Driving license can only be exchanged at Region Hannover
A 58-year-old teacher is annoyed: Like many other drivers of her age, she has to exchange her old paper driver’s license for a new one in credit card format. To do this, however, she has to drive to the Hanover region’s driver’s license office in the state capital.
“Whether it’s a new identity card or passport – I can do everything else in my immediate vicinity at the city’s citizen’s office in Lehrte. And for the driver’s license in card form, I have to drive to downtown Hanover. I don’t know my way around very well, there are hardly any parking spaces – I have to plan a lot of time, “says the teacher, who would rather not read her name in the newspaper. With her displeasure, however, she should speak from the soul of many teachers.
Driving licenses should be forgery-proof and uniform
The reason for the driver’s license exchange is an EU directive. Driving licenses should in future be forgery-proof and uniform across the EU and also be recorded in a database in order to avoid misuse. By 2033 when do millions of driver’s licenses have to be exchanged.
In order to avoid a mass rush to the offices, there is a step-by-step plan. Because the apprentice was born in 1963, she falls into the category of drivers who were born between 1959 and 1964 and who have to have their driver’s license exchanged by January 19, 2023.
Appointment at the Hanover region is “considerable effort” for the teacher
The fact that YOU appear personally at the administration of the Hanover region and also make an appointment for this in advance is “considerable effort” for the teacher and cannot be understood. After all, you can use your identity card to identify yourself at the Bürgeramt in Lehrte.
“It should also be possible to submit the application via the Internet without any problems and send the photo by post or scan it – this is how it was done with the photo for my new ID card in Lehrte in 2020”, explains the teacher.
These deadlines apply to exchanges
A total of around 43 million people nationwide & swap their gray or pink driving licenses for the new EU driving license cards. A step-by-step plan regulates who wants to hand over his driver’s license and has to apply for a new one. Drivers born between 1953 and 1958 should exchange their driving licenses by January 19, 2022. For those born between 1959 and 1964 the deadline is January 19, 2023, for drivers born between 1965 and 1970 until January 19, 2024 Those born before 1953 have the deadline until January 19, 2033.
After the deadlines have expired, the old driver’s licenses will become invalid. The driving license itself remains unaffected. A new test is not necessary either, but a biometric passport photo. Applicants also need a copy of their identity card, passport or electronic residence permit, as well as their original driver’s license. A copy of the index card is only necessary if the driver’s license was not issued by the Hanover region or the Hanover, Burgdorf, Neustadt am Rübenberge and Springe districts.
In a telephone conversation with the regional administration, she was told that she had to appear in person in Hanover because then her changed, pink driver’s license would be withdrawn and made invalid.
“That can only be done in person and cannot be done by post,” emphasizes Christina Kreutz, press spokeswoman for the Hanover region. The teacher will then receive the new driver’s license by post, says Kreutz.
So that she doesn’t have to drive to Hanover a second time, she receives a provisional driving license. The press spokeswoman recommends that she book an appointment for the personal appearance in good time. “The current waiting time is four weeks – if the application is then it is faster and takes around 14 days.”
City of Lehrte offers help
The city of Lehrte is familiar with the processes. “The responsible authority is the driving license authority of the Hanover region,” explains city spokeswoman Lilian Appel. However, when does the administration offer so-called administrative assistance to teachers who exchange their driver’s license: Applications for changing the driver’s license can be picked up at the city’s citizen’s office, filled out at home and then handed in to the sealed city envelope.
Applicants still have to hand in their driving license in person
“We receive this and forward it to the Hanover region twice a week,” explains Appel. The service is free and is also widely used by citizens. However, the employees of the administration do not die of completeness and would check the documents. They didn’t answer any questions either.
The 58-year-old apprentice, who is currently busy swapping her driver’s license, does not see any great advantage in this. “You still can’t avoid a personal appointment with the region in Hanover.”
From Katja Eggers