Apply for the initial registration of a vehicle from an EU member state
Service description
If you have purchased a new vehicle in an EU member state or a signatory state of the European Economic Area (EEA), you generally need to register it in order to be allowed to drive it on German roads.
New vehicles are defined as vehicles that
- have never been registered in Germany or abroad.
Used vehicles are vehicles that
- were already registered in an EU member state or in a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) and thus had at least one previous owner.
You or your representative must submit the application for this initial registration to the local vehicle registration office with jurisdiction.
With this registration, you are permitted to drive the vehicle on public roads and park it in public areas.
All newly registered vehicles are issued a license plate with a "Euro" section. You have the option to reserve a license plate of your choice for the vehicle, provided it is available.
Prerequisites
- The vehicle has an EU type approval or foreign registration documents.
- You must be able to provide proof of a valid general inspection for the vehicle. This requirement may be waived if, due to the vehicle’s young age, you have a factory-performed general inspection. For a passenger car, for example, this is 3 years from the date of initial registration.
- The vehicle complies with the other requirements of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) and the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO).
- You must provide your bank account information and, if you are required to pay taxes, be able to consent to a SEPA direct debit.
What documents are required?
To apply for approval, you will need all required documents, either as originals or as certified copies:
- completed application for admission
- SEPA Direct Debit Authorization for Vehicle Tax
- Sales Contract or Invoice
- Electronic Insurance Confirmation (eVB) as proof that the vehicle is covered by liability insurance
- Identity card or passport with a certificate of residence
- COC (Certificate of Conformity; EC Certificate of Conformity) or data confirmation from the vehicle manufacturer
- Proof of a valid general inspection in accordance with the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO)
- Alternatively: a foreign test report in German that complies with EU requirements
When companies apply for approval, they must also provide the following:
- Business registration or an extract from the commercial register, as well as identification documents for the authorized representatives
When clubs apply for certification, they must also provide the following:
- Excerpt from the registry of associations and personal documents of the authorized representatives
If someone else is applying for your license on your behalf, they will also need:
- An informal written power of attorney, including identification documents for both the principal and the agent
Legal basis
- Sections 3 and 6 of the Regulation on the Registration of Vehicles for Road Traffic (Vehicle Registration Regulation—FZV)
- Sections 21, 29, and 70 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO)
- § 13 Regulation on EC Type Approval for Motor Vehicles and Their Trailers, as well as for Systems, Components, and Separate Technical Units for These Vehicles (EC Vehicle Type Approval Regulation—EC-FGV)
- Appendix: Fee Schedule No. 224—Fee Schedule for Road Traffic Measures (GebOSt)
Legal remedy
Lawsuit
Issuing body
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Display of performance in the source portal
- Applying for the Initial Registration of a Vehicle from an EU Member State in Hesse
Display of performance in the source portal
- Apply for the initial registration of a vehicle from an EU member state
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