UP TO ONE YEAR IN JAIL
UP TO 25,000 € FINES
AND PAYING ACCIDENT COSTS OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKET
...are in fact the consequences of driving without a valid driver's license!!!
Therefore we would like to draw your attention to the necessity of getting a German driver's license (Führerschein).
If you are a citizen of the EU-EEA, your can freely drive in Germany with your national driver's license.
If you're a national from outside the EU-EEA, you can drive in Germany with your national driving license for a period up to six months (with a possible extension of six additional months if your stay does not exceed one year in total).
If you stay longer than one year and are not from an EU-EEA country you have to get a German driving license if you want to drive a car. Depending on your country of origin, the procedure of getting a new driver's license can be very easy or take up some time. Check out the attached list whether you can exchange your national driver's license for a German driver's license.
The International Office of the MPI-CBG supports you with the exchange and will accompany Expats to the local driving license office on a regular basis.
If you can exchange your license, you must go to the local driving license office and provide the following documents:
Unfortunately the German license will not be issued until near the very end of the six months.
In case you are not from one of the privileged countries and want to get the German license you'll need to take written and practical exams, and maybe some driving lessons - depending on your existing driving skills, too. Fortunately, you can do most of it in English. Check with the International Office to get more advice on that.
listofstates.pdf
Füherscheinbehörde Dresden – Official site of Driving License Office in Dresden
“Go to ‘Fahrerlaubnisbehörde’ (Driving License authority)
Address: Hauboldstr. 7, 01239 Dresden (Close to No 66 bus stop Gamigstrasse)
You need to go with all necessary papers.
The Fahrerlaubnisbehörde will finally decide which document you need to provide for your driving license. It is advised to be with someone in Fahrerlaubnisbehörde who can speak German. They will give you a document like this:
As a foreigner with a valid driving license you usually don’t need to take any theoretical courses. You have to only pass the theoretical exam and practical exam. For practical exam, it is advised to take few classes from good driving school.
For practical exam, driving school is generally provide username password of www.fahrschulcard.de and you can practice for the theoretical exam. There is couple of sample questions-
1.Translation of your driving license. If you have a valid license you need to submit the copy of the license with German translation. The translation of a driving license from English to Deutsch costs ~29,75 €. Ask the International Office for a good translator.
2. Eye test + First Aid + Photos
You also need to provide eye taste/first aid test and photo. There are many centers all over the city where you can do all there you things around ~25-30 € (One such place is Inter city Hotel, Wiener Platz 8, close to Hauptbahnof). Ask your driving school for more such places.
You can also do this separately which may cost little less. Eye test (~6,43 €) can be done at Fielman in Altmarkt Galarie (Prager Str. entrance) and they speak English. For first aid test you need to seat for 7-9 hours and have to take an orientation course, which is completely in German. Maybe there are also some English courses in the city. The good news is there is no test but you will get the necessary first aid certificate at the end. Photo is same dimension as Visa photo.
3. Fahrschule (Driving School)
Next step is to register with Fahrschule. There are many all over the city, with very different rate. You can consult any driving school at the beginning they’ll tell you the things described before. I find the fahrschule A.Jaensch kind of cheap from some other schools.
When you register at Fahrerlaubnisbehörde and tell them the name of the driving school you choose they are going to send all required papers to them directly.
Address: Reichenbachstraße 23, 01069 Dresden (Close to university)
E-mail: mail(at)fahrschule-jaensch.de, Phone: 0351/848 03 58, Mobile: 0172 351615
The guy in the school speaks English. Make an appointment a phone and go and talk. He is really helpful. For driving practice, insist him to pick you up from your workplace/home and drop there, too. Generally he provides the service within the price. “
You will find several well-known car rental firms at the Dresden airport. You can order your dream car and pick up the keys from their desks on the arrival level in the terminal. Rental cars are collected and returned on level 0 of the multi-story car park.
It is always worth it to compare offers, e.g. at www.billiger-mietwagen.de.
Also, there are many car rental firms at Dresden Central Railway station (Hauptbahnhof, as well as Bahnhof Neustadt), e.g.
Hertz Autovermietung GmbH
Am Hauptbahnhof
Dresden 01069
Tel: 0351 452630
Furthermore there are car rental firms around the MPI-CBG or around the Technische Universität Dresden, e.g.
Avis Autovermietung Dresden Striesen
Borsbergstraße 48
01309 Dresden
Tel: 0351 866800
Sixt Autovermietung Dresden Zentrum
St.Petersburger Straße 9
01069 Dresden
Tel: 0180 6 252525
Autovermietung Jahnel GmbH
Hamburger Strasse 17
01067 Dresden
Tel: 0351 833 8880
Buchbinder
Dresden Reicker Str.
Reicker Str. 44
01219 Dresden
Tel: 0351-4940597
E-Mail: info.dresden(at)buchbinder.de
Car-sharing is increasingly popular in Dresden. Members pay only for the length of use of the car—either with slightly cheaper pre-purchased time or a standard rate—and once the car is parked, members can simply walk away. Insurance, fuel, and parking are all taken care of.
e.g.
TeilAuto
Schützengasse 16
01067 Dresden
Tel: 0345 44 500-220
or