Driving licence check template (PDF & Excel) for company vehicles
Check sheet for the initial and the regular driving licence check (Führerscheinkontrolle) per driver with classes, validity and a reporting declaration – plus an Excel overview of all drivers with next check date, status, exchange deadlines and classes.
As of PDF and ExcelAMS Go editorial team
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In Germany, a vehicle keeper who orders or allows someone to drive a company vehicle without the required driving licence or despite a driving ban commits a criminal offence: intentional cases carry up to one year's imprisonment or a fine, and even negligence carries up to six months or a fine of up to 180 daily rates (Section 21 of the Road Traffic Act, StVG). Employers therefore look at the licence before a vehicle is first handed over and repeat the check regularly – the law sets no fixed interval.
This template documents both: the PDF check sheet per driver records classes, validity and restrictions, guides you through the initial check with a checklist, contains a reporting declaration and has room for 16 repeat checks. The Excel overview calculates the next check date for all drivers and shows the status – with the exchange deadlines for old licences and the most important classes.
What the template contains
- PDF check sheet per driver with the details from the licence, using the field numbers of the German card licence
- Checklist for the initial check with eight points and a reporting declaration with signature
- Table for 16 repeat checks with date, result, next date and signatures
- Excel overview of all drivers with next check date by formula and status, e.g. “Check overdue” or “Class expired”
- Sheets with the exchange deadlines under Annex 8e FeV and the most important licence classes
How to use the template
- 1
Check before the first drive
Ask to see the original licence before anyone drives a company vehicle for the first time. Check photo, classes, validity and restrictions, go through the checklist and have the reporting declaration signed.
- 2
Set and enter the interval
Decide how often you check – six months has become established in practice – and enter it in the Excel overview. The next date and the status follow from the date of the last check.
- 3
Check regularly and follow up
Filter for “Check overdue” and “due” once a month. Record every check on the check sheet and capture the details again when a new licence is issued. Anyone who has not been checked or whose class has expired does not drive.
Legal basis
- Section 21 of the Road Traffic Act (StVG): criminal liability of the keeper who orders or allows driving without a licence or despite a driving ban – including through negligence
- Section 4 (2) of the Driving Licence Regulation (FeV): driving entitlement is proven by a valid licence document
- Sections 23, 24a and Annex 8e FeV: time limits for truck and bus classes, 15-year validity of new licences, exchange deadlines for old licences
- Section 35 DGUV Regulation 70: requirements for vehicle drivers – minimum age, fitness, instruction and designation by the employer
- Article 5 (1) (c) GDPR: data minimisation – record only the details needed for the check
Frequently asked questions
How often does an employer in Germany have to check driving licences?
No law sets a fixed interval. What is clear is that the licence must be presented before the vehicle is first handed over. According to the explanatory memorandum to a Bundesrat bill (Bundestag printed paper 21/1386), there is no supreme court case law on later checks; in practice, checks every six months have become established. The bill aims to clarify that a single check is enough unless there is a specific reason – as long as Section 21 StVG has not been amended accordingly, regular checks remain the safe approach.
May I keep a copy of the driving licence?
As evidence, it is enough to record that the licence was presented, the classes, validity, date and the person checking – which is exactly what this template captures. The GDPR requires you to collect only the data needed for the purpose (Article 5 (1) (c)). Whether a copy is necessary and permissible beyond that is best clarified with your data protection officer.
What applies when a licence expires or has to be exchanged?
Licences issued from 19 January 2013 are valid for 15 years; the expiry date is in field 4b (Section 24a FeV). The truck and bus classes C1 to DE are granted for five years at most, with their expiry on the back in column 11 (Section 23 FeV). Older licences must be exchanged in stages under Annex 8e FeV – card licences issued from 2002 to 2004, for example, by 19 January 2027; after that, the old document loses its validity. The Excel overview flags upcoming expiries 90 days in advance.
You may use and adapt the template freely in your own company and for your own clients. It reflects the regulations named as they stand.
Never search a spreadsheet for a deadline again
In AMS Go, what this template covers lives in one system with reminders, history and records at the push of a button – mobile and with AI support.
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