Germany driving licence photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) for the Germany driving licence, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Germany driving licence photo?
For a German driving licence (Führerschein) you usually still bring a printed biometric photo, 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) in portrait format, because the digital-only rule of May 2025 covers passports and ID cards but not licences. The photo has to meet the Passport Regulation: face 70 to 80% of the height, neutral expression, eyes visible, no hat. Some licence offices also take photos on site or accept an upload in their online application.
German driving licences are issued by the driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde) of the district or city where you have your main residence; in Berlin you apply at a citizens' office. All licences issued in Germany are produced centrally by the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin, which the local authority orders online, while the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) keeps the central licence register. Licences issued since 19 January 2013 are valid for 15 years.
Section 21 of the Driving Licence Regulation (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV) asks for a photo that complies with the Passport Regulation, and lets the authority accept a different design. The international driving permit needs the same kind of photo. Licences were not part of the switch to digital photos on 1 May 2025: Stuttgart explains that the law has not yet provided for a digital photo for the licence, and Berlin tells applicants to bring a paper photo because none are printed at the office.
Practice still differs between authorities. Mainz can take digital photos on site but also accepts paper prints, though not a photographer's upload code. Wiesbaden's online application for a first licence takes an uploaded image or a phone selfie. The Identity Card Act also allows licence authorities to copy the photo from the identity card register when you consent during an online application.
Germany driving licence photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de):[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), portrait format, as a paper print at most offices |
|---|---|
| Head height | Face 70 to 80% of the photo height, chin to top of head (Passport Regulation, Annex 8) |
| Background | Plain single colour without shadows, contrasting with face and hair; white is not excluded |
| Colour | Colour for digital photos under Annex 8 |
| Photo age | Current (Berlin: an up-to-date biometric photo) |
| Print quality | Paper print brought by you; Berlin offices do not print photos on site |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Biometric standard of the Passport Regulation
Section 21(3) FeV ties the licence photo to the Passport Regulation, so the same biometric rules apply: face 70 to 80% of the image height from chin to the top of the head, centred and upright, both halves of the face clearly visible.
- Print, not code, in most offices
Berlin asks for one current biometric photo on paper and does not print photos at its offices. Mainz asks for a recent 45 x 35 mm portrait-format photo and states that a digital code is not possible. The digital-only rule that took effect on 1 May 2025 applies to passports and ID cards, not to licence offices.
- Neutral, frontal and in focus
Face the camera directly with a neutral expression and closed mouth, eyes open. Light the face evenly without shadows or reflections, and keep the image sharp, with natural skin tones.
- No hat
Berlin's licence office asks for a recent biometric photo without a head covering. Under the Passport Regulation, a covering is acceptable only as an exception, mainly for religious reasons.
- Authority can accept exceptions
The last sentence of section 21(3) FeV lets the licence authority allow departures from the prescribed photo design. If a medical condition stops you meeting a rule, ask your office before having the photo made.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Bring a printed biometric photo unless your licence office says it takes photos itself.
- Check your office's page: some take digital photos on site and some accept uploads online.
- Use the same biometric standard as for a passport photo.
- Exchange an old licence before the deadline for its year of issue.
- Bring a printed photo for an international driving permit.
Don't
- Do not rely on a photographer's digital passport code at the licence office.
- Do not wear a hat or cap.
- Do not use an old photo that no longer looks like you.
- Do not expect the citizens' office to print a photo for you.
Sample photos
How a Germany driving licence photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
The licence photo follows Annex 8 of the Passport Regulation, which accepts glasses only if the eyes stay clearly visible. A frame across the eyes, lenses that are too dark and reflections on the glass are all shown as faults.
Whether you must wear glasses when driving is a separate matter, recorded as a restriction on the licence itself; Berlin notes that lifting it at an exchange requires a valid eye test.
Headwear and religious dress
Berlin's licence office asks for a recent biometric photo without a head covering. The Passport Regulation, which section 21 FeV refers to, allows the authority to make an exception to the head-covering rule, in particular for religious reasons.
If a covering is accepted, Annex 8 says the face must be visible from the lower edge of the chin to the forehead and that no shadows may fall on the face.
Printed and digital photos
Most licence offices still want a print. Berlin lists "1 aktuelles, biometrisches Passfoto auf Papier" for a first licence and for both kinds of exchange, and the City of Stuttgart says a printed photo is still needed for a licence. Mainz has equipment to take digital photos on site and a self-service terminal, keeps accepting paper photos, and does not accept a digital code from a photographer.
Online applications are where digital photos come in. Wiesbaden's online form for a first licence in classes AM, A1, A2, A, B, BE, L and T lets you upload your biometric photo as an image file or take it with a "selfie" function, with software from the Bundesdruckerei checking the biometrics; you need the online ID function to sign in. Separately, section 25 of the Identity Card Act lets licence authorities retrieve the photo and signature from the identity card register if you consented to this in an online application.
