

Fare zones

Berlin's fares use three zones: A is the centre inside the S-Bahn ring, B runs to the city boundary, and C covers the surrounding area, including BER airport. Most residents buy AB tickets. Check the BVG's zone map before you head to the airport [7].

What it costs

The Deutschlandticket is the obvious buy for most residents. It's a monthly subscription covering buses, trams, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional trains across the whole of Germany, so day trips to Potsdam or the Baltic coast are included [8]. It doesn't cover long-distance trains such as the ICE, IC and EC, apart from a few listed routes, or private operators like Flixtrain [8]. Carry ID with it [8].

Two things to know before you sign up: consumer testers report a price rise from 1 January 2027, so check the current price with the BVG before you subscribe, and to cancel at the end of a month you must do it by the 10th of that month [8]. Many employers subsidise it as a "Jobticket", so ask HR.

Validate paper tickets in the machines on platforms or on board before you travel. Berlin has no ticket barriers, which feels like a free-for-all after the Tube, but inspectors in plain clothes do check, and the penalty fare is not worth the risk.

Bikes, scooters and the rest

Cycling is the other great Berlin habit. The city is flat, and bike lanes have spread fast, though the cobbles in older streets will rattle your fillings. You can take a bike on the U-Bahn and S-Bahn with an extra ticket. Car sharing and e-scooters fill the gaps.

Want to know which car sharing app Brits in Berlin actually use, or where to get a decent second-hand bike? Ask in our community group for Brits in Germany.

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in Germany (checked 7 November 2026)
2. GOV.UK (FCDO): Germany travel advice (still current at 5 November 2026, updated 11 August 2026)
3. GOV.UK (FCDO): Germany travel advice, safety and security
4. Gesetze im Internet: Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, Anlage 11
5. Service Berlin: exchanging a licence from a non-EU/EEA country
6. Berlin.de (Senatsverwaltung für Mobilität, Verkehr, Klimaschutz und Umwelt): Umweltzone
7. BVG: all tickets
8. Stiftung Warentest: Deutschlandticket, what you need to know (1 October 2026)
9. BVG: Deutschland Ticket (checked 11 November 2026)

Keep reading

• Anmeldung: registering your address in Berlin
• Cost of living in Berlin vs London and the UK average
• Nightlife in Berlin
• Driving abroad on a UK licence