The use of a digital recording equipment is mandatory for certain motor vehicles that were first placed on the market on or after 01.05.2006. This affects vehicles that are used to transport goods and whose gross vehicle weight, including trailers or semi-trailers, exceeds 3.5 tons, as well as vehicles that are used to transport passengers and that are suitable and intended to carry more than nine people - including the driver - due to their design and equipment. The digital recording device records driving times and rest periods, makes manipulation to the detriment of general road safety more difficult and facilitates checks. The driver card replaces the previous tachograph disk and stores the driving and rest times for at least 28 days. After that, the oldest data is overwritten. Each driver may only have one valid driver card. This is checked (national: Central Tachograph Card Register, international: TACHOnet).

The following data can be read off:

• Surname, first name, date of birth, photograph and signature of the applicant
• Driving license number
• Nationality of the issuing country
• Period of validity (from / to)
• Driving and rest periods (including breaks and whether the driver has driven alone or in two-driver operation)
• Data relating to the vehicle (operating times, date, official registration number, mileage)
• Events, faults and checks

• German EU driving license or equivalent driving license from a member state of the EU/EEA
• Identity card or passport in conjunction with a confirmation of registration
• Photograph against a light background, 35 x 45 mm in size, showing the applicant without headgear in half profile (Section 5 (1) No. 4 of the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Driving Personnel Act - FPersV)
• Alternatively, a photograph (biometric) that complies with the provisions of the Passport Ordinance of October 19, 2007 (BGBl. I p. 2007, 2386) is also permitted

When ordering a driver card, a fee of up to 22.00 euros plus 12.00 euros KBA fee will be charged. If direct dispatch by the Federal Motor Transport Authority to the applicant is desired, an additional fee of EUR 3.00 will be charged to the Federal Motor Transport Authority for direct dispatch. However, direct mailing is only possible if the applicant is in possession of a driving license.

The driver card is valid for five years and can be reapplied for at the earliest six months before expiry, but must be reapplied for at least 15 working days before expiry.