Requirements to Drive
**For any questions regarding vehicle registration or driver's licenses, call the vehicle registration office at 452-6620.
Drivers must have a U.S. Army Europe driver's license to drive in Germany, no exception. An international driver's permit alone does not give you authority to operate a USAREUR-plated vehicle. Additionally, you cannot legally drive a rental car while you wait for your vehicle to arrive without a USAREUR driver's license.
All servicemembers, DoD civilian employees and family members assigned to Spangdahlem Air Base who require driving privileges must do the following:
■ Take the Headquarters USAREUR driver's test
■ Have a valid U.S. driver's license
■ Have a USAREUR driver's permit or license while operating a USAREUR-plated vehicle Where do I go to take the online drivers exam?
Both drivers tests must be completed.
■ https://jkodirect.jten.mil/html/COI.xhtml?course_prefix=USA&course_number=-007
■ https://jkodirect.jten.mil/html/COI.xhtml?course_prefix=USA&course_number=-007-B
■ This site does not require a .mil account
Study materials are available from the USAREUR Registry of Motor Vehicles website at:
http://www.eur.army.mil/newcomers/
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page; links are available for the practice test, online test guidance, and more
How do I get a USAREUR driver's license?
■ Anyone requiring a USAREUR license is required to receive a safety briefing, which is offered during Newcomers (located in building 42 in the Viper Conference Room) every Wednesday at 9:25 a.m. The Safety Briefing is also available Fridays at 9 a.m. at Wing Safety, located in Building 217.
■ For the online driver's test, if JKO is unavailable, you can schedule an appointment (452-6620) for in-house testing.
Do I need an international driver's license?
If you plan on spending time in Europe before in-processing the base, we suggest you obtain an international driver's permit from your local AAA in the U.S. For more information on this process, go to AAA.com.
Once you have in-processed the base, your AAA international drivers permit cannot be used for international travel. YOU MUST OBTAIN A USAREUR LICENSE TO DRIVE IN EUROPE. After you obtain your permanent USAREUR license, obtain an application for the European international license through the 52 SFS Driver's Testing office. The license costs 16 Euros and must be obtained at the Bitburg courthouse.
What if I have a visitor who needs to drive a USAREUR-plated vehicle?
The best course of action is to have visitors get an international driver's permit before arrival.
When your visitors arrive, take them to the customs office, located in building 139. The customs officers will need the following:
■ International drivers permit (If the visitor arrives without an international driver's permit, they must have their valid stateside driver's license translated from a court approved translator in Germany).
■ The visitor's passport
■ The sponsor's (vehicle owner's) registration of the vehicle that will be operated by the visitor.
Once the above criterion have been met, the customs office will issue an exception to policy letter. The visitor must carry the letter, passport, stateside license translation or international driver's license whenever they are operating the sponsor's vehicle.
Do not go to the custom's office before speaking with vehicle registration.
Customs can be reached at 452-4500.
*Note: Residents of Germany are not allowed to obtain the Exception to Policy letter.
If you plan to buy a vehicle in Germany, there are many used cars available through the base lemon lot or local dealerships. Keep in mind that even an old used car can cost a few thousand dollars, so plan accordingly in terms of how much money you have accessible when you first arrive.
Check out how to Rent a Car in Europe