Vehicle Registration in Germany: Kfz-Zulassung

Registering a vehicle in Germany (Kfz-Zulassung) is a mandatory administrative procedure before you can legally drive any motor vehicle on public roads. The process is conducted at the local vehicle registration office (Zulassungsstelle) in your residential district. In Germany, car registration is strictly tied to your official address registration (Anmeldung). If you buy a new or used car, or import a vehicle from abroad, you must schedule an appointment at the Zulassungsstelle to obtain your registration documents and official license plates.

Before booking an appointment, you must secure third-party liability car insurance (Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung). Upon signing a policy, the insurer will issue a 7-digit alphanumeric code known as the eVB-Nummer (electronic insurance confirmation), which is verified digitally by the registration office. Furthermore, your vehicle must have a valid roadworthiness certificate, commonly referred to as TÜV (Hauptuntersuchung, or HU). Without proof of a passed HU inspection, which is mandatory every two years for older vehicles, registration will be rejected.

During the appointment, you will receive two primary documents: the registration certificate part I (Fahrzeugschein), which you must keep in the car, and part II (Fahrzeugbrief), which proves ownership and should be stored safely at home. You will also be assigned a license plate number, which you must have printed at a nearby plate shop and stamped with official registration seals by the clerk.