'Registering a Car in Germany After Purchase: Documents,

After buying a car in Germany, the new owner must register the vehicle in their name, obtain or confirm the license plates, and arrange the required data for insurance and vehicle tax. This is done through the local Zulassungsstelle, also known as the KFZ-Zulassungsbehörde, or through the online i-Kfz service if the vehicle and documents are suitable for the digital procedure.

Re-registration is needed not only after a purchase. A similar procedure applies when moving, changing ownership, changing the address in the documents, or putting a vehicle back on the road after it was taken out of service. When moving within Germany, you can usually keep your license plates, but the owner’s data and address in the registration documents must be up to date.

Who handles the registration

If the car is bought at a dealership or from a dealer, the registration can often be entrusted to the seller. Usually, you sign a power of attorney, and the dealership representative submits the documents, obtains the plates, and hands over the completed package to the buyer. The cost of this service depends on the seller and the region, so it is best to clarify it before signing the contract.

When buying a car from a private seller, the buyer usually handles the registration themselves. In that case, you need to gather the documents in advance, obtain an eVB-Nummer from the insurance company, and book an appointment at the Zulassungsstelle or check whether online registration is available.

Registration through the Zulassungsstelle

For offline registration, find the authority responsible for your place of residence: Zulassungsstelle, KFZ-Zulassungsstelle, or KFZ-Zulassungsbehörde. In smaller towns, these functions may be handled by the district administration, town hall, or another local office. The most reliable way to search is on the official city or district website using the query “Zulassungsstelle” and your postal code.

Booking an appointment usually saves time. In many offices, open slots appear online, but the rules differ: some accept visitors by appointment only, while others keep a separate queue for people without a Termin.

Documents for car registration

For standard registration, you usually need:

• A valid passport, Personalausweis, eID-Karte, or electronic Aufenthaltstitel. For a minor owner, additional consent from legal guardians is required.
• Proof of registration of residence - a Meldebescheinigung or data from the Melderegister if the authority obtains it directly.
• eVB-Nummer - electronic proof of mandatory car insurance from the insurance company.
• Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and Teil II - the two main vehicle documents.
• A power of attorney if the documents are submitted by someone other than the future owner.
• If registering the car in a minor’s name, written consent from the parents or guardians, their documents, and, if required, the local Zulassungsstelle form.
• Data on a valid Hauptuntersuchung, usually referred to as HU or TÜV. For some vehicles, a Sicherheitsprüfung is also required; AU as an emissions test is usually covered as part of the HU.
• Abmeldebescheinigung or proof of deregistration if the vehicle has already been taken out of service.
• Old license plates if the car is still registered and the plates need to be replaced or transferred.
• A SEPA-Lastschriftmandat or bank details for collecting the Kraftfahrzeugsteuer.

Before your visit, check the list on the website of the specific Zulassungsstelle. Local offices may require their own power-of-attorney form, proof that there are no unpaid fees, or additional documents for imported vehicles.

How the appointment works

At the appointment, the employee checks the documents, the eVB-Nummer, the vehicle data, the validity of the HU, and the owner’s right to register the car. If everything is in order, the vehicle is entered into the database, the Zulassungsbescheinigung is issued, and a license plate number is assigned.

You can choose your preferred combination of letters and numbers as a Wunschkennzeichen. This involves a separate fee, and reserving it online in advance usually costs extra. If no plate is selected in advance, the system will assign an available combination automatically.

The plates are manufactured separately: workshops often operate near the Zulassungsstelle, but you can also order the plates online in advance. The cost depends on the supplier, the plate format, and the urgency. After they are made, the plates are handed to the office employee so they can apply the Stempelplakette and, if necessary, the HU sticker.

After paying the fees, check the documents before leaving the office: name, address, VIN/FIN, license plate number, and vehicle details. It is better to correct any mistake immediately on the spot.

