Specific information for road haulage and for professional drivers can be found here.

Important notice – due to current events: Continued applicability of the exemption from the registration obligation and evidence of third-party vehicle insurance for Ukrainian passenger cars

The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport has approached the federal states with a request to extend the exemption from the registration obligation they had granted until 31 March 2024 by an additional six months to take sufficient account of the special situation of Ukrainian refugees. Most federal states have expressed their willingness to accommodate this request. Whether a granted exemption is extended or a registration is required will be decided on a case by case basis and must be clarified by the permit holder with the relevant local registration authority.

In this context, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport expressly points out that sufficient insurance cover is required even in the event of an extension. Vehicle owners are responsible for taking out such insurance. Operating a vehicle without the required third-party vehicle insurance cover is a punishable offence in Germany.
In this context, German third-party vehicle insurance providers have agreed to provide holders of vehicles registered in Ukraine with the possibility to take out temporary insurance cover. The actual terms of the policy will be left to the principle of contractual freedom and to the decision of the individual insurer, within the applicable statutory framework.
Further information is provided in the relevant fact sheet under:

• Fact Sheet Part A for Ukrainian motorists entering Germany for the first time with their vehicle
• Fact Sheet Part B for Ukrainian motorists who have used their vehicles for more than a year in Germany
• Attachment to Part B: Safety inspection - outline

For specific information on road haulage and professional drivers please click here.

Validity of Ukrainian driving licences in Germany

On 18 July 2022, the EU Council adopted the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down specific and temporary measures, in view of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, concerning driver documents issued by Ukraine in accordance with its legislation. Regulation (EU) No 2022/1280 entered into force on 27 July 2022.

In accordance with Article 9(2) of the Regulation, it shall cease to apply on 6 March 2025, at the latest, or earlier if the temporary protection status comes to an end. For information on who is eligible for this measure, please refer to the homepage of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (in German).

• If you hold a valid Ukrainian driving licence:
  No action is required until the temporary protection status expires. Your Ukrainian driving licence is currently recognized in Germany and in all EU Member States on the basis of the aforementioned Regulation. It is not necessary to carry a certified translation of your licence or an international driving licence.
• If you hold a digital Ukrainian driving licence:
  If you present your digital Ukrainian driving licence and the Ukrainian authorities, upon enquiry, confirm that you are entitled to operate a motor vehicle, your driving licence will be recognized.
• If your Ukrainian driving licence has been lost or stolen:
  Please go to the competent driver licensing authority of your place of residence.
• If you are a professional driver from Ukraine:
  If you undertake journeys for which a professional drivers' qualification in accordance with section 1 of the Professional Drivers’ Qualification Act is needed, an initial qualification is required in principle, which normally has to be proved by way of the code 95 in the driver qualification card. The recognition of the Ukrainian driving licence alone is not sufficient in this case.
  Subject to the condition of a complementary training and a test, Regulation (EU) 2022/1280 grants the Member States the option of recognizing Ukrainian driver qualification cards for the duration of the temporary protection status. In cooperation with the federal states, the Federal Motor Transport Authority, the Federal Printing Office and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport is currently working towards creating the necessary administrative and legal bases for the temporary recognition of Ukrainian driver qualification cards in Germany, as called for by the EU. Until these bases have been implemented into national law, Ukrainian driver qualification cards cannot be recognized. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport will keep you updated on its homepage.

No driver qualification card (FQN) or code 95 required for non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid

The Professional Drivers’ Qualification Act does not apply to the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid, i.e. such transport operations can be carried out without a driver qualification card (FQN) or code 95.

Flight ban for Russian aircraft in German airspace

The EU has adopted comprehensive measures as a response to the conflict in Ukraine. Among these measures is also a flight ban (Regulation (EU) 2022/334, Article 3d) for aircraft “operated by Russian air carriers, including as a marketing carrier in code-sharing or blocked-space arrangements, or for any Russian registered aircraft, or for any non-Russian-registered aircraft which is owned or chartered, or otherwise controlled by any Russian natural or legal person, entity or body”. These are prohibited from landing in the territory of the European Union, to take off from the territory of the Union or to overfly the territory of the Union.

As generally applicable legal act, the Regulation is binding for any person or organisation (economic operators, public authorities, etc.) in the EU. Germany has informed the aviation industry of the flight ban by means of a “Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM)”.

Please click here for the text of the NOTAM. (German only)

Please find the EU Regulation published in the Official Journal of the EU here. (German only)

Further information can be found on the website of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Flight ban imposed for Ukrainian airspace

On 23 February 2022, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) had already activated previous arrangements and contacted all affected associations, air carriers and federal ministries to recommend that they do not plan and conduct flights into or through Ukrainian airspace. This recommendation had already been made before Ukraine announced restrictions for flight operations in its own airspace.

Early in the morning of 24 February 2022, the BMDV and the Federal Aviation Office (LBA) put into action the prepared emergency plan, emphasizing per NOTAM the deterioration of the security situation and announcing a possible flight ban.

This initial NOTAM was updated around noon of the same day (24 February 2022) on the basis of a legally binding flight ban according to the Civil Aviation Act. It will initially be valid for four weeks.
Please click here for the General Order for Ukrainian airspace (German only).

In addition, on the evening of 24 February 2022, another NOTAM was published for an area extending 100 NM (i.e. 180 km) into the airspace of the Russian Federation and Belarus along the Ukraine border. It advises not to plan and conduct flights to or through this airspace and will be valid for four weeks.

On the evening of 25 February 2022, this NOTAM was extended to harmonize it with numerous other states, in particular EU Member States. The NOTAM now advises not to plan and conduct flights in the airspace of the Russian Federation and Belarus within 200 NM surrounding the borders with Ukraine. The NOTAM will be valid for four weeks.

Handling of Ukrainian certificates of competency for inland navigation

The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine has communicated through the European Commission that, in view of the limited administrative activity since 24 February 2022, the validity of certificates of competency for inland navigation will be extended automatically until the end of martial law. In addition, an agreement was reached on 12 May 2022 in the working group on professional qualifications of the European Committee for drawing up standards in the field of inland navigation (CESNI) that proof of physical and mental fitness must not be furnished for these certificates of competency expired after 24 February 2022.

If there is no more space left for entries in the Ukrainian service record book, or the holder wishes to have navigation time served verified and confirmed by entry of a control stamp (validated), a service record book without the European Union flag and without the CCNR logo will be issued. Outside, on the title page, the following entry is to be made in the German, English and Ukrainian languages:

“Replacement in the form of a follow-up issue to the Ukrainian service record book no.: XXXX.
Only valid in conjunction with the aforementioned service record book from the Ukrainian authorities within the geographical and material scope of the aforementioned service record book.
Date of issue, signature, stamp of the issuing authority.”

Here, the following applies:

• The service record book is to be issued based on the model referred to in section 60 of the Regulations for Inland Waterway Navigation Personnel (BinSchPersV) (combined service record book).
• All of the entry options concerning identity and qualification of the holder are to be left blank and protected against alteration by suitable means.
• The days of navigation served can be entered into the new service record book by the boatmaster. The Waterways and Shipping Office can validate this entry.