Using a fake driving licence in Germany: two serious crimes with long-term consequences
Using a forged or fake driving licence – whether it looks “official” online, as a plastic card, or as a printed document – is not a minor offence in Germany. In most cases it falls under two serious criminal offences, which can lead to heavy fines, criminal charges, withdrawal of your licence and possibly imprisonment.
1. Offence: Driving without a valid licence (§ 21 StVG)
Driving without a valid licence, or using a forged licence, is a criminal offence under § 21 of the German Road Traffic Act (StVG).
The penalty can be a substantial fine or imprisonment for up to one year (se-legal.de).
Examples repeatedly reported in the German press include:
A driver caught with a fake (e.g. Spanish) driving licence, leading to an investigation for “Fahren ohne Fahrerlaubnis” (driving without a licence) and “Urkundenfälschung” (forgery of documents) (bild.de).
Another case in Bad Krefeld, where a driver under the influence of drugs was found with a forged licence.
2. Offence: Forgery of documents (§ 267 StGB)
The possession or use of a forged driving licence falls under document forgery according to § 267 of the German Criminal Code (StGB).
This can be punished with imprisonment of up to 5 years in serious cases.
Even merely attempting to obtain a fake driving licence, or presenting it to authorities without actually driving, is already considered a criminal act.
3. Additional possible consequences
Preliminary or permanent withdrawal of your driving licence and a ban on obtaining a new German licence (often at least 6–13 months).
A criminal record (Vorstrafe) if the punishment exceeds 90 daily fines or includes actual imprisonment.
Further criminal proceedings, additional points in the driver fitness register and possible restrictions on obtaining other official documents or permits.
What should you do if an officer stops you with a fake licence?
Do not deny that you used it; you chose to do so – admit it and cooperate.
Immediately seek advice from a lawyer specialised in traffic and/or criminal law.
Do not drive again until the situation is clarified – be realistic, deal with the fine and follow the legal process instead of running away from it.
Do not get yourself into a new spiral of avoiding the authorities or making new forgeries – this only makes your case worse and the penalties harsher.
If you are thinking about obtaining a German licence legally:
Start from scratch: register for the theoretical and practical exams – obtaining another fake licence is completely unacceptable and illegal.
Passing a medical-psychological assessment (MPU) with a negative record may be delayed by a year or more, and the authorities can impose stricter conditions for reissuing the licence (de.wikipedia.org).
Summary
Using a fake driving licence in Germany usually means two overlapping criminal offences:
document forgery + driving without a valid licence.
You may face up to 5 years in prison or very high fines, along with long-term legal consequences and loss of future opportunities.
Do not underestimate it: even if it looks like a “small trick”, it can restrict your life and options for several years.
The editorial team of this website strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. However, errors or incomplete information may still occur. Please treat the information in this article as an initial reference and always consult the relevant authorities for binding and up-to-date legal advice.
