Register a car online in Germany: process, requirements and timing

Register online instead of taking a queue number

Since the fourth stage of Germany's internet-based vehicle registration (i-Kfz) in September 2023, vehicle keepers in Germany can register a vehicle entirely online. The trip to the registration office, the search for an appointment and the waiting time at the authority are no longer necessary, provided your documents meet the technical requirements.

Zulassung24 is a private online service, not a public authority. As a registered bulk customer of the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA, Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority), we transmit your application to the competent registration authority. Whether and when the vehicle is registered is always decided by the registration authority.

These requirements must be met

For a new registration, it is best to check in advance whether every item on the following list applies to your vehicle. If one of them is missing, the application usually cannot be completed online.

With a new car, the dealer hands you the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (registration certificate part II, the German vehicle title); there is no Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I (registration certificate part I, the vehicle registration document) yet. With a used car, it depends on whether the vehicle is still registered. If it is, a transfer of registration is the right procedure; if the vehicle has already been deregistered, it is a re-registration.

• Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (vehicle title) with 12-character security code
• eVB number (electronic insurance confirmation) from your motor liability insurer
• valid HU (Hauptuntersuchung, the periodic roadworthiness inspection), which new cars meet ex works
• bank details for the SEPA direct debit mandate for vehicle tax
• valid national ID card or passport for identity verification
• residence in Germany with a current registered address

The process at Zulassung24 step by step

You do not need the online ID function, an eID PIN or a card reader. Your identity is verified via photo ident and a qualified electronic signature. Document uploads are not necessary, because the authority checks the security codes directly against its own records.

A practical tip: enter your name and address exactly as they appear on your ID and in the population register, including all first names, any doctoral title and address additions such as “a” or “b” after the house number. Discrepancies are one of the most common reasons for queries from the authority.

• enter vehicle and keeper details and the security codes
• check your details in the summary
• pay by credit card, PayPal, Klarna, Apple Pay or Google Pay
• confirm your identity via photo ident and sign the application electronically
• transmission to the registration authority and waiting for the decision

How long does an online registration take?

Filling in the application itself usually takes 10 to 15 minutes if you have your registration certificate, eVB number and bank details at hand. After that, the pace depends on the authority: many applications are checked fully automatically, and the decision is then often available after a short time.

If the system forwards an application to a case officer for manual review, processing can take several working days. The registration authority has up to 14 days for this manual processing. Nobody can therefore guarantee a fixed processing time, and neither can we.

When the online route is not suitable

Some situations are excluded from the digital procedure or almost always lead to processing in person. Knowing this in advance saves you from an aborted application.

• imported vehicles without a German Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II
• vehicles with an individual approval or pending technical modifications
• short-term, export or red dealer plates
• vehicle documents without a security code or with an illegible code
• outstanding vehicle tax or fee arrears of the keeper