Registering a car in Germany: the complete walkthrough
In short
Registering in Germany always runs through the same four steps: take out insurance and obtain the eVB number, gather the documents (registration certificate parts I and II or the foreign papers, certificate of conformity, valid HU, ID), book an appointment at the competent Zulassungsstelle, then receive the plate assignment against a fee of €30 — €12.80 through the online procedure. Two things decide the outcome long before the appointment: which authority is competent, set by your residence or by the vehicle's regular location (§ 75 FZV), and the written direct debit authorisation for the Kfz-Steuer, without which no registration is issued (§ 13 KraftStG).
Settle this first: which authority is competent
The commonest reason an appointment fails is not a missing document but the wrong authority. Competence is set by law and cannot be chosen.
The exception presupposes that the vehicle is actually kept and used in Germany. Anyone who lives in France, Belgium or Luxembourg and drives there registers the vehicle in their country of residence: under EU law, normal residence decides, the place where you live at least 185 days a year (Directive 83/182/EEC, Art. 7).
The documents you will be asked for
§ 6 FZV lists what must accompany the application. The list is shorter than most online checklists suggest — the extra items there come from individual municipalities' practice, not from the regulation.
- Registration certificate part II — the former Fahrzeugbrief (§ 6(3) FZV).
- For a first registration: the certificate of conformity (CoC), a national type approval or an individual approval (§ 6(4) FZV).
- Proof of insurance (§ 6(5) no. 3 FZV) — in practice the eVB number.
- Your keeper details: surname, birth name, given names, date and place of birth, address (§ 6(1) FZV).
- For imports from outside the EU, additionally the customs clearance document (§ 6(7) FZV).
- A valid Hauptuntersuchung certificate, where the vehicle is already subject to it.
Proof of insurance is where most cases stall, because it is not a piece of paper but a number and an electronic transmission. We explain exactly how that works under the eVB number and German insurance.
If the vehicle was already registered abroad
If the vehicle is still to be bought, much of this is decided at the purchase — which papers to insist on and how you drive away at all. We cover that under buying a car in Germany.
The procedure, step by step
- 1Take out insurance and get the eVB numberThe insurer transmits the confirmation electronically to the registration authority (§ 49 FZV). You receive an eVB number to quote at the appointment. Nothing starts without it.
- 2Check or catch up on the HauptuntersuchungAn expired HU certificate is the second commonest reason for a wasted appointment. For an imported vehicle the inspection is as a rule carried out in Germany.
- 3Reserve a Wunschkennzeichen (optional)Reserving a specific number costs €2.60 under the GebOSt. It has to happen before the appointment, otherwise a number is simply allocated.
- 4Appointment at the competent ZulassungsstelleDocuments, eVB number, direct debit authorisation for the Kfz-Steuer and ID. The authority decides on the assignment and issues registration certificate part I.
- 5Have the plates made and stampedThe plates are embossed by a private supplier — which is why they do not appear in the official fee schedule. The stickers are then applied and the vehicle may be driven.
What the authority charges
The amounts below are set in the GebOSt fee schedule and apply nationwide. Anything on top — plates, insurance, a registration service — is not an official fee and varies.
| Operation | No. | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registration or re-registration | 221.1 | €30.00 |
| Online registration (i-Kfz) | 221.1.1 | €12.80 |
| Reserving a specific number | 230 | €2.60 |
| Kurzzeitkennzeichen | 221.4 | €10.20 |
| Ausfuhrkennzeichen | 221.3 | €31.40 |
The Hauptuntersuchung: 36 months, then every 24
And if you are not resident in Germany?
Then your vehicle is, as a rule, registered in your country of residence, not in Germany. What counts is normal residence: the place where you live at least 185 days a year because of personal and occupational ties. A German address where you do not live changes nothing, and offering such an address for an Anmeldung is prohibited (§ 19(6) BMG). If you buy in Germany to register at home, export plates are the route.
Frequently asked questions
How much does registering in Germany cost?
The official fee is €30.00 at the counter and €12.80 online (GebOSt 221.1 and 221.1.1). On top come the plates from a private supplier, the insurance, and where applicable €2.60 to reserve a chosen number.
Do I have to bring the vehicle to the Zulassungsstelle?
It depends on the operation and the authority. The FZV imposes no general duty to present the vehicle, and we assert neither answer here: it is a point we clarify for your case with the competent office.
Will I get my foreign registration document back?
It is taken in under § 8(4) FZV, kept for six months and then destroyed. On request it can be returned invalidated where a legitimate interest is shown — you have to ask; it does not happen by itself.
Can I do the whole thing online?
The FZV provides for an internet-based registration procedure (i-Kfz, §§ 18 ff.), and the fee schedule has its own lower rate for it. Whether your particular case can go that route depends on the vehicle, the prior paperwork and the authority.
How long does the whole thing take?
The appointment itself is short. The timeline hangs on what precedes it: getting a slot, the HU, chasing missing paperwork, possibly a KBA confirmation where foreign documents are incomplete. We give no standard duration, because it varies widely by municipality and starting point.