Documents for registering a car in Germany: the checklist
A missing paper costs a new appointment. The list below sorts the documents by case, from new cars to company cars, and says what the office needs each one for.
For every registration the German office needs four things: proof of who the keeper will be and where they live, proof that the vehicle is insured, a direct-debit mandate for vehicle tax, and the vehicle’s papers. In practice that means an ID card, or a passport with a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung), the insurer’s seven-character eVB number, a SEPA mandate for the account from which the customs office collects the tax, and registration certificate part II, formerly the logbook (Fahrzeugbrief). A new car also needs the manufacturer’s certificate of conformity; a used car needs registration certificate part I and proof of the roadworthiness test. Anyone registering for someone else needs a power of attorney and a copy of the keeper’s ID; companies show a commercial register extract or trade registration. You pay the fee, €30.00 for a new car in person, at the end of the appointment. This list describes the usual case under the Vehicle Registration Ordinance; your office may ask for more in a particular case.
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
Documents by case
The table shows which document is usual in which case. “Depends” means the office only asks for it if the case requires it, such as the power of attorney when the keeper does not come in person.
| Document | New car | Used, deregistered | Used, still registered | Import | Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ID card, or passport with proof of address | yes | yes | yes | yes | representative |
| Insurer’s eVB number | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| SEPA mandate for vehicle tax | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Registration certificate part II | yes | yes | yes | foreign document | yes |
| Registration certificate part I | – | yes | yes | – | depends |
| Certificate of conformity (CoC) | yes | – | – | yes | depends |
| Proof of roadworthiness test | – | yes | yes | yes | depends |
| Old number plates | – | if reserved | if new plate | – | depends |
| Commercial register extract, trade registration | – | – | – | – | yes |
| Power of attorney and keeper’s ID copy | depends | depends | depends | depends | yes |
What the office needs each paper for
ID and address. The office for the keeper’s main residence is in charge, or for companies the office for their seat. The address on the ID decides which registration office accepts the application; if you have just moved, update it at the residents’ office first.
eVB number. No third-party insurance, no registration. The insurer sends the data electronically as soon as the office enters the number. Make sure it was issued for the right type of vehicle and the right keeper.
SEPA mandate. Vehicle tax is only collected by direct debit. The account need not be yours; the account holder then signs the mandate. Tax arrears from earlier registrations can block a new one.
Registration certificate part II. It does not prove ownership, but the office needs it to enter the new keeper. If a very old car still has a logbook, the office replaces it, for €5.10 extra.
Roadworthiness test. For a used car the inspection date must still be valid. If it lapsed while the car was deregistered, the test is done before registration. New cars get their first inspection date at registration.
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.
Buying used: what the seller must hand over
Whether registration works is often decided at the handover. Get both parts of the registration certificate as originals, the latest roadworthiness report and, if the car is still registered, the plates on the vehicle. Compare the identification number in the papers with the one on the car. A written contract with date, time and mileage helps with later questions about tax, insurance or fines. Without registration certificate part II the office cannot transfer the car; only the registered keeper can apply for a replacement, and that takes time.
Special cases
Keepers under 18 need the consent of both parents or guardians. Keepers without a residence in Germany can register only in exceptional cases, for example with an authorised recipient in Germany. Leased and financed vehicles: registration certificate part II is often held by the bank or leasing company, which sends it for the registration or handles it itself. Motorhomes and trailers follow the same rules; trailers still get a roadworthiness sticker but no emissions check.
Check before your appointment
Does the vehicle identification number match in the papers and the eVB? Is the eVB still valid? Is the SEPA mandate signed? For a transfer, are both parts of the registration certificate there? Is the roadworthiness test still in date? If you can answer yes to these five questions, one appointment is almost always enough. What it costs is under registration costs; how to get an appointment under appointment. Online, the security code on the certificates replaces bringing the papers, see registering online.