Theory topic 1 · Düsseldorf
Topic 1: Personal requirements
Before you get behind the wheel for the first time, your health and your paperwork both need to be sorted. Topic 1 covers what the German licensing rules (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung) expect from you personally, and why each of those requirements makes the roads safer.
- In class
- 90 minutes, as often as you like
- This is topic 1 of 14. You can come to this double lesson as many times as you like.
- Flexible times
- 8 theory classes a week
- Lessons run on six days a week. The 14 topics follow on from each other in a loop, so you simply join at the next lesson.
- Four languages
- German, English, Arabic, Berber
- Lessons are taught in German. If something isn't clear, you can ask in English, Arabic or Berber.
What you learn
What topic 1 covers
This is what's on the plan in the lesson, and it's what the theory test (Theorieprüfung) will ask you about.
- How old you have to be for class B, BF17 and B197, and when an exception is possible
- Which documents go with your licence application: an eye test certificate, a first-aid certificate and a passport photo
- What being fit to drive means for your body, your mind and your mood
- Why tiredness, stress, anger and being in a hurry slow your reactions down so much
- How to be honest with yourself about your limits and take responsibility for the state you drive in
- How your eyesight, your hearing and your reaction time affect safe driving
- Why staying fit to drive still matters long after you've passed
The key rules
What you need to know for sure
A lot of the test questions on this topic come back to these points.
The minimum age is fixed
For class B you have to be 18. With BF17 (accompanied driving) you can drive at 17, as long as an accompanying person is named on your licence, and you can register for it from 16½. With BF17 you can take the theory test three months before your 17th birthday at the earliest, and the practical test one month before it. Without BF17 the same rule applies, counted back from your 18th birthday.
Your eye test can be no more than 2 years old
Your licence application has to include a certificate from an eye test (Sehtest), which you can get at an optician or an eye doctor. If your eyesight isn't good enough on its own, you'll need glasses or contact lenses, and that's later entered on your licence as a condition.
You must do a first-aid course
To apply for your licence you need proof that you've done a first-aid course (Erste-Hilfe-Kurs) of at least 9 lessons of 45 minutes each. The certificate has to come from a provider that is officially approved to run these courses.
Being fit to drive is up to you
Nobody checks before every drive whether you're actually fit to drive, so you have to check yourself. Tiredness, illness, medication, alcohol or strong emotions can all make you unfit to drive. If you're in doubt, leave the car where it is and take the train or a taxi.
You need to see well
If you can't see properly, you react too late. If your licence shows code 01, you have to wear your glasses or contact lenses whenever you drive. Driving without them breaks that condition, which is an administrative offence, so you can expect a fine.
Common mistakes
Where the test often trips people up
In these places a question often means something different from what it seems to say when you read it quickly.
- Mixing up the minimum age and the test dates
- Many learners don't realise that both the theory and the practical test can be taken before their 18th birthday. If you miss that, you can lose weeks.
- Not taking tiredness seriously
- The theory test often asks about microsleep, where you nod off for a second or two without noticing. Coffee doesn't replace sleep. If you start to feel tired, what actually helps is stopping for a break and a 10 to 20 minute nap.
- Thinking medication is harmless
- Medicines you can buy without a prescription, such as antihistamines, cough syrup or some painkillers, can also affect your driving. For the test, the rule is simple: if the packet says it may affect your ability to react, you don't drive.
- Finding out about bad eyesight at the eye test
- If you fail the eye test, you can take it again with glasses or contact lenses, but you lose time. So if you're not sure your eyesight is good enough, get your eyes checked by an optician or eye doctor before the appointment.
Sample questions
What the questions in the theory test look like
Click on a question to see the answer. You can practise the full set of official questions with our learning app.
How old do you have to be to get a class B licence?
You haven't slept for more than 24 hours. Are you allowed to drive a car?
What can happen if an eyesight problem isn't treated?
In the driving lesson
Where you'll meet topic 1 again in the car
Before every drive, it's worth asking yourself honestly how you feel. Did you sleep well? Are you nervous? Do you need a break? Once you've understood in your theory lessons that being fit to drive is more than a test topic, you'll think about it every time you get in the car.
Questions and answers
Common questions about topic 1
Short answers to questions around this topic.
How long is an eye test valid for?
Where can I do the first-aid course in Düsseldorf?
Can I learn to drive if I wear glasses?
What if I'm taking medication that affects driving?
I've had psychological treatment. Does that affect my licence?
Registration
Come along to the theory lessons
Pre-register online, with no obligation. Once your registration has gone through, you join at the next lesson, whichever topic is on that day.
Or just drop by
- Phone
- 0211 21098911
- Mon–Fri
- 10:30–19:00
- Sat
- 10:00–15:00
- Sun
- Closed
Read on
Related topics and pages
- Topic 2: The human risk factorAlcohol, drugs, tiredness and distraction, and how much they slow your reactions.
- Topic 11: Dealing with special situationsAccidents, breakdowns, emergency vehicles, fog, ice and what to do in a tunnel.
- Topic 12: Safety through further learningThe probationary period, the seminar for new drivers and why learning goes on after the test.
- Class BThe car licence.
- Class BF17Start at 17 and drive with a companion.
- Pre-registrationSign up online, with no obligation.
