Driving Test # 3: Parallel Parking
Germany is a nation of lovers of cars, however, strict rules apply when driving in Germany and expatriates may be required to obtain a German driving license.
Germany has one of the highest number of car owners registered in the European Union and is home to several of the largest automobile companies in the world When driving in Germany, however, strict rules apply and it's important to keep the spirit of traffic regulations and licensing rules of conduct before driving in Germany.
This guide answers some FAQs on driving and owning a car in Germany.
Anyone over 18 with a driver's license can drive a car in Germany, so if you are 17 or less, you will be unable to drive in Germany, even if you have already been issued with a license in your home country 'origin.
Citizens of the European Union from the EU and the EU European Economic Area plus Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein can continue to drive in Germany using a foreign license.
Everyone can use their foreign driver's license to drive in Germany for the first six months of residence, but after that nationals of non-EU EEA will extend or exchange their license for a German license and may need to spend written test or driving test.
You can drive your own car in Germany until 12 months after that you'll need to register with the German authorities.
If you are a citizen of an EEA EU member countries as well as Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein, you do not need to obtain a separate license German if you already have a license for your country of origin.
Other foreigners living permanently in Germany can use their own license with an international driving license initially but must apply for a German driving license within les six months of arrival in the country's exchange process your current driving license for a German equivalent is determined that a reciprocal agreement exists with the country that issued your existing license for certain countries, you may need to pass a written exam and or a driving test, then for others, the process is quite simple transfer of documents without the need to take additional tests the complete process and conditions are described in Expatica guide to the use of a foreign driving license in Germany.
You can import a car outside the EU as part of your personal effects without paying import tax or VAT import sales rights if you can prove that you will take residence full-time in Germany, for example, if you have a residence permit or a letter from the employer stating that you have been transferred to Germany you must be the sole owner of the car and use your address outside Germany for at least six months before you have to keep the car for at least 12 months after importation.
You can import a used car from the EU free of duty unless the car is less than six months or less than 6,000 miles on the clock in this case, you will be asked to pay 19 percent tax on net import business If you have already paid VAT in your home country, you can claim once you have registered the car in Germany.
You can use your own license plates and registration documents up to 12 months as long as you have your registration document with a German translation and proof of insurance The car may also be necessary to make an inspection If the vehicle you will stay more than 12 months, you will need to register the car with the register of local vehicles Zulassungsstelle.
To register your car in Germany, you must go through the register of local vehicles Zulassungsstelle may ask you to provide.
Proof of registration with official address in Germany.
The car must also pass the German vehicle inspection test as MOT UK called T V The car may have to be changed to comply with German standards.
You should continue to take the car for regular periodic technical inspections and testing emissions ITP The date of the next ITP will be in your document registration and inspection sticker If you fail an inspection, you will be fined for more information about inspections, see TV NORD and DEKRA.
Tax Kraftfahrzeugsteuer motor vehicles in Germany is payable by the registered keeper of the vehicle and fiscal responsibility starts from the time the vehicle is registered with the registration authorities of the vehicles, and ending when the vehicle is unregistered You pay tax a year ahead via your local tax office Finanzamt; you might be able to pay in installments at an additional cost The amount of tax on motor vehicles payable is calculated on the age of the car, engine size and emissions of CO2 You can find out how you will pay using the German federal Ministry of the tax calculator on motor vehicles of the Ministry of Finance.
There is no road tax in Germany and no highway tolls Autobahn but in 2016, the German government plan to introduce a new tax on the road for drivers of foreign vehicles using the Autobahn drivers will pay registering their license plates online or in fuel stations; Tax issues will take into account the size of the engines and the environment and will be 130 euros per year.
In Germany drive on the right side of the road.
Keep these with you in the car of your passport identification document and those of your passengers, driving license, vehicle registration, insurance documents, TUV papers, warning triangle, high visibility vest and a kit first aid.
Seat belts are mandatory in Germany, like child seats Drivers are fined between EUR 30 and 50 can also get points on their license for not wearing them.
Rights of way A diamond-shaped sign with a yellow center means you have the right of way at an intersection in built-up areas, it s no sign of yellow diamond, you must give way to cars coming out of a side road turning on the right All traffic lights also have signs to show who has the right of way should the lights go out, which seems to happen surprisingly often for a company that prides itself for you can pass left and in practice the Germans, in fact, spend just left.
You can only drive in low emission zones if you have a badge sticker showing that emissions of your car are low enough, you can request an environmental badge here.
It is illegal to drive wearing headphones using hands-free systems with phones.
Winter all wet tires must be mounted in winter.
You can not have devices to detect speed cameras in the car and if your SatNav has this feature, you must disable it.
Germany takes a hard line where traffic violations are concerned with emphasis on removing dangerous drivers relatively minor offenses roads face fines of up to four points as the most serious offenses will attract five to seven points bad driving while intoxicated, you will gain seven points and the immediate loss of your driving license and potentially a large fine or a jail sentence if it is your first offense, your license will be taken probably only for three to six month fines are often based on your income, for example, 120 days of earnings.
