Probationary licences

Up-to-date information on probationary licences, alcohol limits, probationary periods for holders of foreign driving licences, mandatory retraining, extension of the probationary period, etc.

Every new driving licence (all licence categories, except for category AM and category F) remains a probationary licence for the first three years. For L17 and category A1 licences, however, the probationary period will run until the holder’s 21st birthday. This probationary period shall not apply to individuals whose previous licence has lapsed (e.g. because of withdrawal or expiry). Moreover, if a licence is being extended to a further category/categories, the probationary period will not start anew for the newly acquired categories.

The probationary period is not indicated on the driving licence unless the period is extended.

New licence holders are entitled to drive abroad under the same conditions as all other licence holders, regardless of whether they have reached the end of their probationary period or not.

The rules in relation to the probationary period also apply to foreign driving licences if the holder moves their main residence to Austria within three years of obtaining the licence. In that case, the probationary period will run for three years from the date of issue of the foreign driving licence.

Probationary licence holders are subject to a blood alcohol content limit of 0.1 g/l (as opposed to the usual 0.5 g/l). If, during their probationary period, a licence holder is found to have infringed the 0.1 g/l limit or commits another serious traffic offence (e.g. hit and run, using a mobile phone while driving, failing to give way, serious speed limit infractions), the driving licence authority will order them to attend mandatory retraining.

Licence holders who have been ordered to attend mandatory retraining will have their probationary period extended by one year (or alternatively a new 1-year probationary period will begin if the 3-year probationary period has expired between the offence being committed and the retraining being ordered). It will be marked on their licence that the probationary period has been extended/the 1-year probationary period has been reset. This means a new photocard licence will have to be issued.

If the licence holder commits another offence during their third probationary period, they will be ordered to provide a medical certificate proving they are fit to drive, as well as to undergo a traffic psychology examination.

Legal basis

Sections 4, 18a, 19 of the Führerscheingesetz (FSG)