Where a print is needed, a digital photo can be cropped to 35 x 45 mm and printed on a 4 x 6 inch sheet at a photo counter.
Where to submit the photo
Apply to the driving licence authority for your main residence; the KBA lists their addresses but does not issue licences itself. In Berlin, first licences and exchanges are handled at the citizens' offices, and you must attend in person. You can apply for a first licence up to six months before you reach the minimum age for the class.
Licences issued before 19 January 2013 must be exchanged in stages. Berlin lists the deadlines: card licences issued in 1999 to 2001 by 19 January 2026, 2002 to 2004 by 19 January 2027, 2005 to 2007 by 19 January 2028, then one year of issue per year until 19 January 2033 for those from 2012 to 18 January 2013. Holders of class B born before 1953 have until 19 January 2033 whatever their licence. The exchange needs a photo but, as a rule, no medical examination, and the new card is posted to you.
How to get your Germany driving licence photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Germany driving licence: 35 × 45 mm print, plain single colour without shadows… background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: biometric standard of the Passport Regulation; print, not code, in most offices; neutral, frontal and in focus; no hat.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Most licence offices still want a print. Berlin lists "1 aktuelles, biometrisches Passfoto auf Papier" for a first licence and for both kinds of exchange, and the City of Stuttgart says a printed photo is still needed for a licence.
- Submit the photo with your application. Apply to the driving licence authority for your main residence; the KBA lists their addresses but does not issue licences itself. In Berlin, first licences and exchanges are handled at the citizens' offices, and you must attend in person.
Germany driving licence photo FAQ
Usually not. The digital-only rule of 1 May 2025 covers passports and ID cards. Berlin and Stuttgart still ask for a printed biometric photo for licences, and Mainz says digital codes from photographers are not accepted. Some offices take a digital photo on site, and online applications such as Wiesbaden's accept an uploaded image.
35 mm wide and 45 mm high in portrait format, the same as a biometric passport photo. Mainz writes it height first, as 45 x 35 mm. The face should fill 70 to 80% of the height.
The standard is the same, because the licence photo must meet the Passport Regulation. A digital passport photo held in the cloud by a photographer cannot be handed to most licence offices, though, so you need a print of it, or an online application where your office can take the picture from the ID card register with your consent.
Yes. Berlin asks for a current biometric photo on paper for exchanging both old paper licences and card licences issued before 19 January 2013. The exchange is only a swap of the document, as a rule without medical checks, and the new licence is valid for 15 years.
The Driving Licence Regulation describes what the photo must look like, not who takes it, and Wiesbaden's online application even offers a selfie function. For a print, check that it meets the biometric rules and that the face is 70 to 80% of the height. Your office decides whether to accept it.
Yes. Section 25a FeV requires a photo that complies with the Passport Regulation, together with your licence. Mainz asks applicants for an international permit to bring a paper photo.
Related photo specifications
Other Germany documents
- Passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
Driving licences nearby
- Austria driving licence photo 35 × 45 mm
- Belgium driving licence photo 35 × 45 mm
- France driving licence photo 35 × 45 mm
- Netherlands driving licence photo 35 × 45 mm
Also 35 × 45 mm
- Afghanistan visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria residence permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria work permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Andorra passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Armenia visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- All Germany photo specifications
- Driving licences: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Europe
Official sources
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, § 21 Antrag auf Erteilung einer Fahrerlaubnis gesetze-im-internet.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, § 24a Gültigkeit von Führerscheinen gesetze-im-internet.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, § 25a Internationaler Führerschein gesetze-im-internet.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Passverordnung, Anlage 8: Anforderungen an das Lichtbild gesetze-im-internet.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Personalausweisgesetz, § 25 Datenübertragung und automatisierter Abruf von Lichtbildern gesetze-im-internet.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Land Berlin, Service-Portal. Fahrerlaubnis - Ersterteilung beantragen service.berlin.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Land Berlin, Service-Portal. Fahrerlaubnis - Kartenführerschein umtauschen service.berlin.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Land Berlin, Service-Portal. Fahrerlaubnis - Umtausch eines alten Führerscheins in einen EU-Kartenführerschein beantragen service.berlin.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) Berlin. Häufig gestellte Fragen (FAQ), Fahrerlaubnisbehörde berlin.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart. Digitales Lichtbild für Personalausweise und Reisepässe stuttgart.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart. Ab 1. Mai: Fotos für Ausweisdokumente und elektronischen Aufenthaltstitel nur noch digital (press release, 24.04.2025) stuttgart.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Landeshauptstadt Mainz. Führerschein: Verlängerung eines befristeten Führerscheins der Klassen C, CE, C1 oder C1E beantragen internet.mainz.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden. Ersterteilung (online beantragen) wiesbaden.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). Fragen und Antworten - Zentrales Fahrerlaubnisregister kba.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Germany driving licence photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/germany/driving-licence-photo