Which registration plates to buy in Germany?

This article is dated as shown. Laws, fees and prices have changed since then. Check the figures before you rely on them.

For driving a car across Germany

Choose the type of temporary registration according to your purpose and route. According to current information from the Bundesportal, Kurzzeitkennzeichen are issued for a period of up to six days from the day of issue. Recognition abroad and insurance cover require a separate check.

On 1 April 2015 a new law came into force on obtaining Kurzzeitkennzeichen, the “yellow” plates. The reason was that previously the plates could be issued to a person rather than to a car. In other words, someone came in and bought plates in their own name, and together with the plates they received a red booklet in which the VIN and details of the car being driven had to be entered, but people ignored this and moved a great many cars within the five days. Even though one set of plates was only allowed to be used for one car.

For Kurzzeitkennzeichen you need to check the vehicle documents, the HU and the conditions of the specific application to the registration office. The prices of 70-120 euros from the article of 05.08.2015 are a historical example. Having such plates does not in itself confirm that you can drive through any foreign country.

A short story from personal experience

I get a call and the man asks for advice. “Hello Denis, yesterday I bought a car in Hamburg. My German is very poor. I bought the car from some Arab sellers, and they put ‘yellow’ plates on it. I drove across the whole of Germany without any problems, but in Austria the police stopped me, took the plates off the car, fined me and now I cannot drive on. Please help me, what should I do?” I recommended that he have the car taken back to Germany on a transporter and get customs plates, see the information below. I never heard from that man again.

On to the second type of plates

Plates with a “red” stripe on the right-hand side, the so-called “Ausfuhrkennzeichen” or “Zollkennzeichen”, which translates as plates for exporting or taking a car out of Germany. These are exactly the plates I recommend when you are taking a car to another country.

The fees and insurance costs for export plates refer to August 2015. The current period and cost are agreed for the specific registration. From the article of 05.08.2015: “These plates can be issued for 9, 15 or 30 days. The full cost of arranging red plates will be from 170 to 350 €, depending on the region where you register the car. And also on whether you use the services of a broker. They can also be issued for three months, but the insurance will then cost around 900 €.”

For a journey with Ausfuhrkennzeichen, check the registration period, the validity of the HU and the insurance cover along the whole route. Export plates do not give an unconditional guarantee of recognition and insurance in every country.

Safe travels,

always at your service, Denis Rem