Points system in Germany: what truck drivers should know about Flensburg points

For long-haul truck drivers, any mistake on the road can lead not only to a fine but also to points being added to their driving record — commonly known as Flensburg points. However, this system isn’t just a formality. Even a single point is already a sign that the driver has committed a serious traffic offence that could endanger other road users.

Truck drivers are especially affected by this system because accumulating eight points results in an automatic loss of their driving licence and with it, their job. At MT onroad, we regularly analyze how the Flensburg points system (also known as demerit points) works in practice and what it means for professional drivers. That’s why we’ve put together this full overview explaining how the register works, which violations add points to your record, how to check your current balance, how many points your driver's license has, when they expire, and how to avoid losing your licence and facing other penalties.

How are Flensburg points assigned? Understanding the FAER system

The Flensburg Points system is a demerit points system used to monitor drivers in Germany. There’s a central register — the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Motor Transport Authority) where all serious traffic violations are recorded. Each offence adds 1, 2, or 3 points to a driver’s record, depending on how severe the violation is.

Note from MT onroad: Points are not recorded at the moment of the offence — they’re only added once the violation is proven and the decision becomes legally binding. This timing is important when calculating how long points stay on your record.

How many Flensburg points can you have in Germany? Risk levels explained

Germany’s traffic offence register uses a step-by-step system that aims to warn drivers, correct unsafe behaviour, and, in the worst cases, revoke a driving licence completely. To make it easier to understand, the FAER system works a bit like a traffic light: the more points you have, the closer you get to losing your licence.

Maximum Points Allowed in Germany

1–3 points: Entry level

If you have between one and three points on your record, the system simply logs the offence. This is like a “green light” stage — your violations were relatively minor, so the authorities won’t take any direct action yet. However, this is still a clear warning: you’ve made a mistake, and it’s on record.

These points will be counted towards any future offences — so your next violation could push you into the next risk category. At this stage, points can’t be reduced by attending a seminar; they’ll only be removed once their retention period expires (see our section on how long Flensburg points stay on your record).

4–5 points: Written warning

Once you reach four points, you’ll receive an official written notice from the KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt). This is sent to your registered address — even if you’re based outside Germany. This letter means you’re now under closer monitoring, and every further violation matters.

The letter will also invite you to attend a voluntary Fahreignungsseminar — a driver training course to improve your road safety knowledge. Successfully completing it can reduce your total by one point, but only if you haven’t used this option in the last five years.

Note from MT onroad: Taking part in this seminar is the only way to lower your points at this stage — it’s not a penalty but an opportunity.

6–7 points: Fine warning and strict monitoring

If you accumulate six or seven points, you’ll receive a formal penalty warning. This is the final stage before losing your licence, you can’t reduce points through a seminar anymore.

In other words, things are very serious at this level: each additional point means your licence will be revoked. Even if some of your points are close to expiring, your driving behaviour is closely tracked at this stage, and your record can also affect your insurance or employability as a professional driver.

8 points: Licence revocation

If you reach eight points, you’re officially declared unfit to drive. This means:

• Immediate withdrawal of your driving licence;
• A driving ban for at least six months;
• You must undergo a medical-psychological assessment to prove you’re fit to drive again.

Note from MT onroad: For truck drivers, this almost always means the end of their job. Points accumulate no matter your citizenship or where your licence was issued — the system applies to anyone who breaks road rules in Germany.

What violations most often earn truck drivers Flensburg points?

1 point

These are administrative violations, serious enough to be recorded but not classified as criminal offences.

2 points 

Given for more severe offences that pose a safety risk or come with a temporary driving ban.

3 points 

These are criminal offences that result in an immediate licence suspension.

How to check points on your licence in Germany

Every driver in Germany has the right to request free information about their Flensburg points balance; that is, how to check points on your license in Germany for free. You can do this digitally or by post. Below are all officially confirmed methods for 2025, including links and tips.

1. Online via AusweisApp2 with a new ID

The fastest and most convenient way is through the official Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) website — if you have:

• A new German ID card issued after 01.11.2010;
• The online identification function activated;
• The AusweisApp2 software installed;
• A device with an NFC reader (smartphone or external reader).

Request link:
https://www.kba.de/DE/Themen/ZentraleRegister/FAER/Auskunft/online.html

Your result will appear as a PDF file. This method works for German citizens and residents, including non-citizens with a valid German ID.

2. By post

If you don’t have a digital ID or AusweisApp2, you can send a paper request by post.

What you need:

• Download and fill out the request form:
  https://www.kba.de/DE/Themen/ZentraleRegister/FAER/Auskunft/formular_pdf.

If you are working outside of Germany and cannot download the PDF directly, please use a copy:

https://www.neumuenster.de/fileadmin/neumuenster.de/media.

• Attach a copy of your ID card or passport (both sides);
• Send to address:
  Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA)
  24932 Flensburg
  Germany

Don’t forget to add your full name, date of birth, and address. You’ll get a reply by post within 10 working days. This service is free.

3. In person at the KBA office in Flensburg

If you’re in northern Germany, you can visit the KBA Flensburg information pavilion in person.

Address:
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA)
Auskunftspavillon
Fördestraße 16
24944 Flensburg
Germany

Opening hours:

• Mon–Wed: 09:00–15:00;
• Thu: 09:00–16:30;
• Fri: 09:00–14:00.

Bring your original ID card or passport.

 Info: +49 (0) 461 316-0
https://www.kba.de

4. Through a lawyer or authorized third party

Some law firms and paid services can submit the request for you:

• You fill out a form on their website;
• They submit the request to KBA on your behalf;
• You get the result directly or through them.

For example: wbs-law.de offers this.

Processing time: 7–21 days. Cost: around €30.

