Bundesportal | Motor Vehicle; Application for New Registration

More Information

Publisher

Bavaria

Last update or date of publication

September 14, 2026

For a new vehicle with a general operating permit, an EU type approval, or an individual approval, you must apply to the registration authority for the assignment of an official license plate.

Vehicles without a Certificate of Registration, Part II, must be identified by the registration authority. The registration authority may also require the vehicle to be presented for other reasons.

You can find information about the registration authorities under “Related Links.”

When a license plate is assigned as part of the registration process, you will be assigned a combination of letters and numbers over which you have no control. However, you can also request a different combination of letters and numbers (e.g., your initials or year of birth), subject to availability and for a fee.

Registration certificate part II (vehicle title)
Certificate of conformity in the original or as a data retrieval (CoC paper)
Purchase contract or other proof of the right of disposal
(if authorization to dispose must be proven)
official identification document
Confirmation of the existence of motor vehicle liability insurance (insurance confirmation - "eVB")
Expert opinion of an officially recognized expert for motor vehicle traffic (in Bavaria: TÜV Süd) or of a technical service appropriately authorized in accordance with the EC Vehicle Approval Ordinance).
Power of attorney (also required for registration for a relative)
SEPA mandate for collection of vehicle tax
Customs online - payment of vehicle tax
Consent of the legal guardian in case of application by a minor

Preconditions

When registering the motor vehicle, you must prove that you have the right to dispose of the vehicle, for example, by presenting Part II of the Certificate of Registration. In addition, the original EU Certificate of Conformity must be presented, or the manufacturer must have made it possible to retrieve the data electronically.

Any modifications made to the vehicle that require inspection (e.g., trailer hitch, aluminum rims, spoilers, auxiliary heater, etc.) must be inspected in advance by an officially recognized expert in motor vehicle traffic (in Bavaria: TÜV Süd) or a technical service authorized in accordance with the EC Vehicle Type-Approval Regulation.

Initial registrations can also be completed online.

This requires registration via a citizen account with appropriate authentication (electronic ID card, residence permit with ID function, or Elster certificate). In addition, a Registration Certificate Part II with a stored security code must be available. The vehicle must conform to an EU type, and the manufacturer must have filed the corresponding data record (the manufacturer is required to do so if it issued a Certificate of Registration Part II after October 1, 2019). Furthermore, an electronic insurance confirmation (eVB) must be available.

The process is verified online, and the vehicle is automatically registered—provided all requirements are met. You can then retrieve a provisional registration certificate. You may print this out and keep it in the vehicle or display it. You must attach the license plates (without the inspection and registration stickers) to the vehicle. You may drive the vehicle within Germany in this manner for a maximum period of ten days.

If you receive the registration documents by mail, you must affix the inspection and registration stickers.

You can access the online procedures on your registration authority’s portal. You’ll also find further information there.

Information about the registration authorities’ online procedures can be found under “Related Links.”

For vehicles with a general operating permit or EU type approval, you must pay 30.00 EUR.

If the registration authority needs to collect additional data because it is not available for retrieval, an additional fee of 15.30 EUR applies.

These fees increase by 10.20 EUR if you apply for a personalized license plate.

Additional fees also apply if a Part II Certificate of Registration has not yet been issued.

The online initial registration costs 13.10 EUR. In addition, the registration authority may charge for postage expenses incurred.

The fees are increased by the fees charged by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (EUR 4.40 if a Part II Registration Certificate has not yet been issued). In addition, fees may apply for document seals (EUR 0.30 each) and reservations (EUR 2.60).

You must purchase the license plates yourself from private vendors at your own expense.

Basis for legal action

Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr (GebOSt)

§ 27 Verordnung über die Zulassung von Fahrzeugen zum Straßenverkehr Internetbasierte Erstzulassung

§§ 3 ff. Verordnung über die Zulassung von Fahrzeugen zum Straßenverkehr (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung - FZV)

Deadlines

Generally none

If more than 18 months have elapsed between the confirmation of the operating permit/EC type approval and the registration, the registration authority may require a vehicle inspection to be conducted by an officially recognized expert in motor vehicle traffic (in Bavaria: TÜV Süd) or a technical service authorized in accordance with the EC Vehicle Approval Regulation to verify that the vehicle complies with the regulations. This inspection also serves to determine whether the vehicle still meets the technical requirements that were in effect at the time of registration.