Apply for driving authorisation (so-called fire brigade driving licence)

Please note in particular our information under:
  • Performance specification

    Volunteer fire brigades, recognised rescue services, technical relief organisations and other civil protection units can enable their volunteers to acquire a driving licence, the so-called "fire service driving licence", to drive their emergency vehicles.

    With the driving licence, volunteers from the above-mentioned volunteer fire services and organisations may

    • Emergency vehicles with a permissible total mass of more than 3.5 tonnes up to 4.75 tonnes, also with trailers (small driving licence),
    • Emergency vehicles with a permissible total mass of more than 3.5 tonnes up to 7.5 tonnes, also with trailers (large driving licence),

    on public roads.

    Note: The driving licence only entitles the holder to drive emergency vehicles of volunteer fire brigades and organisations as part of the fulfilment of their duties (no private journeys) throughout Germany.
     

    Authorised instructors

    The volunteer fire brigades or organisations determine the authorised instructors themselves. They must fulfil the following requirements:

    • They must be members of the instructing volunteer fire brigade or organisation or of another fire brigade or organisation authorised to instruct,
    • Age: at least 30 years,
    • Possession of a class C1 or class 3 driving licence for at least 5 years,
    • Charge in the driving suitability register (previously: central traffic register) with no more than 3 points

    The volunteer fire brigade or the organisation can request current information from the central traffic register from those authorised to instruct.

    In addition, driving instructors (within the meaning of the Driving Instructors Act) with a driving instructor licence for category CE are also authorised to instruct. In addition, the instruction can also take place across organisations.

    The decision as to whether the fire brigade or organisation's own personnel or driving instructors carry out the instruction is the responsibility of the municipalities as the responsible bodies of the fire brigades and the organisations.

    Authorised examiners

    The same requirements apply to authorised examiners as to authorised instructors. In addition, the examiner must not be the same person as the person giving the instruction.

  • Process flow

    If you have successfully completed the instruction in the emergency vehicle and passed the practical test, you can apply for the granting of the driving licence at the regulatory authority of the district or district-free city. The volunteer fire brigades and organisations organise the instruction in the emergency vehicles and the practical test required for the granting of the driving licence themselves, unless the municipality or the organisation stipulates that driving instructors take over this task. If all requirements are met, the driving licence is issued.


    Induction

    The aim of the induction is to ensure that you as an applicant are able to drive the emergency vehicles safely. Before your first journey, you will be familiarised with the special features of the emergency vehicle and informed about the rules for using special rights and rights of way. Successful completion of a training course at the Hessian State Fire Brigade School or at the organisations is required before instruction for the purpose of obtaining the major driving licence. The content, scope and implementation of the instruction are based on the requirements of Annex 1 to the Hessian Driving Authorisation Ordinance (HFbV). Whereas the instruction previously had to be carried out with trailers, it is now possible to carry it out with or without a trailer. For vehicles up to 7.5 t (large driving licence), the requirement to be equipped with ABS has been dropped. (This was never mandatory for the small driving licence).

    Practical test

    As an applicant, you must demonstrate your ability to drive emergency vehicles in a practical test. This is carried out on public roads.

    You must drive the vehicle independently, even in difficult traffic situations, in a safe and roadworthy manner. Your driving style should be anticipatory and adapted to the flow of traffic. In addition, you must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the relevant legal regulations for driving an emergency vehicle and be familiar with the dangers of road traffic and the behaviour required to avert them. The requirements for the content and scope of the practical test are listed in Annex 2 to the Hessian Driving Licence Ordinance (HFbV) (driving licence test for obtaining the small and large driving licence). The explanations added during the briefing apply accordingly to the test, i.e. a test with or without a trailer is possible and the test vehicles for the large driving licence do not have to be equipped with ABS. (This was never mandatory for the small driving licence).
    Instruction and test certificates are issued for the respective type of driving licence according to the models in Annex 3 or 4 to the regulation. The models have been redesigned because the instruction and test can be carried out with or without a trailer.

    Issuing the driving licence

    If you meet all the requirements, the regulatory authority will issue you with the small or large driving licence for emergency vehicles. You will receive a document based on the model in Annex 5 or 6 to the ordinance, which you must carry with you together with your category B driving licence. These documents certify that you are authorised to drive emergency vehicles with or without a trailer. A time limit for the driving authorisation is also entered. This results from the supplementary regulations in § 7 of the Ordinance, which provide for the corresponding application of the provisions of §§ 23 and 24 of the Driving Licence Ordinance.

  • Requirements

    Applicant for the driving licence

    • Suitability for driving emergency vehicles in accordance with §§ 11 to 14 of the Driving Licence Ordinance (fulfilment of mental and physical requirements, in particular as regards eyesight),
    • voluntary membership of a volunteer fire brigade, a recognised rescue service, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief or another disaster control unit and,
    • Possession of a class B driving licence for at least 2 years as well as,
    • Proof of successful completion of the instruction and the examination,
    • Proof of not being charged with more than two points in the driving suitability register (previously: central traffic register),
    • Presentation of a "police" certificate of good conduct.
  • Which documents are required?

    You must enclose the following documents with your informal request to the regulatory authority (usually the driving licence office):

    • Class B driving licence and
    • Instruction and examination certificate for the acquisition of the small driving licence (model according to Annex 3 of the Regulation) or for the acquisition of the large driving licence (model according to Annex 4 of the Regulation).
  • What are the fees?

    Special information for - District of Waldeck-Frankenberg

    The administrative fee is charged in accordance with the Fee Regulations for Road Traffic Measures (GebOSt) .
    The amount of the fee depends on numerous different factors.
    Information in individual cases can be obtained from the locally competent authority.

  • Legal basis

  • Appeal

    An objection pursuant to Section 68 of the Administrative Court Code is possible.

  • Applications / Forms

    • Sample: Instruction and examination certificate for the acquisition of the small driving licence
    • Specimen: Instruction and examination certificate for the acquisition of the large driving licence
    • Sample: Small Driving Permit
    • Model: Large Driving Permit

    (Annexes 3 -6 to the Hessian Driving Authorisation Ordinance - HFbV)

     

  • Comments

    Expiry and suspension of driving authorisation

    Please note that your driving authorisation automatically expires in the following circumstances. In these cases, you must immediately surrender your driving licence to the regulatory authority.

    • Withdrawal of the driving licence of category B or category 3 and
    • Waiver of class B or class 3 driving licence.

    If a (temporary) driving ban has been imposed on you, you may also not make use of your driving entitlement, i.e. the driving entitlement is suspended.


Who do I need to contact?

To the administrative authority of the district or independent city responsible for your place of employment (determination of the subject area is the responsibility of the head of the authority); no application is required prior to the start of the instruction and completion of the test. The person concerned only has to decide whether to apply for a small or large driving licence.

Responsible departments

Responsible staff