If you’re among the lucky ones who can have their licence converted, you’ll need to present your old licence, a translation of it from a recognised translator, a passport photo, the results of an eye test (available from every optician) and your passport to the Einwohnermeldeamt, a government office also known as the Bürgeramt. There is at least one in every district and they can be easily located at www.berlin.de. You are probably already familiar with the Einwohnermeldeamt after registering your address there during the first few weeks of your stay.

Temporary licences or learner’s permits are not accepted and you may be asked to prove you lived in the country where you earned your licence for at least six months – trips to the US to gain a licence used to be common to circumvent the high costs of German driving schools. You may also be required to attend a first-aid class, though this appears to be at the whim of the various government offices.
If you’ve never had a licence before or are required to start from the beginning, you’ll have to find a driving school and suffer through 14 two-hour classroom sessions, as well as about 12 excursions in the instructor’s car. In addition, you’ll have to complete an approved first-aid class. The driving school will then help you finish the paperwork. The total cost is as much as €2,000.