Driving without a license prevent you from holding a license for at least six months and incur a fine of 180 days of salary Since you do not technically have a license, you can earn points t If you forget your license, you looking for a warning EUR 10.
In winter, if you have an accident and the car does not have winter tires on you will get a heavy fine and it is unlikely that your insurance will cover you.
If you receive a traffic fine in Germany, you can ask to be paid locally.
Fines for speeding from 15 EUR for exceeding the speed limit to 10 km h in an urban area If you exceed 70 km h, you will be fined € 680, getting four points on your license points and lose your license Going three months of 25km h speed limit in urban areas receive up to a fine of 80 euros and a point on your license Anything over 30 km h limit displayed land you with three to four points, and a fine of at least EUR 160 you'll also lose your license for at least a month.
If you are caught speeding by a traffic camera you will not know immediately, but will receive a speeding ticket in the mail from driving a car will not save you, as the car rental company will simply forward the tickets to your home in addition, police also set up speed traps, which may require you to pay a fine on the spot.
In accordance with most states of the EU driving with alcohol in the system can result in severe penalties The alcohol limit is 0 5 g of alcohol per liter of blood conductors may be punished for levels of BAC of 30 mg per 100 ml of blood, if the person's drive is impaired If low alcohol are present, but driving is unaffected punishment is not automatically required in Germany, by law, a driver can be forced to submit to a blood test.
Germany is stricter on younger drivers and probation In the presence of alcohol in drivers under the age of 21, they will receive two points and a fine of 250 euros, regardless of whether the driving is doubtful if the alcohol level in the blood are higher than 50 mg per 100 ml, younger drivers or those of their trial period will receive 500 euro fine, four points on their license and a ban lead a month for a first offense or recurrence when driving is impaired are punished more severely.
Speed limits are 50km h in towns and 100 km h outside cities towns on the so-called Landstrasse unless otherwise marked in some areas, such as schools where there are, the speed limit is even lower 30 km h.
There is no speed limit on the highway, except in areas marked by signs including speed German road authorities, however, recommend a maximum speed of 130 km h on the fastest highway, you can go on the roads in the city 100 km h, and the limits of unlimited speed don t kick on the highway until you are well outside the city.
Some urban areas are also marked as saying Schrittempo areas where you are supposed to crawl on the first cruise through the neighborhoods when no stop signs, cars right always have the right of way.
Parking can be difficult to manage in the big cities, especially at busy times like weekends when people often use the parking lot of the Park Street always in the same direction as traffic in one-way streets unique.
Districts often use this parking meters are mainly parts and machinery donated t accept plastic cards The cost of parking meters varies greatly depending on location, but typically it costs EUR 1 per hour 1 EUR per half hour.
Some parking areas use a residents car park which means Anwohnerparken or Anliegerfrei; Residents can usually get parking permits from Einwohnermeldeamt.
You need a Parkscheibe parking disc parking in certain areas; you can get fuel stations discs This is a double cardboard disc that shows the time parked and you view under your windshield places where parking is permitted but meters are not present are sometimes designated as parking a Parkscheibe.
If you receive a parking fine, you can expect to pay between EUR 40 5 An anomaly of the rules is that you can sometimes be fined more for parking beyond the time limit for not buying a tickets to all EUR EUR 10. 5
Car rental companies in Germany generally require drivers are at least 21 years old and have a full license, with a valid international driving license accompanying translation if not in most German German car rentals have four or five boxes speed manual transmissions rather than automatic, which means using a clutch and shift If you're not used to that, you can rent an automatic car, which can be more expensive.
Buying a new or used car through a dealer means the dealer will usually handle the registration and insurance for you; if you buy privately, you will organize these yourself to get good deals, look for new cars that have become used cars after registration one day employees JAHRESWAGEN automakers can buy new cars discount and sell them after a year and Vorf hrwagen demonstration models You can search for used cars in Germany.
Third party insurance Autohaftpflichtversicherung or Pflichtversicherung is mandatory and you must carry the car insurance certificate in the car with you at all times, you can also choose to take out full insurance Kasko If you have a good back driving record back home a letter confirming this to display a German insurer and get a discount You can also learn more about insurance in Germany in Expatica guide.
ADAC Allgemeine Deutsche Automobil-Club and AvD Automobil-Club von Deutschland are the two main automobile clubs that offer national towing and recovery.
Using German motorways can be called free emergency telephones along highways If you are involved in an accident to call the police on 110 or call 112 for an ambulance It is illegal to leave the scene of an accident without help.
Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure BMVI information on the validity of foreign driving licenses in Germany, traffic regulations, fines.
T V NORTH organizations DEKRA and overseeing vehicle inspections.
ADAC Allgemeine Deutsche Automobil-Club and AvD Automobil-Club von Deutschland's two main automobile associations in Germany.
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