You can also check how many points are linked to your driving licence online in just a few minutes. Some commercial services, which work through authorised law firms, offer this for around €35 (including VAT). All you need to do is enter your basic details, email address and contact phone number. The system will then ask you to make a one-time payment — and you’ll receive your results directly by email.

For example:

https://www.online-punkte-abfragen.de/ 

What does NOT work

• Phone, fax, email, or social media requests — due to data protection, the KBA won’t give out info this way.
• Requests via third parties without an official power of attorney.
• Unofficial sites without a clear link to KBA are likely scams.

Note from MT onroad: Check your points status at least every 6 months, especially if you drive internationally. Even a single new point can affect your licence conditions.

When are Flensburg points removed? Retention periods and how they work

Every traffic violation recorded in the FAER system comes with a specific retention period — known as the Tilgungsfrist. During this time, each point remains active in the register and affects your total balance. The length of this period depends on the severity of the offence:

• Points for ordinary administrative violations (1 point) are kept for 2.5 years;
• Points for offences worth 2 points are kept for 5 years;
• Points for offences involving criminal liability (3 points) remain active in the system for 10 years.

All retention periods start from the date when the penalty decision becomes legally binding — not from the date when the violation was committed. This means that if the decision is appealed, the countdown only starts once the procedure is concluded.

However, once these periods expire, points do not disappear immediately. Each point automatically gets an extra year — called the Überliegefrist or “grace period.” During this period, the point no longer counts towards your current total, but it still formally exists in the traffic offence register (although it is not visible to employers, insurance companies, etc.). This is done so the system can still include it if other violations from the same timeframe are processed later. For example, if a new offence is recorded but only finalised months later, the system can match it with points that have just expired but are still in the Überliegefrist.

For truck drivers, this system is especially important. Even a single expired point can show up in a report during an internal check or when renewing your licence if its grace period has not yet ended. Therefore, it’s recommended to keep track of exact dates and keep copies of all letters from the KBA Flensburg, especially if you work on international routes.

How to reduce your points: Guide to attending a seminar

If you have up to five points on your record, you can take a special course a Fahreignungsseminar (preventive training seminar) — to voluntarily remove one point. This is the only legal way to reduce your points in the FAER system.

These seminars are offered only by certified driving schools and psychologists accredited by the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt. You can find an authorised organiser near you through the official KBA website or your local Fahrlehrerverbände (driving instructor associations). Registration is done directly: the driver picks a date, gets confirmation, and attends the course in person.

The programme consists of two parts:

• A theoretical module on road traffic regulations (driving school);
• A psychological module.

The total duration is about 6–7 hours, split over a 2-week period. The cost of a Fahreignungsseminar ranges from €350 to €500, depending on your region and the organiser. Once completed, you’ll receive a certificate, which is automatically sent to the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt and recorded in the system within 2–3 weeks as an official one-point reduction. This seminar can only be taken once every five years and only if you have no more than five points on your record. If you have six points or more, this option is no longer available.

Note from MT onroad: Attending the seminar is voluntary, and completing it does not cancel any other penalties (for example, fines or criminal charges) if those decisions have already been finalised. If you have four or five points and want to avoid getting close to the critical threshold of six to eight points, we strongly recommend taking the seminar in advance. It’s a smart investment in your professional safety as a truck driver.

What to do if you have 6–8 points: strategy to save your licence

When you have six or seven points in the FAER system, you’ll receive an official warning. This is the final stage before your licence is revoked — and at this point, you can no longer reduce points by attending a seminar. Your only goal now is to avoid getting another point.

The first step is to request an up-to-date report from the FAER register to check exactly how many points you have, which offences they relate to, and when they are due to be deleted. Next, consult a traffic lawyer or road safety advisor. If there are any questionable violations, it’s worth checking whether they can still be appealed. Sometimes an offence can be challenged retroactively especially if it involved an automatic speed camera, tachograph errors, or late delivery of a penalty notice.

If you reach eight points, your driving licence is automatically revoked — this is called Entziehung der Fahrerlaubnis. To get your licence back, you must pass a medical-psychological assessment (MPU). This is a mandatory step: without a positive MPU report, you cannot regain your licence, even after the minimum disqualification period of six months.

Preparing for the MPU should ideally start in advance — while you still have six or seven points. There are specialised courses for this, including for truck drivers with frequent issues related to tachograph rules, overloading, or rest period violations. Certified traffic psychologists offer these consultations, and online options are available too. But once you reach eight points, there is no more time for corrections: the decision takes effect automatically and cannot be cancelled.

FAQ

Why are Flensburg points (demerit points) given?

Points are a tool to monitor and prevent unsafe driving for all drivers, including truck drivers. They apply to anyone whose actions on the road potentially endanger other road users.

When are points added in Flensburg?

Points are added for violations that come with a fine of at least €60 and that affect road safety.

 From what speeding limit do you get a point?

One point is given for exceeding the speed limit by 21 km/h or more, whether inside or outside city limits.

How many points to lose your license in Germany?

Your licence is revoked when you reach 8 points. This happens automatically.

What happens at 8 points? 

The driver is officially declared unfit to drive. The licence is revoked for at least six months, and it can only be reinstated after passing an MPU.

How long does a point stay in the system?

The retention period depends on the severity of the offence:

• 1 point - 2.5 years;
• 2 points - 5 years;
• 3 points - 10 years.

An additional 1-year is added to each.

Are points deleted automatically? 

Yes, once the retention period (including the grace year) ends, points are removed automatically without needing to submit any extra application.

Is the driver notified about points?

Yes. When you reach 4 and 6 points, you’ll receive official notices: a written warning and then a penalty warning from the KBA.

Can you check what you got points for?

Yes, you can get full information via an online request on the KBA website, by post, or in person in Flensburg. You’ll see the date, offence article, and retention period for each point.