🇩🇪 Germany

Kfz-Zulassung

Vehicle Registration

Medium ~15 min VehicleCarRegistration

/ What is this form?

Every vehicle used on public roads must be registered with the Kfz-Zulassungsstelle (vehicle registration authority) of your district. You receive license plates (Kennzeichen) and a Fahrzeugschein (vehicle registration document). Some cities offer online registration via the i-Kfz portal for certain cases.

The registration district determines your license plate prefix (e.g. B for Berlin, M for Munich). If you move districts, you can keep your old plates or re-register with local plates.

For imported vehicles, additional checks and documentation are required.

/ Who needs this form?

Anyone buying a new or used car from a dealer or private seller
Anyone moving to a new registration district (Zulassungsbezirk)
Anyone importing a vehicle from abroad
Anyone whose vehicle was deregistered (abgemeldet)

/ What you need before you start

Personal ID (Personalausweis or Reisepass)

eVB number — 7-character electronic insurance confirmation from your insurer

Fahrzeugbrief (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II — vehicle title document)

Valid TÜV/HU (Hauptuntersuchung) report

SEPA mandate for Kfz-Steuer (vehicle tax) direct debit

Previous registration document if re-registering

/ Step-by-step guide

1 Get Insurance Confirmation

Obtain an eVB number (elektronische Versicherungsbestätigung) from your car insurer before visiting the office.

2 Gather Documents

Collect: your ID, Fahrzeugbrief (vehicle title/Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II), valid TÜV report, and SEPA mandate for vehicle tax.

3 Visit Zulassungsstelle

Go to the Kfz-Zulassungsstelle for your district. Some cities allow online registration via i-Kfz for re-registrations.

4 Pay Fees

Pay the registration fee (€26–50) and vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer) via SEPA direct debit.

5 Receive Plates

You will receive your license plates and the Fahrzeugschein (registration certificate) on the spot.

/ Key fields explained

Field	What to enter	Common mistake
eVB-Nummer	7-character alphanumeric code from your insurer confirming active insurance.	Forgetting to get this before your appointment — without it the office cannot process registration.

/ Common mistakes to avoid

Arriving without the eVB number — the most common reason registrations fail.

Having an expired TÜV — the vehicle must have a valid inspection.

Going to the wrong Zulassungsstelle — you must go to the one covering your registered address.

/ Frequently asked questions

Can I register online?

Some districts support i-Kfz for re-registrations of existing vehicles. New registrations and imports generally require an in-person visit to the Zulassungsstelle.