• Valid ID card or passport with current certificate of registration
• If being represented, the following are also required:
  • Written power of attorney (for approval and publication of any existing vehicle tax)
  • The authorised representative’s ID card or passport with latest certificate of registration
• For companies:
  • Natural person: business registration an dcommercial register extract
  • Legal entities: business registration and commercial register extract
  • Company under civil law (GbR): articles of association and power of attorney for authorised signatures as per the contract
• For minors the following are also required:
  • Written power of attorney of the legal guardian, as well as their ID card
• Insurance certificate
• If applicable confirmation of reservation for the preferred licence number
• Declaration of participation in the SEPA direct debiting scheme for vehicle tax
• If registering a new vehicle imported from within the EU, also:
  • Certificate of origin / foreign vehicle documentation, particularly the registration certificate Section II (if stipulated in the country of origin)
  • If registration certificate Section II is not available: Certification of the vehicle ID number by an officially accredited expert, or vehicle identity check by the registration authority
  • EC certificate of conformity (COC paper).¿This contains the vehicle manufacturer’s confirmation that the vehicle conforms to an approved model. If no EC certificate of conformity is available, a survey report by an officially accredited expert according to § 21 StVZO (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulation) (full survey report) is required.
  • Proof of ownership (complete traceability from the time of import): Purchase agreement(s) or original invoice(s)
  • VAT return
• If registering a used vehicle imported from within the EU, also:
  • Foreign registration papers, registration certificate Sections I and II
  • If registration certificate Section II is not available: Certification of the vehicle ID number by an officially accredited expert, or vehicle identity check by the registration authority
  • Clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung) from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Office for Motor Vehicles) (at the registration authority's request).¿ For example, it provides information on whether the car has ever been registered in Germany (applies if the registration authority has no access to the data of the Federal Office for Motor Vehicles).
  • Proof of ownership (purchase agreement(s) or original invoice(s))
  • Previous foreign licence number (except if defunct)
  • VAT return if the initial registration is no more than six months old, and the mileage to date is less than 6,000 km
  • If an EC model approval is available: inspection equivalent to a main inspection ("Hauptuntersuchung", HU) and an exhaust gas inspection ("Abgasuntersuchung", AU), if this is necessary based on the date of initial registration
• if no EC model approval is available: survey report by an officially accredited expert according to § 21 StVZO (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulation) (full survey report)
• If the vehicle has been imported from countries outside the EU or NATO armed forces (applies for both new and used vehicles), also
  • Certificate of conformity from the customs office (Note: also applies for EEA / EFTA states)
  • Proof of ownership (complete traceability from the time of import): Purchase agreement(s) or original invoice(s)
  • Certificate of origin or the foreign vehicle documentation
  • If an EC model approval is available, HU (main inspection) and AU (exhaust gas inspection) stickers, otherwise a survey report by an officially accredited expert according to § 21 StVZO (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulation) (full survey report)

Insurance certificate

You can obtain the insurance certificate for the third-party liability insurance from the insurance company of your choice. In most cases, you can request the insurance certificate by telephone from your insurance company.

It comprises a completed paper template (formerly called: "Doppelkarte" (provisional insurance card)) or a seven-digit string (so-called electronic insurance confirmation, "eVB"), which allows the insurance data from the insurance company to be retrieved, assessed and recorded in the vehicle register by the registration authority.

Licence numberplates

You can have the required number plates made during the registration process. To do this, contact the private providers which are normally located near the registration authorities. The costs for the number plates are not included in the fees.