Інформація для біженців

Federal Minister Dr Volker Wissing:

After more than 75 years of peace, war has returned to Europe. Putin will go down in history as a warmonger and aggressor. Nothing can justify his attack on Ukraine, which constitutes a breach of international law. We as the Federal Government will stand by Ukraine and do everything in our power to help those people who are suffering.

Road transport

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

Important notice due to current events: registration procedure for Ukrainian vehicles after 30 September 2024

After 30 September 2024, vehicles with a Ukrainian registration that have been in Germany for more than one year must be registered. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport has agreed with the federal states on an approval procedure that takes into account the special situation of Ukrainian refugees. This procedure and other individual questions have been summarized in a questionnaire created specifically for this topic.

Please find here the list of questions in German.

Further versions you can find here: English and Ukrainian.

Information on registration requirements for new drivers arriving from Ukraine

The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and the federal states have agreed to consider vehicles with Ukrainian registration as being operated in international traffic for up to one year after crossing the border, thus allowing them to temporarily participate in road traffic, fully exploiting the available legal scope of section 46 of the German Vehicle Registration and Licensing Regulations (FZV). This means that newcomers are not initially required to register their vehicles.

Detailed information can be found in the information sheet: Fact Sheet Part A for Ukrainian motorists entering Germany for the first time with their vehicle.

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 5 March 2026, 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:
  As long as the protection status is maintained, there is nothing you need to do. Your Ukrainian driving licence is currently recognized in Germany and in all EU Member States on the basis of the above 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, can confirm that you are entitled to drive, this entitlement 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 are engaged in transport operations for which a professional drivers’ qualification is required in accordance with section 1 of the Professional Drivers’ Qualification Act, a basic qualification is generally required, which is usually documented by the entry of Code 95 in the driver qualification card. Recognition of the Ukrainian driving license alone is not sufficient here.
  If complementary training and a subsequent test are completed, Regulation (EU) 2022/1280 gives Member States the option of recognizing Ukrainian driver qualification cards for the duration of the protection status. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport has initiated a legislative procedure to create the necessary procedures and legal bases for the temporary recognition of Ukrainian driver qualification cards in Germany, which are required by the EU. Until the transposition 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 scope of application of the Professional Drivers' Qualification Act does not cover non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid which means that such transport operations can be performed without driver qualification card or Code 95.

Air transport

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

Please click here for the General Order for Ukrainian airspace (German only).

Waterways and Shipping

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.