Registering a car in Germany: what does it cost in 2026?
New or used, in person or online, with or without a personalised number: the amount for your case, item by item, and what you pay on top.
Registering a car in Germany means paying the registration office a fee under the road traffic fee schedule (GebOSt), last amended by Art. 6 of the Ordinance of 12 August 2026. For a new car that is €30.00 at the counter under number 221.1, or €13.10 online through i-Kfz. A used car that had been deregistered also costs €30.00 in person. Small items come on top: two registration seals at €0.70 or €1.20 each, the roadworthiness sticker at €0.50 where needed, and the Federal Motor Transport Authority’s register entry, €3.20 for a change of keeper. Without plates, a registration therefore comes to between €15.00 online and €37.30 in person. Plates are bought separately from a plate maker at its own price. A personalised number costs €10.20 more. Insurance and vehicle tax are not registration fees.
What does registering cost?
GebOSt fee
€30.00
| With seals and KBA share | €31.90 – €37.30 |
| Online would be lower by | €16.90 |
Plates from a shop, insurance and vehicle tax come on top.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Seven typical cases worked out
The table below runs the most common registrations through this site’s calculator. The middle column is the registration office’s exact fee with its surcharges, the right column the amount including every small item that may apply. Plates are never included.
| Case | Fee | With small items, no plates |
|---|---|---|
| New car, in person, standard number | €30.00 | €31.90 – €37.30 |
| New car, online | €13.10 | €15.00 – €20.40 |
| New car, in person, reserved personalised number | €42.80 | €44.70 – €50.10 |
| Used car, in person, new keeper | €30.00 | €34.60 – €36.10 |
| Used car with an old logbook | €35.10 | €39.70 – €41.20 |
| Used car, online | €13.10 | €17.70 – €19.20 |
| Used car still registered, same district | €24.20 | €27.40 – €27.40 |
For a new car the roadworthiness sticker is always added, because the first inspection date is set at registration. For a used car it depends on whether the old sticker still fits. We show the Federal Motor Transport Authority’s share as a range because the fee schedule grades it by type of register entry; the method page explains how we assign it.
New cars: what the dealer handles
Many dealers register a new car themselves and charge a flat rate for it. That flat rate is not an official fee but the dealer’s price: it usually covers plates, trips and staff time. Ask for the breakdown. The fee itself stays at €30.00, or €42.80 with a reserved personalised number. If you register yourself you need registration certificate part II from the dealer and the manufacturer’s certificate of conformity, and for imports possibly an expert report.
Used cars: deregistered or still registered?
When you buy a used car, the state of its registration decides the route. If it was deregistered, it is a new registration under number 221.1, with a new number or the reserved old one. If it is still registered to the seller and you live in the same district, a transfer to your name is enough; the number can stay and no plates are needed. If the car comes from another district, you may keep its plate if you wish; the calculator covers both cases. Important: the seller must report the sale, and you must have the car transferred to you without delay.
Re-registering: keep the plate or get a new one?
Keep the plate
€23.60
| New plate (without plates) | €27.10 |
| Difference | €3.50 |
| Keep, with small items | €24.80 – €24.80 |
Keeping the plate means no new plates to buy.
Registering online: the cheapest route
Internet-based registration is the only way to lower the fee itself: the fee schedule has separate numbers for it. For a new car you save €16.90. You need an ID card with the online function activated and its PIN, a card reader or smartphone, registration certificates with the security code uncovered, and the eVB number. The seals arrive by post on a seal carrier; until then you may drive with the provisional decision. More under registering online.
What registration costs do not include
Three items are often added in but do not belong. Plates are made by a private business whose price depends on material and place; enter it in the fee calculator if you want the full total. Third-party insurance is a precondition but billed by the insurer. Vehicle tax is set by the customs office. The documents have their own checklist.
Three mistakes that cost a second appointment
The most common is a missing or expired eVB number: without a valid insurance confirmation the office stops, and the appointment is lost. The second concerns used cars with an overdue roadworthiness test; without a current inspection report there is no registration. The third is a power of attorney without a copy of the owner’s ID when someone else handles the registration. Checking everything against the checklist the evening before means one appointment is enough, and where appointments are scarce, as in many large cities, that is often worth more than any fee saving.