Germany plans to introduce digital driving licences by the end of November, according to the Federal Ministry of Transport, as reported to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. Drivers who save the digital document on their Smartphones will no longer have to carry the plastic card for journeys within Germany. The ministry has not yet announced a specific launch date.
The licence is intended to be stored in the i-Kfz app, developed by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and Bundesdruckerei. The app is already available free of charge for Android and iOS. Adding a vehicle registration document currently requires an activated online ID function, a PIN and an NFC-capable smartphone. The app had been installed on more than two million phones by August 2026, according to the authority.
Users can already store and present their vehicle registration documents in the app during traffic checks. The driving licence will become a second key vehicle document available digitally. It is also expected to make processes involving rental cars and car sharing easier. However, the digital version will complement rather than replace the plastic card, which will still be required for journeys abroad.
The German Police Union has supported the digitisation of vehicle and driving documents, citing the potential to simplify administrative processes and make everyday tasks easier. It has also raised concerns about police readiness. In comments made at the end of 2025, deputy federal chair Michael Mertens said there were no nationwide training programmes for checking digital documents or recording them in a legally reliable way. He also said checks would need real-time access to official databases. The available information does not establish whether those gaps have since been addressed.
Drivers who want to use the digital licence can prepare by downloading the app and completing online identification. The ministry says the licence is also expected to be added to Germany’s EUDI Wallet in early 2027. A European rollout is planned as well, but could take until 2030.
Sources: t3n.