Imagine you are planning your next big tour. The route is set, the panniers are packed and your 125 is gleaming in the sun. Instead of nervously checking that your wallet is safely stowed, in future a quick reach for your smartphone will be enough. With the 4th EU Driving Licence Directive and the new EUDI Wallet, the digital driving licence is coming – the biggest change since the introduction of the card licence. It is particularly interesting if you hold a German licence with the B196 extension, which lets car licence holders ride 125s in Germany.
The smartphone as your new driving licence
The digital driving licence is more than a handy gadget. Under EU law, member states must offer the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) by the end of 2026, and Germany plans to do so. Your smartphone then becomes official, legally valid proof. The wallet will hold your licence categories and, if required, your ID card and vehicle documents. Technically, the system is based on the eIDAS standard, which ensures that your data is transmitted encrypted and tamper-proof during a check. You decide which information you share.
B196 in the EU: what changes for 125 riders
For touring riders with a German licence, key number B196 is the most important topic. Until now the extension has only been valid nationally. In Germany you could ride a 125, but as soon as you crossed the border into Austria, Italy or France you were legally riding without a valid licence. That has annoyed many campers and bikers who would have liked to spend their holidays abroad on two wheels.
Whether and when B196 will be recognised elsewhere in the EU is still open. The new EU directive first has to be transposed into national law, and member states have several years to do so. Until then: B196 is only valid in Germany. Check the current situation with the ADAC or your licensing authority before every trip abroad.
How to prepare for the digital driving licence
The digital driving licence itself is expected to arrive a few years after the wallet, once the directive has been transposed. To be ready from the start, you should take care of a few things now. Most importantly: your physical licence must be up to date. The digital wallet requires the EU card licence. If you are still riding around with an old pink or grey paper document, plan the exchange at your licensing authority in good time.
Your ID card is also important. To verify yourself in the wallet you need the online ID function (eID) of the German ID card. If you don't use it yet, you can activate and test it via the official AusweisApp. Only once your digital identity is set up can the wallet be securely linked with the data of the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). A look at the central driving licence register also shows you today whether your B196 extension is recorded correctly.
What else the EU directive brings
Besides digitalisation, the 4th EU directive brings further changes that could affect you. For example, the permissible total weight for category B rises to 4.25 tonnes for vehicles with alternative drives. A real advantage if you drive a modern electric motorhome.
The EUDI Wallet becomes the central place for your digital documents. The plastic card remains as a backup for the time being, but digital proof is to become the standard – for example when renting a vehicle, taking out insurance or at a police check. A lost wallet then no longer ruins your whole holiday straight away.
How to check online whether your data is ready
To avoid nasty surprises at the start, German licence holders can already check whether their B196 extension is correctly recorded in the central driving licence register (ZFER). Only if the data at the KBA is correct can it later be loaded into your wallet smoothly.
How to do it:
- Requirements: you need your ID card with activated online ID function (eID), your six-digit PIN and an NFC-capable smartphone with the AusweisApp.
- Start the query: open the KBA portal for register information.
- Identify yourself: choose the online information service and identify yourself via the AusweisApp.
- Result: you immediately receive a PDF. Check in the table of your licence categories whether key number 196 is entered. If it is missing, contact your licensing authority as soon as possible and have the record corrected.
Checklist for the digital driving licence
Besides the data check, you should keep two further points in mind:
- The card licence: the digital wallet only works with the EU card licence. If you still have an old pink or grey paper licence, now is the right time to exchange it.
- Category B weight limit: for motorhomes with alternative drives (e.g. electric), the category B limit is to rise to 4.25 tonnes. That makes travel planning much more flexible.
Frequently asked questions about the digital licence and B196
1. Will the digital driving licence completely replace my plastic card? Not for now. The digital licence in the EUDI Wallet is intended as a supplement. Keep carrying the card, especially on trips abroad in the early days, because it will take time until all police authorities accept the digital proof.
2. What happens at a check if my phone battery is flat? That's your problem. You must show your licence at a check. If your phone is off, it counts as if you had forgotten your licence, which can cost a fine. A charging cable on the motorcycle or a power bank in your rucksack is a good idea.
3. Does the EUDI Wallet or the digital licence cost extra? According to EU rules, the EUDI Wallet is to be free of charge for you. Fees may at most be charged by authorities, for example if you need a new ID card for activation or have to exchange an old paper licence.
4. Can I ride to any EU country with B196 from 2026? No, you shouldn't assume that. Until the new directive has been transposed everywhere, B196 is only valid in Germany. Abroad you would otherwise be riding without a valid licence.
5. Do I need mobile reception for the wallet? No. The EUDI Wallet is designed so that checks also work offline (e.g. via Bluetooth or a QR code scanned by the police), as long as the credential has been loaded onto the phone once.
6. Is the digital licence safe from hackers? The wallet uses current encryption and the eID function of your ID card for protection. Your data is not stored on a central server but locally in a protected area of your smartphone. Without your biometric approval (Face ID or fingerprint) or PIN, nobody can access it.
7. What do I do if I lose my smartphone? You can have the digital wallet blocked remotely, similar to a credit card. Because the data is linked to your eID, you simply reactivate it on a new device.
8. Will the digital licence also be accepted by rental companies abroad? Yes, that is one of the main goals. From 2027, certain businesses in the EU, such as car rental companies, are required to accept the EUDI Wallet as an official means of identification. Things will then go much faster at the counter.
9. Can I also store my vehicle registration in the wallet? Germany already offers a digital vehicle registration via the i-Kfz app. It is planned to move into the EUDI Wallet as well, so you will have all vehicle documents in one place.
10. Do I have to repeat the B196 training for EU recognition? No. If B196 is already in your licence, it remains valid. Whether it will later also apply abroad thanks to the new directive depends on how it is transposed.
Your roadmap for the coming months
In short: the course has been set for cross-border tours. Make sure your B196 key number is entered correctly, your ID card is ready for the online function and read up on the European Commission's information on the EUDI Wallet. Then you are prepared as soon as the rules change.
My final tip
Until the wallet is introduced, check your data with the KBA once a year. That way the move of your licence into digital format will go smoothly, and you won't be left staring at an empty display during a check abroad.