European driving licence

This article is about the license and with this documented driving license ( Germany ), driving license ( Austria ) or driving authorization ( Switzerland ) in the European Economic Area (EEA ), ie the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as in the countries which also apply this law. These countries, Switzerland is one.

License categories

The EU directive from 2006 writes the principle of progressive access to driving ( Germany ), driving license ( Austria ) or driving authorization ( Switzerland ) firmly. Young people can - after transposition into national law - at least 14 ½ years after a theoretical test purchase a certificate for a moped. After a further theoretical and practical examination they can the right to drive category A1 to lead, acquire that. Driving light motorcycles up to 125 cc, a ratio of power to weight with a maximum of 16 years 0.1 kW / kg and a maximum of eleven kilowatts ( kW) allowed, or the right of the class AM ( Germany ) or F ( Switzerland ), which allows driving zweirädiger vehicles with up to 50 cc and a maximum speed of 45 km / h.

The EU Classes meet the 3rd Driving Licence Directive.

* As a motorcycle is any two-wheeled vehicle with or without sidecar, as defined in Article 1, paragraph 2 letter b of Directive 2002/24/EC. As a three-wheeled motor vehicle is defined as any with three symmetrically arranged wheels motor vehicle within the meaning of Article 1, paragraph 2 letter c of Directive 2002/24/EC.

License classes that are issued only at the national level and are valid ( Agricultural vehicles, mopeds, etc. ) can be found in the following articles on special national regulations:

Regulations in different countries

• Special rules in Germany see: Driving license and driving license ( Germany )
• Special rules in Austria see: Driving license and driving license ( Austria )
• Special rules in Switzerland, see: driver's license and driver authorization ( Switzerland )

Motorcycling with the B license

According to the driving license directive 2006/126/EC, article 6, paragraph 3b, the States may provide for the possibility that the B license under certain conditions a motorcycle Class A1 can be driven. As national regulations these permissions then apply for the respective territory. The question of whether and under what requirements a state recognizes allowances from other states on its territory, as well as the responsibility of its national decision.

Currently owner of a category B license in Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic and Hungary can ride a motorcycle Class A1, under certain conditions, whereby the rules of country to country. Partly it's enough to possession of class B, sometimes you may go B after several years held by the class or is it a driver training course for several hours on a motorcycle required (with / without check).

In Switzerland, the class A1 is granted without examination after the completion of 8 hours driving a motorcycle to class B addition.

International driver's license

The International Driving Licence ( also: interstate driving license) is a temporary world and valid supporting document for national driving license, but it is rarely needed. The document contains all the data of the regular license in different languages ​​and is only valid in combination with this.

Within the European Union and the EFTA countries Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, the national driver's license is still sufficient. Likewise, the steering of a vehicle in the visited tourist destinations like Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia with the national document is possible to carry an international driving license is not required. In Australia, an English-language license is required, a translation of the national driving license is sufficient however. In some states in the U.S., the International driver's license since the beginning of 2009 is required; here is the carrying of the "International driving license in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968" recommended ( another " international driving license " do not call Germany and Switzerland from ), it is not legally recognized in the United States. Austria represents the " international driver's license in accordance with the Geneva Convention on motor vehicle traffic of 1949 " initiated by the U.S. officially recognize.