Online registration via i-Kfz

Online registration via i-Kfz allows many registration procedures to be completed without visiting the office. After a successful digital registration, the Zulassungsbescheid and vorlaeufiger Zulassungsnachweis are issued online; with this confirmation, you can drive temporarily until the documents and stickers arrive by post.

The online procedure is not available for every case. Usually, you need registration documents with covered Sicherheitscodes, a valid HU, an eVB-Nummer, bank details for vehicle tax, and the ability to identify yourself electronically.

For a private owner, one of the following identification methods is usually required:

• Personalausweis with the Online-Ausweisfunktion enabled;
• eID-Karte;
• electronic Aufenthaltstitel with an active eID function;
• AusweisApp and a smartphone or compatible card reader;
• in some cases, BundID with a suitable method of identity verification.

Online registration procedure

1. Open the i-Kfz portal of your Zulassungsbehoerde.
2. Verify your identity via eID, eAT, eID-Karte, BundID, or another method available on the portal.
3. Enter the FIN/VIN and the registration document data.
4. Uncover the Sicherheitscodes on the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and/or Teil II and enter them into the form.
5. Enter the insurance company’s eVB-Nummer.
6. Add your bank details or SEPA information for the Kraftfahrzeugsteuer.
7. Choose an available plate, a Wunschkennzeichen, or a previously reserved combination.
8. Pay the fee via ePayment; the available payment methods depend on the specific office.
9. Download or send yourself the Zulassungsbescheid and vorlaeufiger Zulassungsnachweis within the time set by the portal.
10. Print the confirmation, place the temporary document in the vehicle if required by the instructions, and wait for the documents and stickers to arrive by post.

An important point: the temporary right to drive after online registration is limited. The official i-Kfz guidance states that you may use the vehicle on public roads for 10 days with the temporary confirmation; the documents and stickers must be sorted out before that period ends.

How much car registration costs

The fees are regulated by the Gebuehrenordnung fuer Massnahmen im Strassenverkehr (GebOSt), but the final amount depends on the type of procedure: initial registration, re-registration, repeat registration, deregistration, Wunschkennzeichen, postal delivery, and local additional charges.

Guidelines under the GebOSt:

Procedure	What to consider
Zulassung or Wiederzulassung	base fee under the relevant GebOSt item; the amount may increase if additional checks are required
Internetbasierte Zulassung	usually cheaper than the offline procedure, but the exact fee depends on the type of action
Wunschkennzeichen	a separate fee for the desired combination; online reservation may be charged separately
License plates	paid to the plate supplier, not always to the office itself
Document delivery	may be added for i-Kfz or local procedures

Before submitting the application, check the current Gebuehrenuebersicht on the website of your Zulassungsstelle. This is especially important if you need an urgent appointment, a Wunschkennzeichen, registration of an imported vehicle, or processing through a representative.

What to check before driving after registration

• The license plates are securely fastened in their holders.
• The Stempelplakette and HU-Plakette have been applied correctly.
• The vehicle contains the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I or the temporary i-Kfz confirmation if you are still waiting for the documents.
• The insurance is active, and the eVB-Nummer has been used for this specific vehicle.
• There are no mistakes in the documents regarding the name, address, FIN/VIN, or license plate number.

If a plate is not fastened properly and gets lost, you will have to report the loss and go through an additional procedure. That is why it is worth checking the mounting by hand after installation, especially if the holder is old or damaged.

Common mistakes

Booking an appointment without an eVB-Nummer

Without an eVB-Nummer, the office will not register the car because mandatory insurance must be confirmed before the vehicle can be put on the road.

Relying on an old TÜV without checking the expiry date

The HU must be valid. If it has expired, you first need to pass the inspection and only then register the car.

Uncovering the Sicherheitscode too early

In online procedures, the protective codes should be uncovered only when the portal asks you to enter them. Once the code is revealed, the document may become unusable for another registration scenario.

Not checking the local rules of the Zulassungsstelle

Even with federal rules, the practical details depend on the local office: it is best to check appointments, payment methods, powers of attorney, forms, and the document list on the official city or district website.