In Germany you are only permitted to drive a registered licensed vehicle, and only if you have the correct papers on you at all times, i. e. a valid driving licence and the vehicle registration documents.

You should register your car as quickly as possible at the nearest Vehicle Registration Office. There you will be asked to prove that the car belongs to you (using the vehicle ownership document, called a ‘Fahrzeugbrief’) and that you have taken out car insurance. 

With used cars you also need certificates verifying the vehicle’s roadworthiness and compliance with exhaust emissions standards. You can obtain both of these from the German Technical Inspection Association (TÜV) or the German Vehicle Supervisory Association (Dekra). Many vehicle repair garages are also authorised to carry out these tests.

You can drive a vehicle in Germany if you are the holder of a driving licence acquired in a EU Member State. However, restrictions that apply in your home country (such as an expiry date, provisional driving licences or driving bans) also apply here. Driving licences that have been acquired outside of the EU lose their validity six months after you have become resident. You will then need a German driving licence. Find out about the provisions that apply to you before the deadline expires. You can obtain information from vehicle registration offices or from private driving schools in Germany.

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