Basic · from 999 €
Lean one-to-one preparation for one question.
- 6 one-to-one sessions, no group
- Questionnaire with written evaluation
- Analysis of your case and its causes
- Simulation and certificate can be added
MPU preparation in English
MPU in English. Prepared in a language you think in.
One-to-one MPU preparation fully in English, in Cologne or online.
- Free first consultation
- One-to-one, no groups
- Cologne or online
- 30+ years of experience in the team
Welcome! You are in good hands here.
No need to fight your way through German paperwork alone. We explain every letter in plain English and prepare you one-to-one, at your pace.
- Sessions fully in English
- We explain the German letters
- Cologne or online
- Confidential, no judgement
In short
The MPU (Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung) is a fitness-to-drive assessment. Without a positive report, the authority will not give your licence back.
- It is ordered after alcohol or drug offences, 8 points in the driving register, or serious traffic and criminal offences.
- The assessment itself is usually in German. An interpreter can be booked.
- Your preparation with us can be held entirely in English: one-to-one, no group sessions.
- What it is
- Medical check, reaction tests, psychological interview
- Legal basis
- German Driving Licence Regulation (FeV), e.g. §§ 11, 13, 14
- Fee at the centre
- about 663–855 € depending on reason (check current fee)
- Languages we counsel in
- English, German, Albanian
- First step
- Free consultation, at least 30 minutes
- Free first consultation
Book an appointment and get your questions answered.
- Appointment within 48 hours
Call us: you get your appointment no later than 48 hours after your call.
- Set the right course
Avoid mistakes and find your way back to your licence with our support.
Your team in Cologne
From the first consultation to a positive MPU result.
Psychologists, traffic psychologists and traffic psychology counsellors. One-to-one and personal, in every area of MPU preparation.
- Free first consultation
- One-to-one sessions in Cologne and online
- Detailed analysis of the causes
- Abstinence strategies
- Shortening the ban period
- MPU simulation
- Support until a positive MPU
Packages
From 999 €. Three packages.
One-to-one preparation or full support until you pass. The first consultation is always free.
Premium · from 3,000 €
Unlimited sessions until you pass, paperwork included.
- Unlimited one-to-one sessions until you pass
- Paperwork and coordination with the authorities
- Several questions possible
- MPU simulation and certificate included
- Instalments by arrangement
Exclusive · from 5,900 €
Everything in Premium, plus personal support by the director.
- Support by the director and a traffic lawyer
- Several MPU simulations
- Appointments without waiting, evenings and weekends
- Support until you hold your licence
MPU-KölnWe counsel you one-to-one, never in groups.
How we work
More than just MPU preparation.
Traffic psychology expertise and personal reflection, tailored to your situation.
1The free first consultation 30 to 60 min.
- Ask your questions in person, in Cologne or online.
- Find out which package fits your case and what it costs.
- We analyse your case and discuss the counselling plan.
- We clarify what the authorities require.
- We tell you which strategy is realistic and sensible.
- We set up the steps for a quick start.
2Planning the strategy
- Clarify your file and the authority's question.
- Plan abstinence or controlled drinking, depending on your findings.
- Align the timeline with the ban period, evidence and application.
- Spot risks before they show up in the report.
3MPU preparation
- One-to-one sessions, no groups.
- Work through the causes and make your changes understandable.
- Practise the psychological interview realistically, up to an MPU simulation.
- Put together complete evidence and documents.
4Getting your licence back
- Application for a new licence and choice of assessment centre.
- We go through the report together.
- With Premium and Exclusive we coordinate with the authorities for you.
- Goal: your licence back in your hands.
Where to find us
In Cologne. And online.
Kreuzgasse 2–4, 50667 Köln
Wenige Gehminuten von der Haltestelle Neumarkt · nur mit Termin
Learn more
The basicsWhat is an MPU, and why was it ordered?+
Germany does not simply return a licence after a ban. The authority wants proof that the reason behind the offence has been dealt with.
The MPU is carried out by an officially recognised assessment centre (Begutachtungsstelle für Fahreignung). It has three parts: a medical examination including lab values where relevant, reaction and concentration tests on a computer, and a psychological interview. The interview decides most cases.
Typical reasons for an MPU
- Alcohol: driving with 1.6 ‰ or more (also on a bicycle), or repeated drink-driving at lower levels.
- Drugs: taking illegal drugs such as cocaine or amphetamine, and for cannabis repeated offences or signs of misuse under the rules in force since 2024.
- Points: reaching 8 points in the driving aptitude register (Fahreignungsregister) in Flensburg. The licence is withdrawn, and a new one usually requires an MPU.
- Traffic and criminal offences: serious or repeated offences, aggression in traffic or other offences that raise doubts about your fitness to drive. Repeated driving without a valid licence can also lead here.
The assessor does not judge the offence again. The question is whether your behaviour has changed for good and whether that change is credible.
