Driving in Germany

So you're in Germany and you've decided you want to buy a car and start driving. Great! There are a few things you'll need to get sorted out first. The first one being your Driver's License.

If you come from Canada, Australia, New Zealand or any one of a whole list of countries, you'll be able to swap your home license for a German one. As for the USA, depending on what state your license is from, you may have to take the theory test. Below is a link to a PDF fact sheet for holders of a foreign driving license outside of the EU.

Fact sheet for holders of foreign driving licences from states outside the European Union and the European Economic Area on driving licence provisions in the Federal Republic of Germany

Now that you got that all sorted, you need to get some wheels. There are a few routes you can take. If you're not ready to fully commit to buying a car you can sign up for one of many car sharing programs. Car2go is fairly popular. They have an English website and are pretty wide spread.
These work pretty well if you live in a large urban centre like Berlin or Cologne. Not such a great option if you live in a small Bavarian village.

If car sharing doesn't work for you and you want to buy a car then you'll need to know a few things. Buying a car in Germany is a tricky process. Throw in a language barrier and it can be a pretty stressful ordeal. Buying from a reputable dealership is probably your safest option. Because they're trying to sell you something. They'll usually bend over backwards to bridge the language gap. A pattern I've come to notice in Germany. You want something from them? "Speak German!" They want something from you? "Of course I can speak English!" If you're in the Düsseldorf area, Jenna from Life in Düsseldorf has a great article on where to buy used cars in Düsseldorf. Check it out.

Used Car Websites in Dusseldorf

Once you've bought a car you'll then have to make sure it has been inspected, insure it and register it. Usually in that order. The HU/AU inspection (TÜV) is something all cars need to have if they are considered road worthy. New cars will need to be inspected after three years and then every two years after that. Without this certification your car will be not allowed on the road. Once you know the car has been inspected you can go ahead buy some insurance. You need to buy insurance before you register your car. You can buy car insurance online and print out all the necessary documents at home. Once you have your proof of insurance you can then register the car and take it home. If you're buying off of a car lot, then they'll be able to do most of it there with you. If you're buying from a private person then you'll have to take care of it yourself. To register you'll have to seek out your closest 'Kfz Zulassungsstelle'.

Now it's time to drive right? Couple of points to note before you start flying down the Autobahn at 200kmh.

• Contrary to popular belief the highway system in Germany has speed limits. Although some stretches have no speed limit, many parts do. They can also change with the traffic conditions.
• 4 way stop procedure is different in Germany. It's always right before left, meaning the vehicle on the right has the right of way. 
• Watch out for cameras. Speed cameras are everywhere.
• If you're from Canada or the USA you'll notice that the streets are a lot narrower. Drive carefully.
• Some traffic signs are different here. Take the time to learn them. Here's a cheat sheet below.

So now you should be all set. Europe is a great place to road trip in. Within a couple of hours you can be in a completely different country with a completely different culture. Taking a road trip to Spain or Italy is absolutely doable and is one of the funnest ways to see Europe. So happy road tripping and drive safe everyone.

Administrative Hurdles

German bureaucracy is a challenge to navigate on the best of days. And that's if you speak German. For English speakers who are new to the country, it can be a nightmare. Hopefully this post will shed some light on the subject and point you in the right direction.

What is the best tip I can give you when dealing with these matters? If you can, bring a German speaking friend with you to help translate. This can save a lot of headaches. Although many Germans can speak English quite well, many will downright refuse to conduct these matters in any language other than German. It's mostly to protect themselves. They simply can't risk translating something wrong or having a misunderstanding. If you bring someone with you, it lessens the chance of a misunderstanding.

First Things First, Register.

All cities have offices called Burgerburo. No it's not the office for hamburgers but in fact the citizens office. This is where Germans go to get their ID cards, passports and of course to register their address. Now you can stay in Germany legally for up to three months without registering, but I recommend getting it out of the way as soon as possible. Once you're registered, it will make everything else a lot easier. In the bigger cities you will need to make an appointment. In the smaller towns you can just walk in and take a number. If you're new to the city they might even give you a small welcome package.

Next. Get a Bank Account

There are many options here. You'cant really go too wrong. Sparkasse is the biggest. They have branches everywhere and are pretty reliable. The other big banks are also ok. Check out their offers. Some will give you a starting bonus of 50 euros or something similar. I had a friend come with me the first week I was in Germany. I was not registered and did not have a job. Still I had no problems.

Another option is to go completely online. I don't have much experience in this area but below are a couple links to articles about the digital bank N26 and digital banking all together.

N26
Online Banks are Winning

While we are on the topic of banks, I feel it important to mention that everything here is done via electronic bank transfer. All of your bills, rent, everything is paid this way. To make and receive transfers you will need to know your IBAN. IBAN is a 22 digit number beginning with 'DE' and can be found on your bank card.

Health Insurance

This is a tricky one. Now if you are already in Germany then you probably had to prove that you are insured against medical emergencies. Usually a good travel insurance package should suffice. That's what I did and my original visa was approved with no problems. Essentially, if you are unemployed and end up in the hospital, the Germans won't have to pick up the tab. 

Once you get a job however, things will change. If you are making more than 450 euros a month then you'll be required to enter into the German public health care system and you will have to choose a provider. To be honest there isn't much difference between the providers. The provider you are with makes zero difference when you are going to the doctor, dentist or hospital. They might vary a bit when it comes to customer service or special deals on fitness training but that's about it. Once you've chosen a provider then your HR department should be able to set it all up for you. At least that's how it was with me. If you do indeed have to pay a visit to your provider's office then be sure to bring your German friend and all of your documents. 

Now for some basic facts about the German health care system.

• The total cost is about 17-18% of your gross earnings.
• The employer pays half so your share ends up being between 8-9%.
• You are free to choose any doctor you like.
• When you are sick, go to the doctor, they will write a note and you can stay home with pay.
• There is no limit to the number of sick days.
• Prescriptions cost 5 euros. Some are even free if they have a deal with the provider.
• Visits to the dentist are also included. 

Employment Contracts

Every job in Germany comes with a written contract. This is because German labour law is pretty rock solid. So employers will hire you on a one or two year contract so they have an out if things don't work out. They can also build in custom probation periods and other clauses. However, employers can only renew your contract a maximum of two times before they are required to give you an open ended contract. So take the following example. You're hired on a one year contract. The year is up and they decide they would like to keep you. They can give you another one year contract. Now after that year is up and they still want to keep you, they are not allowed to put term limits on the contract. You will receive the holy grail of work contracts, The 'unbefristeter Arbeitsvertrag' or unlimited work contract. This is the highest level of job security you can have in Germany. 

Minimum wage in Germany is 8.84 euros per hour. Almost everywhere in Germany you get paid once at the end of the month. Minimum number of paid vacation days are 24 if you work a 5 day week. There are special bonuses for working evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Make sure you're getting paid what's owed to you.

So hopefully you're now a little better equipped to navigate your way through the jungle of German red tape out there. I summarised these facts for you as a rough guideline. Some of the numbers can be off or vary from state to state. Any questions, just leave a comment below. Check back for more posts later. Thanks for reading. Come back soon!