How to Get a Category A1 Driving Licence in Germany?

A Category A1 driving license (in German, Führerschein Klasse A1, commonly called the “125er-Führerschein”) is Germany’s entry-level motorcycle license, letting you ride motorcycles up to 125cc, 11 kW, and 0.1 kW/kg. This guide goes deep into what Class A1 actually covers in Germany, the real training-hour breakdown, the exact fee ranges, and the distinctly German B196 shortcut for existing car-license holders, including why it’s a genuine dead end if you ever want to upgrade further.

In Germany, training and testing run through a licensed Fahrschule, and the license is issued by the local Führerscheinstelle. Our driving license in Germany and the license eligibility pages are good starting points.

What is a Class A1 license in Germany?

Class A1 authorizes you to ride motorcycles up to 125cc engine displacement, with a maximum power of 11 kW and a power-to-weight ratio not exceeding 0.1 kW per kilogram of unladen weight. It also covers certain three-wheeled vehicles. This is the entry point of Germany’s Stufenführerschein (staged license) system, introduced EU-wide in 2013.

Where A1 sits in Germany’s Stufenführerschein

Germany’s three-tier structure runs A1 (from 16), A2 (up to 35kW, from 18), and full Class A (unrestricted, from 24 direct or 20 after two years on A2).

Direct entry: the real training-hour breakdown

For a full A1 license with no prior category, German driving schools structure the theory course as 16 double lessons (Doppelstunden) of 90 minutes each, 12 covering general road-rules content (Grundstoff) and 4 covering motorcycle-specific content. On the practical side, every first-time applicant must complete 12 compulsory Sonderfahrten (special drives): 5 rural (Überland), 4 motorway (Autobahn), and 3 night drives, on top of however many ordinary practice lessons you personally need.

The theory and practical exams

For first-time applicants, the theory exam consists of 30 multiple-choice questions with a maximum of 10 error points allowed, and no more than two “important” errors (each worth 5 points) are permitted. If you’re adding A1 to an existing license category, the exam is shorter: 20 questions, with a maximum of 6 error points. The practical exam takes around 45 minutes.

If you fail an exam

You’ll need to wait at least two weeks before retaking either exam, and each retake carries its own fee, typically another €120–180 for a repeated practical exam. Some schools also bill extra lessons ahead of a retake separately, so a failed attempt can add up quickly.

Costs: full A1

Estimates for a full A1 license vary widely by source and region, anywhere from around €950 at the low end to €3,400 at the high end, with several 2026 driving-school quotes clustering around €2,000–2,600 in practice. Real quotes gathered from German riders in early 2026 include one family charged €2,100 across three local schools, and another paying around €2,500 once medical certificate and first-aid costs were added. The main cost components:

• Registration/base fee: roughly €250–690, depending on the school.
• Ordinary practice lessons: roughly €60–100 per 45-minute unit, with the number needed depending entirely on your progress.
• Sonderfahrten (12 compulsory): roughly €40–130 each, depending on region and school, a meaningful cost given that all 12 are mandatory regardless of skill level.
• Theory exam: roughly €60–130 combined (school administration fee plus the official TÜV/DEKRA examination fee).
• Practical exam: roughly €180–300 combined.
• First license card issuance: roughly €30–50.

One detail that surprises many first-timers: German driving schools generally do not provide protective riding gear. You’re expected to bring your own approved helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots from your very first practical lesson. Budget roughly €500–1,000 for a complete, properly fitted starter set, which then carries over if you later upgrade to A2 or full Class A.

Do you already hold a car license? Full A1 gets cheaper too.

Even if you skip B196 and go for a genuine A1 license, holding a car license already saves you money: the 12 hours of general road-rules theory (Grundstoff) are waived since you’ve already covered that content for your car license, leaving roughly 6 hours of motorcycle-specific theory instead of the full 16. The 12 compulsory Sonderfahrten and the practical exam are unaffected; those apply regardless of what other licenses you hold.

The B196 shortcut: a genuinely different animal

Since January 2020, German car (Class B) license holders aged 25 or older who have held their car license for at least 5 unbroken years have had a simpler option: key number 196 (Schlüsselzahl 196), a short add-on course of 4 theory double-lessons plus 5 practical double-lessons, around 13.5 hours total, entered directly onto the existing B license rather than a genuine motorcycle category. There is no theory or practical exam at all; you attend the training and receive a certificate to present at your Führerscheinstelle. Costs typically run €500–1,000, a fraction of the full A1 price.

Here’s the crucial catch: B196 permits the same motorcycles as A1 (up to 125cc/11kW/0.1kW per kg), but it is valid within Germany only, doesn’t appear on the EU-format license in a way that’s recognized abroad, and, unlike a genuine A1 license, it cannot be used as a stepping stone to A2. If you take the B196 route and later decide you want a bigger motorcycle, you’ll need to start the full A1 course completely from scratch; none of your B196 training or experience counts toward it.

Medical requirements

Applicants must provide an eyesight test result as part of their application, in line with requirements across German motorcycle categories.

Automatic transmission restriction

It’s worth noting that an automatic-transmission test locks your license to automatic machines, via EU code 78.

A grandfather clause for older licenses

If you obtained a car license in the old Class 3 category before 1 April 1980, you automatically retained the right to ride A1-category motorcycles, a piece of legacy protection (Bestandsschutz) that still applies today for anyone who qualifies.

Upgrading from A1 to A2, and onward to full Class A

This is where the genuine A1 license pulls decisively ahead of B196. If you hold a real Class A1 license for at least two years, moving up to A2 requires only a practical test, no fresh theory exam, typically costing around €400–600 all in. Moving from A2 to unrestricted Class A is even cheaper: after holding A2 for two years and reaching 21, the upgrade costs roughly €300–500, again with no theory retest, just some mandatory drives and a practical exam. This staged path is one of the most cost-effective ways to obtain an unrestricted license in Germany, costing considerably less than the €1,600–4,000 for a direct-entry Class A course at 24 with no prior category. None of this staged discount is available to B196 holders, who would need to start a full A1 course from scratch to access any of it.

Validity

German driving licenses, including Class A1, have the standard EU photocard administrative validity period before renewal.

How is your license actually issued?

Your Fahrschule handles registration for your theory and practical exams (for full A1) or your training course (for B196), and liaises with the Führerscheinstelle, which issues your card showing the relevant entitlement.

Tips for getting your Class A1 license in Germany

• If you’re under 25 or don’t yet hold a car license for 5 years, B196 isn’t available to you; full A1 is your only route.
• If you’re 25+ with a 5-year-old car license and only ever plan to ride a 125cc bike in Germany, B196 is dramatically cheaper and requires no exam.
• If there’s any chance you’ll want a bigger motorcycle later, or want to ride abroad, get the full A1 license. B196 is a genuine dead end for upgrades.
• Budget for all 12 compulsory Sonderfahrten (5 rural, 4 motorway, 3 night drives) on top of your regular practice lessons for full A1.

Start at the bottom of the motorcycle ladder.

A Class A1 license is a genuinely capable first step into motorcycling in Germany, and the staged-access route to A2 makes it a smart long-term investment if you plan to keep riding. As you progress through the licensing system and, in time, toward professional car, truck, or bus categories, you can register in the driver section, explore vacancies, and see what employers are hiring for on FastDriver.eu, along with our guides on the jobs pages.

Declaration

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. License categories, vehicle definitions, ages, medical standards, training requirements, and fees can change and may vary by case, by federal state, and by authority in Germany. Always confirm the current rules with the official German government sources before making decisions. The authoritative information is on the government’s Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt pages. FastDriver.eu accepts no liability for actions taken based on this information.