When visiting Germany, an American driver's license is permitted, but you are asked to carry a translation of your license with you. When moving to Germany, a person has six months from the date of established residency (which is usually the date you enters the country) to acquire a German license. If your license was issued in Connecticut, Washington, D.C, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon or Tennessee, you will only be required to take the written test. If your license was issued in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming or Puerto Rico, your license can be converted to a German license without a test. If your license was issued in any of the remaining 18 states, written and in-car tests are required to convert to a German license.
The minimum driving age in Germany is 18. Seatbelts are required for all passengers. If you are pulled over for a traffic violation, police are allowed to collect fines. If you do not have the correct amount of cash to pay this fine, they may impound your vehicle.
Police directing traffic overrule any other traffic signal or sign. As far as traffic signals are concerned, no right turn on red is permitted unless a green right-turn arrow is displayed next to the signal. Traffic signs are very common. Stop signs are red octagons and yield signs are upside-down triangles, just as in the United States. Vehicles driving straight have the right-of-way over turning vehicles. Vehicles turning right have the right-of-way over vehicles turning left. Traffic entering a roundabout has the right-of-way, and a turn signal must be used to exit a roundabout. Emergency vehicles always have the right-of-way.
Germany has a series of priority roads on which drivers have the right-of-way over drivers entering from intersecting streets. These roads are designated with a white diamond sign with a yellow diamond in the center. Intersecting streets will have yield or stop signs. If you are on a priority road that turns, you must use your turn signal before making the turn.
German speed limit signs are displayed on a white circular sign with a red border. German speed limits are written in kilometers per hour (km/h). A speed limit sign remains in effect on all streets in that zone until you pass another similar sign with a bar across it. This cancels the previously mentioned speed limit for that zone. At this point, you resume driving the default speed limit. German default speed limits for a car are 50 km/h in populated areas, 100 km/h outside of populated areas and 130 km/h on motorways.
