How to Get Your Driving Licence Back in Germany: MPU Requirements and Process

The requirements for licence reinstatement vary depending on the reason for revocation. The different requirements are regulated in Annexes 4 and 5 of the German Driving Licence Regulation (FeV – Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung), but must be read in conjunction with the associated administrative provisions of the FeV. Essentially, distinctions are made between alcohol-related issues (Section 13 FeV), cannabis-related issues (Section 13a FeV), fitness concerns regarding narcotics and medications (Section 14 FeV), and cases involving eight or more penalty points.

The German Point System: Germany operates a penalty point system called “Flensburg Points” (named after the city where the central traffic registry is located). Drivers can accumulate up to 8 points before losing their licence. Points are awarded for various traffic violations – minor offences typically result in 1 point, while serious violations can result in 2-3 points. Points remain on your record for 2.5 to 10 years, depending on the severity of the offence. Once you reach 8 points, your driving licence is automatically revoked, and you must undergo the full reinstatement process.

Depending on the reason for licence revocation, the above-mentioned annexes must be consulted, and details about the specific requirements must be met for reinstatement must be provided. Before reapplying for a driving licence, drivers will typically need to wait out a disqualification period and undergo a Medical-Psychological Assessment (MPU – a mandatory evaluation to determine fitness to drive). The disqualification period can range from six months to five years. It can also be ordered permanently if it is expected that the statutory maximum period will not be sufficient to prevent the danger posed by the offender (Section 69a German Criminal Code). This reflects Germany’s approach of combining administrative penalties through the driving licence authority with criminal law consequences, where the most serious cases prioritise public safety over individual driving rights. Both the length of the disqualification period and the requirement for an MPU vary depending on the reason for revocation.

It is essential to distinguish that with a driving ban, the licence is automatically returned after the set period expires. In contrast, with a licence revocation, the licence must be completely reapplied for, considering the points mentioned below. German law differentiates between these two sanctions: a driving ban (Fahrverbot) is a temporary prohibition where the physical licence is held by authorities but automatically restored, whereas licence revocation (Führerscheinentzug) completely cancels the driving authorisation and requires going through the full application process again, often including new tests and assessments.

If the driving licence has been revoked due to

• endangering road traffic (Section 315c German Criminal Code),
• illegal street racing (Section 315d German Criminal Code),
• driving under the influence (Section 316 German Criminal Code),
• hit-and-run accidents where it can be assumed that a person was killed or seriously injured, or significant damage occurred
• or driving in a state of absolute intoxication (Section 323a German Criminal Code) related to any of the above actions,

the offender is generally considered unfit to drive motor vehicles (Section 69 Abs. 2 German Criminal Code). In such cases, these are among the most serious traffic-related criminal offences under German law, reflecting the legislature’s determination that such behaviour demonstrates fundamental unsuitability for driving. The only option remaining is to wait for the 10-year deletion period according to Section 29 Abs. 1 Nr. 3a Road Traffic Act (StVG).

If the licence has been revoked due to alcohol-related issues, an MPU must be obtained when:

• Signs of alcohol abuse are present, or other facts justify the assumption of alcohol abuse,
• Repeated traffic violations under the influence of alcohol have been committed,
• A vehicle was driven with a blood alcohol concentration of 1.6 per mille or more or a breath alcohol concentration of 0.8 mg/l or more,
• The licence had already been revoked for one of these reasons, or
• It needs to be clarified whether alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency no longer exists

Germany applies relatively strict blood alcohol limits compared to many countries – the legal driving limit is 0.5 per mille, but the 1.6 per mille threshold mentioned here represents severe intoxication that automatically triggers fitness concerns regardless of driving performance. A medical report must be obtained when facts justify the assumption of alcohol dependency, which represents a more serious condition requiring specialised medical evaluation beyond the standard psychological assessment.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines that German authorities use to distinguish between alcohol abuse and the more serious condition of alcohol dependency, a reliable diagnosis of “alcohol dependency” should only be made if three or more of the following criteria were present simultaneously at some point during the past year:

