Convert or use your driving licence

Your foreign licence is valid in Germany for 6 months after your Anmeldung (not after arrival — the registration date counts). After that, whether you can simply swap it depends on where it's from:

• EU/EEA licences: valid indefinitely, nothing to do.
• "Annex 11" countries (including UK, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, and some US states/Canadian provinces for full recognition): straightforward exchange (Umschreibung) at the driving licence office — no tests or only a theory test depending on country.
• Everyone else (including India and most of Asia/Africa): you must take the German theory and practical exams, though you skip the mandatory minimum lesson counts. Realistic cost with a driving school: €800–2,000. The theory test is available in English and several other languages.

Do you even need it? In Munich, Nuremberg or Ingolstadt, daily life works perfectly without a car. Get the licence if your job needs it, you're settling long-term, or weekend trips call — but it's rarely a first-year priority.

Apply via your city's Führerscheinstelle; processing takes weeks to months, so start before your 6-month grace period ends if you'll need to drive.

Red flags:

• Driving after the grace period on an unconverted licence is driving without a licence — a criminal offence (§21 StVG), and your insurance is void in any accident. The 6 months run from your Anmeldung date, whether or not you knew.
• Assuming your country's rule from a forum post — recognition varies by issuing country and even by US state. Verify your case at the Führerscheinstelle before relying on an easy swap.
• Unlicensed "instructors" offering cheap practice hours — only registered driving schools can put you into the practical exam, and private practice without the right setup is itself illegal.
• Missing translations: non-EU licences generally need a certified translation (or international driving permit) even during the grace period.