Driving license revocation: For these offenses the rag is gone forever

There are many ways to get a driving ban or even a revocation of your driving license in Germany. Even if local traffic law is considered comparatively lenient, certain violations can result in harsher penalties than just a small fine. However, a distinction must be made between a driving ban and the revocation of your driving license.

The driving ban is limited in time and ends automatically after it expires – so you get your driving license back without any further conditions. Such a penalty can be imposed if you exceed the speed limit, run a red light or violate the alcohol limit.

Depending on the severity of the punishment, a ban of between one and six months applies. First-time offenders are even allowed to choose when they want to hand in the rag to the relevant fines office. If it is not the first driving ban, this freedom no longer exists.

The revocation of your driving license is far more drastic. This is because the right to drive a motor vehicle is initially permanently extinguished. In this case, after the blocking period has expired, the driver’s license must be reapplied for – and possibly also a medical-psychological examination (MPU) must be passed. According to reports, the costs can be well over 2000 euros – without the fine for the actual penalty.

The reasons for the withdrawal are listed in Section 69 of the Criminal Code (StGB) – but they are not surprising. The driver’s license can be revoked by a court if the offense is related to alcohol, drugs, illegal car racing, hit-and-run or endangering road traffic.

Paragraph 69a Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code also describes the possibility of revoking your driving license for life. Then no MPU helps anymore. It says: “The ban can be ordered forever if it is to be expected that the statutory maximum period is not sufficient to avert the danger posed by the perpetrator. If the perpetrator does not have a driving license, only the ban will be ordered.”

But when will the court take this drastic and final measure? The “” writes that the lifelong driving license can be revoked, for example, if existing blocking periods are ignored, repeated drunk driving or serious behavioral problems.

There are also medical reasons where a court comes to the conclusion that physical or psychological circumstances make it impossible to drive a vehicle.