Class D1

Minimum age and exam dates

You must be at least 20 ½ years old. You can take your theory exam 3 months before your 21st birthday and your practical exam 1 month before. With specific vocational training, the minimum age is lowered to 18.

Application at the road traffic office

The application always comes first! Make sure all the details are correct. Based on your application, the road traffic office (Straßenverkehrsamt) prints your driving licence and commissions TÜV to conduct your exams. This can take a few weeks – but that is the road traffic office's responsibility. While your application is being processed, you can of course already start your training and attend our theory lessons.

• First-aid certificate (9 teaching units)
• 1 biometric passport photo
• Valid ID document
• Ophthalmological report
• Medical report
• Application form
• Official certificate of good conduct (Führungszeugnis; apply for it at the residents' registration office or citizens' centre)

Theory

If you don't have a driving licence yet, 22 theory lessons of 90 minutes each are mandatory: 12 basic topics and 10 class-specific topics. If you already hold another driving licence, you only need 6 basic lessons. Once you've completed all lessons and your application has been approved by the road traffic office, you can take your theory exam – at the earliest 3 months before your 21st birthday. The exam consists of 30 questions. You may not have more than 10 error points; two incorrectly answered questions worth 5 error points each mean an immediate fail.

Practice and minimum driving lessons

In the regular driving lessons you get familiar with the vehicle and get used to road traffic. How many of them you need depends on your previous experience, your talent and your learning progress. For buses, however, a minimum number of driving lessons is mandatory – depending on the licences you already hold:

• Class B or C1 for less than 2 years: 41 driving lessons of 45 minutes each plus 19 rural road drives, 12 motorway drives and 7 drives in darkness
• Class B or C1 for more than 2 years: 16 driving lessons of 45 minutes each plus 8 rural road drives, 4 motorway drives and 4 drives in darkness
• Class C for less than 2 years: 8 driving lessons of 45 minutes each plus 8 rural road drives, 4 motorway drives and 4 drives in darkness
• Class C for more than 2 years: 6 driving lessons of 45 minutes each plus 4 rural road drives, 2 motorway drives and 2 drives in darkness

What can I drive with class D1?

You may drive a bus for a maximum of 16 people and with a length of at most 8 metres. You may also attach a trailer with a maximum authorised mass of up to 750 kg. The minimum age is 21; after specific training it can be lowered to 18.

Can I also drive commercially with this licence?

If you need class D1 for commercial use, a professional driver qualification has been mandatory since 10 September 2009. Without this initial qualification, only private use is permitted.