First aid course in Germany
For every German driving license you need a first aid course with 9 teaching units, and the certificate does not expire. As a first aider at work the insurance institution pays, and the refresher is due every two years.
Which case is yours?
For a driving license
CheckedYou need a course with 9 teaching units, and the certificate does not expire. Online courses are generally not accepted.
Details and source
The FeV sets no expiry for the first aid certificate. If you extend your license or have it reissued, you do not need a new course if you already took such training before. According to the City of Dortmund, an old course "Lebensrettende Sofortmaßnahmen" (8 lessons) is not enough for an extension: then you need proof of the course with 9 teaching units; if in doubt, ask your driving license office (Führerscheinstelle).
Source: FeV § 19 Abs. 2 · Stadt Dortmund: Führerschein, Erste-Hilfe-Nachweis · checked 14 Oct 2026
First aider at work
CheckedThe accident insurance institution pays the course, so it is free for you as an employee.
Details and source
The fees for the standard training and refresher are paid by the accident insurance institutions (Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse) as a flat rate; for you as an employee the course is free. Billing is between the authorised training body and the insurance institution, not directly with the company; depending on the institution you need a cost coverage declaration beforehand or register directly. Continued pay and travel costs are paid by the company.
Source: DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Kostenübernahme · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (6.1 bis 6.5) · checked 14 Oct 2026
Refresher at work
CheckedAs a first aider at work you need a refresher, as a rule every two years.
Details and source
Your employer must make sure that, as a first aider, you are retrained as a rule every two years (Section 26(3) DGUV Regulation 1). The DGUV describes the first aid training with 9 teaching units for this, at the latest every 2 years. If the deadline is exceeded in exceptional cases, the refresher must follow at the next possible date.
Source: DGUV Vorschrift 1, § 26 Abs. 3 (Textfassung der Unfallkasse Brandenburg) · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (4.1, 4.2) · checked 14 Oct 2026
First aid for children
ChangesA separate course for parents and family; its length differs between providers.
Details and source
First aid for children is a separate course format for emergencies with babies and children, meant for parents, grandparents, childminders and babysitters. There is no uniform length: the Johanniter, for example, name 8 teaching units (Bamberg) or 7 teaching units (Potsdam). According to Johanniter Potsdam, billing via the Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse is not possible for it.
Source: Johanniter Oberfranken: Erste Hilfe am Kind (Handzettel) · Johanniter Potsdam-Mittelmark-Fläming: Kurse 2026 · checked 14 Oct 2026
What does a first aid course cost?
€33.90 to €75
Prices are set by each provider. For the driving license course (9 teaching units) we checked 8 providers. As a first aider at work you pay nothing.
Prices by provider
- Johanniter Regionalverband Südbrandenburg: €70
- Johanniter Potsdam-Mittelmark-Fläming: €75
- Malteser Hilfsdienst Bad Reichenhall: €65
- DRK Kreisverband Müllheim: €60
- PRIMEROS, private provider: €33.90 to €51.40
- ASB München: €65
- ASB Karlsruhe: €65
- ASB Erlangen-Höchstadt: €75
Source: Johanniter Regionalverband Südbrandenburg and the other providers listed · as of 14 Oct 2026
The detailed cost calculator is available in German.
Official lists and the legal text (in German)
What applies, according to the source
The sources are official German documents, so their titles stay in German.
Show all 10 rules with source, status and check date
| Rule | What applies | Status |
|---|---|---|
| First aid training for a driving license (FeV Section 19) | For every driving license in Germany you need first aid training of at least 9 teaching units of 45 minutes each, with theory, practical exercises and basic knowledge about organ donation. Proof is a certificate from an officially recognised body or a public body such as the Bundeswehr, the police or the federal police. Courses may be offered by bodies recognised under Section 68 FeV or authorised by an accident insurance institution; the course content is identical to first aider training at work. FeV § 19 Schulung in Erster Hilfe · FeV § 68 Stellen für die Schulung in Erster Hilfe · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Änderung der Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (2015) | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Is an old course still valid for a driving license? | The FeV sets no expiry for the first aid certificate. If you extend your license or have it reissued, you do not need a new course if you already took such training before. According to the City of Dortmund, an old course "Lebensrettende Sofortmaßnahmen" (8 lessons) is not enough for an extension: then you need proof of the course with 9 teaching units; if in doubt, ask your driving license office (Führerscheinstelle). FeV § 19 Abs. 2 · Stadt Dortmund: Führerschein, Erste-Hilfe-Nachweis | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Who does not need a course for the driving license | You need no first aid certificate, among others, if you passed the medical or dental licensing exam, completed training in a health profession (for example medical assistant) or have paramedic or emergency service training. The German lifeguard badge (Deutsches Rettungsschwimmabzeichen) in silver or gold also counts. FeV § 19 Abs. 3 | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Online course for the driving license | Besides theory, the FeV explicitly requires practical exercises. The City of Dortmund states that first aid courses completed online are generally not accepted; so book a course in person. FeV § 19 Abs. 1 · Stadt Dortmund: Führerschein, Erste-Hilfe-Nachweis | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| First aider at work: training (DGUV Regulation 1 Section 