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Select where your licence was issued and see exactly what Germany requires: nothing, a simple exchange, or which exams.
You may drive with your licence (plus translation) for 6 months after registering residence. After that you need a German licence: theory + practical exam. The good news — no minimum driving lessons are legally required, so with experience you can keep costs down.
Cost: typically €600–1,500 with driving experience (fresh learners pay €2,000–3,500)
Rules follow §31 FeV and Anlage 11 and change over time — always confirm with your local Führerscheinstelle before relying on them.
Germany sorts foreign licences into three tiers. EU/EEA licences stay valid forever. Licences from the “Anlage 11” list (UK, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the Balkans and more) convert by simple exchange at the Führerscheinstelle for roughly €40–80. Everyone else — including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, India and Pakistan — may drive for six months after registering residence, then needs the German theory and practical exams to keep driving.
The exams are cheaper than most people fear if you already drive: the law sets no minimum number of driving lessons for conversions, so experienced drivers typically pay €600–1,500 instead of the €2,000–3,500 a new learner spends. The theory test is available in English, Arabic, French, Turkish and other languages. Plan the timing well: start at a Fahrschule during your first months so you never lose the right to drive — especially if your job (delivery, care, trades, driving) depends on it.