• A strong desire or compulsion to consume psychotropic substances,
• Impaired control over the onset, termination and amount of consumption,
• A physical withdrawal syndrome when consumption is stopped or reduced, evidenced by substance-specific withdrawal symptoms or by taking the same or a closely related substance to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms,
• Evidence of tolerance, whereby increasingly higher doses are required to achieve the effects originally produced by lower doses of the psychotropic substance (clear examples are the daily doses of alcoholics and opiate addicts that would cause severe impairment or even death in consumers without tolerance development),
• Progressive neglect of other pleasures or interests in favour of substance use, increased time spent obtaining, consuming or recovering from the effects of the substance,
• Persistent substance use despite evidence of clear harmful consequences, such as liver damage from excessive drinking, depressive moods resulting from heavy substance use, or drug-related deterioration of cognitive functions. It should be established that the consumer was actually aware of the nature and extent of the harmful consequences, or that this can at least be assumed.

The effect of alcohol on driving behaviour and the resulting increased accident risk compared to sober drivers is as follows:

• From 0.3 per mille, distance estimation is already impaired,
• From 0.5 per mille, judgment and reaction ability deteriorate,
• From 0.6 per mille, the risk of an accident doubles,
• From 0.8 per mille, the accident risk is already 3 to 4 times higher,
• From 1.5 per mille, the risk of an accident is 25 times higher.

Relative driving impairment is assumed at approximately 0.3 per mille, while the threshold for an administrative offence under Section 24a Road Traffic Act (StVG) is 0.5 per mille. This 0.5 per mille limit places Germany among countries with moderately strict blood alcohol regulations – more stringent than some jurisdictions but more lenient than others that maintain zero-tolerance policies. Absolute driving impairment begins at 1.1 per mille when operating a motor vehicle, or 1.7 per mille when riding a bicycle, reflecting the different skill requirements and safety risks associated with these different modes of transport.

Similar to alcohol consumption regulations, cannabis use also requires a medical report when facts justify the assumption of dependency. Otherwise, an MPU must also be obtained here when:

• According to medical assessment, there is no cannabis dependency, but signs of cannabis abuse are present, or other facts justify the assumption of cannabis abuse.
• Repeated traffic violations under the influence of cannabis have been committed.
• The driver’s license has already been revoked for one of these two reasons, or
• It needs to be clarified whether cannabis abuse or cannabis dependency no longer exists.

Germany’s approach to cannabis-related driving offences has evolved significantly, particularly following recent changes in cannabis legislation. Unlike alcohol, where specific blood concentration thresholds are clearly established, cannabis impairment assessment remains more complex due to how THC metabolises in the body and can be detected long after the impairing effects have subsided.

The number of points recorded on the point account in Flensburg depends on the severity of the respective violation. The most common traffic offences are listed in the fine catalogue:

• Speeding violations (max. 2 points),
• Parking and stopping violations (max. 1 point),
• Following distance violations (max. 2 points),
• Red light violations (max. 2 points),
• Using a phone while driving (max. 2 points).

The driver’s license is revoked once a point account reaches eight or more points. After revocation, a disqualification period of at least six months takes effect before the driver’s license can be reapplied for. An MPU is also typically required in these cases, though this depends on the individual case and cannot be assessed universally. This point-based system operates automatically – unlike some countries where repeat offences require court proceedings, Germany’s computerised system in Flensburg tracks violations nationwide and triggers licence revocation once the threshold is reached. The respective driving licence authority or one of our lawyers can provide information about this.

A driving licence can also be revoked due to illness or disability if these pose a threat to road safety. Reasons for this include:

• Physical limitations such as vision problems, mobility impairments, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, nervous system disorders such as Parkinson’s or epilepsy,
• Mental illnesses such as psychosis, dementia, schizophrenia,
• Impairment due to alcohol, drugs or medications

The authority will then typically order a medical assessment to determine fitness to drive. Based on this assessment, the authority decides whether to revoke the driving licence. An appeal can generally be filed against this decision, or a re-examination can be requested after a certain period. In some cases, it may also be possible to regain the licence after a medical examination. Germany’s approach to health-related driving restrictions balances individual mobility rights with public safety, often allowing for conditional licences with restrictions (such as daytime driving only or automatic transmission requirements) rather than complete revocation where medically appropriate.

If you find yourself in one of the situations described and have questions about how to proceed, need help, or would like support in regaining your driver’s license, please feel free to contact us using the form below.