Driving for Bolt, Uber and similar in Berlin

Licence, P-Schein, work limits and pay rules for ride-hailing drivers.

1. Are you allowed to work?

• Student permit (§ 16b): 140 full days or 280 half days a year, employment only. Self-employment needs the permission of the immigration office (LEA). More days need LEA approval.
• Opportunity Card: up to 20 hours a week on average, plus trial work of up to 2 weeks per job.
• Blue Card and other skilled-worker permits are tied to a qualified job. A driver job is not that job; working outside your permit is not allowed (§ 4a AufenthG). Unauthorised self-employment can be fined up to €5,000 (§ 98).
• Spouses, asylum seekers and people with a Duldung: work rights not verified for this guide. Ask a counselling centre, see Already in Berlin?

2. Your Indian driving licence

• Valid in Germany for 6 months after you take up your main residence (on request up to 12 months). Then you need a German licence.
• India is not on the list of countries with easy exchange (Anlage 11 FeV). Conversion needs the theory and the practical test. Driving school is not compulsory.
• Needed: first-aid course, eye test, passport photo, passport, residence permit, translation of the licence (not needed if German or English), main residence in Berlin. Fee €45.10 with tests.

3. Licence for passenger transport (P-Schein)

• Apply in person at the Berlin licensing office (LABO), main residence in Berlin, German card licence. Basis: § 48 FeV.
• Requirements: age 21 or older; class B licence for at least 2 years; police certificate (Führungszeugnis, €13) and a certificate from the central traffic register; medical and eye test (doctor about €80 to €150, secondary source). Valid up to 5 years. Fee €45.10.
• The local-knowledge test for Mietwagen drivers was abolished in 2017. Older guides that list it are outdated.
• Professional-knowledge exam (Fachkunde): LABO issues the P-Schein provisionally, and proof must follow before the first renewal. Sources conflict on whether Berlin requires the exam now. Ask LABO in writing before you invest.
• Whether a converted Indian licence counts as "class B for 2 years" is not confirmed. Ask LABO.
• Processing time 6 to 8 weeks (from a platform page, not official).

4. Employment and pay

• Statutory minimum wage: €13.90 an hour (2026), €14.60 from 1 January 2027.
• You should have a written contract, payslips and social-insurance registration. Keep a log of your hours; students must also count their days.
• Rental-car firms must return to their business address after a job (§ 49 (4) PBefG). Many firms have moved their address to Brandenburg. Check that the company has a valid permit.
• Prices on the apps are often 22 to 36% below the taxi tariff (LABO data 2024/25). The customs authority told the Berlin parliament such prices are only possible with undeclared work and unpaid contributions. Cash pay and "self-employed" contracts put you at risk, not only the employer.
• Inspections are frequent: in 2024 the licensing office flagged 217 firms with 1,661 vehicles; the customs authority's 2026 nationwide check found 560 suspected cases among about 1,500 drivers questioned.

5. What we do not know

• How many Indians drive for ride-hailing in Berlin: no reliable figure exists. The Senate says nationality is not recorded. Berlin has 33,260 Indian citizens (end of 2024); the Federal Employment Agency counted 2,942 of them in "transport and storage" (March 2025), which includes far more than taxis.
• A Berlin minimum fare for ride-hailing was under review; no decision found. Cologne and Munich introduced one in 2026.

What comes after driving?

See Getting ahead: roadmaps beyond driving.

Next step: a qualified driving career

Professional driver (Berufskraftfahrer) is a shortage occupation. From abroad, § 24a BeschV allows entry with a work contract, a training promise and approval of the Federal Employment Agency: licence and professional qualification within 15 months. A Federal Council decision of July 2026 eases exams (theory in English, among other things); whether it is in force and whether India is covered is not verified.