For international driversLiving in Cologne with a licence problem+
Expats, students, skilled workers and families: many people we counsel did not grow up with the German system.
The German process has many steps that are not obvious: a court ban (Sperrfrist), an application for a new licence, the MPU order, abstinence proof from accredited labs, and finally the report. If you misunderstand one step, you can lose months.
We explain each step in plain English, help you read letters from the authority and check your documents before they are submitted. If you hold a licence from outside Germany, ask the driving licence authority (Führerscheinstelle) how long it is valid after you moved here and whether it must be exchanged. The rules depend on the issuing country.
You do not need perfect English
Whether your English was shaped in Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Kenya, South Africa, Jamaica, the UK, the US, Canada or Australia: we take the time to understand you and make sure you understand every part of the process. What matters is that you can tell your own story honestly and in your own words.
Our programmes
Preparation for every reason
Each reason has its own criteria, evidence and typical questions. We prepare you for yours.
Alcohol
Alcohol offences
Understanding your past drinking, deciding between abstinence and controlled drinking, and building strategies that hold under pressure.
Drugs
Drug offences
Working through your history of use, planning abstinence proof, and preparing a credible account of your decision and relapse prevention.
Points & traffic
Traffic violations
Speeding, reckless driving or 8 points: we look at stress, impulsivity and attitudes, and how you drive differently today.
Criminal offences
Offences and driving without a licence
Understanding the consequences, reflecting on what led to the offence and showing a lasting commitment to the rules.
How it worksFrom the first call to your new licence+
One-to-one sessions, in our office near Neumarkt or online.
- Free first consultation (at least 30 minutes). You tell us what happened. We read your documents and explain which questions the assessor will ask in your case.
- Plan and evidence. If you need abstinence proof, we plan which lab tests you need and for how long, so that no month is lost.
- Individual sessions in English. We work on the causes of the offence, what you have changed and why the change will last. No group seminars.
- Mock interview. A different psychologist simulates the MPU interview, so you see where your account is still unclear.
- Support until your licence is re-issued. We check your documents before the assessment and, if a previous report was negative, analyse it with you.
Detailed information in German: MPU-Vorbereitung MPU-Ablauf
Common challengesWhat makes the MPU harder, and how we help+
- Language: official German and technical terms are hard even for native speakers. We translate and explain everything you need.
- An unfamiliar system: deadlines, labs and authorities work differently from what you may know. We give you a clear timeline.
- Nerves: many people fear the interview. Practising with a psychologist in a calm setting takes much of that pressure away.
- Self-reflection: the assessor wants honest answers, not memorised ones. We help you find your own words.
Costs at a glanceWhat you should budget for+
Fees of the assessment centre as published by the centres. Please check the current amount.
- MPU for alcohol
- about 728 €
- MPU for drugs
- about 855 €
- MPU for traffic or criminal offences
- about 663 €
- Interpreter at the assessment
- about 380 €
- First consultation
- free of charge
- Basic preparation
- from 999 € (6 individual sessions)
- Premium preparation
- from 3,000 €, instalments possible
- MPU simulation
- from 299 € (100 minutes)
Please noteThis page explains the general legal situation in Germany and is not legal advice. For questions about a court ban, an objection or the validity of a foreign licence, please contact a lawyer specialising in traffic law or the driving licence authority.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the MPU in English?
The assessment is normally held in German. Ask the assessment centre early whether an interview in English is possible. If not, you can bring a sworn interpreter, booked through the centre in advance. Some centres list around 380 € for this (please check the current fee).
Do I need good German to prepare with you?
No. Your preparation sessions can be held entirely in English. We also explain the German letters and terms you will meet, so you understand what the authority and the assessor expect.
How long does MPU preparation take?
It depends on the reason. If no abstinence proof is needed, a few weeks to a few months are often enough. If you must prove abstinence from alcohol or drugs, the evidence period sets the pace, usually 6 to 15 months.
What does the MPU cost?
The assessment centre charges its own fee, for example about 728 € for alcohol, 855 € for drugs and 663 € for traffic or criminal offences (please check the current fee). Preparation with us starts at 999 € for the Basic package. The first consultation is free.
Can I prepare online?
Yes. Sessions are available in person at our office near Neumarkt in Cologne or online by video call.
What should I send you first?
The letter from the driving licence authority (Führerscheinstelle) ordering the MPU, or the penalty order (Strafbefehl) from court. A photo via WhatsApp is enough to start.
Read more (in German)
Talk to us in English.
The first consultation is free and without obligation. We look at your documents and tell you honestly which way back to your licence is realistic.
- Phone+49 221 272 58 970
- WhatsApp (send documents)+49 174 6000 640
- Emailinfo@mpu-koeln.de
- OfficeKreuzgasse 2–4, 50667 Cologne
Monday to Friday, 10 am to 7 pm