26) | Your employer may only appoint people as first aiders who were trained by a body authorised by the accident insurance institution, or who have paramedic, emergency service or completed health profession training. The training is the first aid course with 9 teaching units. A driving license course counts if it was no more than two years ago and took place at an authorised body. DGUV Vorschrift 1, § 26 Abs. 2 (Textfassung der Unfallkasse Brandenburg) · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (1.5) | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| First aider at work: refresher every two years | Your employer must make sure that, as a first aider, you are retrained as a rule every two years (Section 26(3) DGUV Regulation 1). The DGUV describes the first aid training with 9 teaching units for this, at the latest every 2 years. If the deadline is exceeded in exceptional cases, the refresher must follow at the next possible date. DGUV Vorschrift 1, § 26 Abs. 3 (Textfassung der Unfallkasse Brandenburg) · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (4.1, 4.2) | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| First aider at work: who pays? | The fees for the standard training and refresher are paid by the accident insurance institutions (Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse) as a flat rate; for you as an employee the course is free. Billing is between the authorised training body and the insurance institution, not directly with the company; depending on the institution you need a cost coverage declaration beforehand or register directly. Continued pay and travel costs are paid by the company. DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Kostenübernahme · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (6.1 bis 6.5) | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| How many first aiders does a company need? | With 2 to 20 insured persons present, at least one first aider must be there. With more than 20, it is 5 percent in administrative and trading companies, 10 percent in other companies, one first aider per group of children in daycare centres and 10 percent of the insured persons under Section 2(1) no. 1 SGB VII in universities. Deviations are possible in agreement with the accident insurance institution. DGUV Vorschrift 1, § 26 Abs. 1 (Textfassung der Unfallkasse Brandenburg) · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Find recognised course providers (QSEH) | Authorised training bodies are listed by the quality assurance office for first aid (BG QSEH) of the VBG at www.bg-qseh.de. Since 01.01.2015, bodies authorised there also count as officially recognised under the driving license regulation (FeV), so their course works for both the driving license and work. The criteria for authorisation are in DGUV Principle 304-001 (edition 2022.04). DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (1.5, 3.3) · BG QSEH: Ausbildungsstellen · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Änderung der Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (2015) · DGUV Grundsatz 304-001 | Checked checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| First aid for children (for parents and family) | First aid for children is a separate course format for emergencies with babies and children, meant for parents, grandparents, childminders and babysitters. There is no uniform length: the Johanniter, for example, name 8 teaching units (Bamberg) or 7 teaching units (Potsdam). According to Johanniter Potsdam, billing via the Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse is not possible for it. Johanniter Oberfranken: Erste Hilfe am Kind (Handzettel) · Johanniter Potsdam-Mittelmark-Fläming: Kurse 2026 | Changes checked 14 Oct 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
How long is the first aid course for a German driving license?
At least 9 teaching units of 45 minutes each, usually in one day. The course is the same for all license classes and identical in content to first aider training at work.
Source: FeV § 19 Schulung in Erster Hilfe · FeV § 68 Stellen für die Schulung in Erster Hilfe · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Änderung der Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (2015) · checked 14 Oct 2026
How long is my first aid certificate valid?
The FeV sets no expiry, and for an extension of your license you need no new course. To serve as a first aider at work, however, a driving license course may be no more than two years old.
Source: FeV § 19 Abs. 2 · Stadt Dortmund: Führerschein, Erste-Hilfe-Nachweis · DGUV Vorschrift 1, § 26 Abs. 2 (Textfassung der Unfallkasse Brandenburg) · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Betrieblicher Ersthelfer · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (1.5) · checked 14 Oct 2026
Can I do the first aid course online?
No. The FeV requires practical exercises, and the City of Dortmund states that online courses are generally not accepted. Book a course in person at a recognised body.
Source: FeV § 19 Abs. 1 · Stadt Dortmund: Führerschein, Erste-Hilfe-Nachweis · checked 14 Oct 2026
Is the course held in English?
Our sources do not set a course language. Before booking, ask the provider whether the course is held in English; recognised providers are listed by the QSEH.
Source: DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (1.5, 3.3) · BG QSEH: Ausbildungsstellen · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Änderung der Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (2015) · DGUV Grundsatz 304-001 · checked 14 Oct 2026
Where do I find a recognised course?
The quality assurance office for first aid (BG QSEH) lists authorised training bodies at www.bg-qseh.de. Their courses count for the driving license and for work.
Source: DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: FAQ (1.5, 3.3) · BG QSEH: Ausbildungsstellen · DGUV Fachbereich Erste Hilfe: Änderung der Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung (2015) · DGUV Grundsatz 304-001 · checked 14 Oct 2026
Orientation, not legal advice. Binding are the driving license regulation (FeV), the DGUV regulations and your driving license office (Führerscheinstelle).