The MPU (medizinisch-psychologische Untersuchung), often called the “idiot test”, is not a punishment. The driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde) uses it to clarify whether doubts about your fitness to drive have been resolved. Once an MPU has been ordered, your licence depends on the report of an officially recognised assessment centre.
Aleksander Sigal, Fachanwalt für Verkehrsrecht (a traffic law title awarded by the bar association) in Berlin, checks the order, deals with the authority – in Berlin the LABO – and helps you plan deadlines realistically, in English. Preparing for the psychological interview is the job of traffic psychologists; we make sure the legal basis is right.
When the authority orders an MPU
The grounds are set out in the Driving Licence Regulation (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV) and the Road Traffic Act (StVG). The authority always needs specific facts that raise doubts about your fitness.
| Ground | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Driving with 1.6 per mille or more (0.8 mg/l breath alcohol), including on a bicycle | § 13 FeV |
| Repeated offences under the influence of alcohol, or signs of alcohol misuse | § 13 FeV |
| Repeated offences under the influence of cannabis, or signs of cannabis misuse | § 13a FeV |
| New licence after revocation for other drugs | § 14 FeV |
| New licence after revocation for reaching 8 points | § 4(10) StVG |
| Serious or repeated traffic offences, traffic-related crimes, high potential for aggression, repeated revocation | § 11(3) FeV |
Alcohol
From 1.6 per mille the MPU is mandatory, by car or by bicycle. Below that it can be ordered if further facts point to misuse. In a judgment of 17 March 2021 (3 C 3.20), Germany's Federal Administrative Court held that an MPU may be required from 1.1 per mille if no typical signs of intoxication were recorded, as this suggests a high tolerance to alcohol. Berlin's LABO also refers to an MPU from 1.1 per mille in its information on new licences. Criminal and fine proceedings are covered under drink and drug driving.
Cannabis under the new rules
Since 2024 cannabis has its own rule (§ 13a FeV). A single drive with 3.5 ng/ml THC or more in blood serum is a regulatory offence but does not automatically lead to an MPU. One is ordered after repeated offences under the influence of cannabis, or if facts suggest you cannot reliably separate consumption and driving. Authorities and courts do not yet handle this uniformly. For other drugs, simply taking them generally rules out fitness to drive.
Points, probation and criminal offences
If you lost your licence for reaching eight points, you can get a new one after six months at the earliest – usually only with a positive report (see penalty points in Flensburg). After revocation during the probationary period, further offences in the new probationary period usually lead to an MPU. Criminal offences such as coercion and road rage can also be a ground.
Having the MPU order checked
The order cannot be challenged directly. But if it is unlawful, the authority may not conclude from a refusal that you are unfit – so check it before spending time and money on the assessment. We look at:
- whether the stated ground really justifies an MPU and the facts are correct,
- whether the questions to be answered are specific and limited to the ground,
- whether the authority relied on entries that have been deleted or may not be used,
- whether the deadline is reasonable and criminal proceedings on the same facts are still pending.
You may inspect the documents the authority sends to the assessment centre – the assessor works from exactly this file.
Deadlines and refusing the MPU
The authority sets a deadline for submitting the report, which you pay for yourself. You choose the assessment centre and tell the authority which one you have instructed. If an abstinence programme is still running, you can ask for an extension, but there is no right to one.
If you refuse or miss the deadline, the authority may conclude that you are unfit to drive (§ 11(8) FeV) and revoke your licence or reject your application. Giving up your licence voluntarily does not solve the problem: the question of fitness comes up again when you reapply.
Preparation and proof of abstinence
Assessors look at whether you have understood your past behaviour and changed it for good; answers learnt by heart help little. Start early, often during the disqualification period.
- Proof of abstinence: depending on the questions, assessors expect controlled urine tests at short notice or hair analyses, often over six or twelve months. After dependence, one year of proven abstinence is normally required.
- Recognised testing: results only count if collected to forensic standards. Clarify this before you start.
- Psychological preparation: reputable providers do not promise results. Check qualifications and terms.
How the assessment works
- Questionnaire. You answer questions on your background, health and the incidents in the file.
- Medical examination. A doctor examines you and, depending on the ground, evaluates lab results and abstinence records.
- Performance tests. Computer tests check reaction, concentration and resilience.
- Psychological interview. The focus is on why the offences happened and what has changed since.
- Report. It is positive or negative, or recommends a recognised course to restore fitness to drive.
After the report: getting your licence back
With a positive report the authority issues a new licence, provided the other requirements are met and any disqualification period has ended. Driving school is not needed again; a test can only be required if facts suggest your skills are lacking.
If the report recommends a course, the certificate of attendance can replace a new assessment – but only if the authority agrees before the course starts, and not in every type of case. After a negative report we discuss what went wrong and when a new attempt makes sense. How bans, revocation and new licences fit together is explained under driving bans and licences in Germany; fees are covered under fees and legal insurance. Call 030 86 20 12 40.
This article gives a general overview of German law (as of October 2026) and does not replace advice on your individual case.