The Driver's License Office, in cooperation with the Federal Printing Office in Berlin, offers a mail-order service for EU card driver's licenses. The Federal Printing Office sends the driver's license directly to the applicant.
Advantage: You no longer need to make an additional trip to the Driver’s License Office to pick up your new EU card driver’s license.
With direct mailing, the Federal Printing Office in Berlin sends the EU card driver’s license directly via registered mail to the applicant’s registered address. The EU card driver’s license is sent to the primary residence specified on the driver’s license application. As soon as the EU card driver’s license is in the recipient’s mailbox, it is considered delivered. If your address changes after submitting the driver’s license application, please notify the Driver’s License Authority (Führerscheinstelle) immediately. Any additional costs, e.g., if the driver’s license must be reshipped, are the responsibility of the applicant. The Federal Printing Office uses the address data exclusively for the one-time purpose of direct mailing.
As part of the direct mailing of new EU card driver’s licenses, you may keep your old driver’s license document. However, this must be subsequently restricted to a specific period. This ensures, at no additional cost, that you continue to possess proof of your driving authorization until you receive the new EU card driver’s license. A provisional proof of driving authorization costing 10 euros is then not required.
Direct mailing is possible:
- When exchanging an old paper driver’s license (gray or pink) for an EU card driver’s license
- When applying for a replacement driver’s license due to loss or theft
- When requesting a replacement driver’s license due to a name change
- When conditions are changed (e.g., removal of a vision requirement)
- When entering the code B96 or 196
- When switching from accompanied driving at age 17 (pink test certificate) to an EU card driver’s license for Class B starting at age 18
Direct mailing is only available to a limited extent in the following cases:
- When renewing a truck or bus driver’s license (Classes C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, or DE)
- When extending a driver’s license to include additional classes
- When entering a code 95 (professional driver)
In all other cases, e.g., for the initial issuance of a driver’s license, an already expired driver’s license, the conversion of a foreign driver’s license, or if multiple driver’s license classes are entered or have been applied for, direct mailing is not possible.
Application
: In-person visit required (for identification and signature)
The applicant has their primary residence in Mainz.
If you do not receive your driver's license within 6 weeks of submitting your application, or if the information on your driver's license is incorrect, please contact the driver's license authority (driver's license office) immediately. We will then contact the Federal Printing Office to track the EU card driver's license. You cannot contact the Federal Printing Office yourself.
The subsequently limited-validity driver's licenses are recognized in Germany, but acceptance abroad cannot be guaranteed! If you are planning to drive abroad, direct shipping may not be possible if you do not want the early limitation for this reason. A provisional proof of driving authorization (10 euro fee) is not valid abroad!
Approximately 4 to 6 weeks (as part of the processing of the respective driver's license application)
