Kraftfahrzeugkennzeichen Zuteilung Kurzzeit

If you want to carry out a test drive to check the serviceability or a transfer drive with an unregistered vehicle within the Federal Republic of Germany, you will need a short-term license plate (until 1998: "red license plate") for one-time use.

• Registration Certificate Part I in the original
• Valid general inspection report or corresponding entry in the registration certificate Part I and Part II
• Identity card or passport with registration certificate – not older than 3 months
• electronic insurance confirmation (eVB) according to § 23 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance (FZV)

in the case of third-party processing, additionally:

• informal, written power of attorney of the applicant and identity card of the person for whom the vehicle is to be registered

in the case of persons without a primary residence in the registration district, additionally:

• Purchase contract with proof of vehicle location

In the case of companies, additionally:

• Excerpt from the trade register or commercial register
• the identity documents of the responsible person authorised to sign (managing director, authorised signatory) as well as their power of attorney
• in the case of companies without a place of business in the registration district
  • Purchase contract with proof of vehicle location

in the case of clubs, additionally:

• Excerpt from the Register of Associations
• Identification of the responsible person authorized to sign (board of directors) as well as their power of attorney

in the case of underage vehicle owners, additionally:

• Declaration of consent and signature of both parents
• their ID cards
• Indication of the intended use and the type of vehicle

Fees apply, please contact the relevant authority.

The short-term license plate contains the abbreviation of the registration district and a number beginning with 03 or 04. The official stamp plate is blue.

You can have the license plates produced during the processing of the application. To do this, turn to the private providers, who are usually located near the competent authorities. The cost of the signs is not included in the fees. The license plates are stamped by the competent authority.

In the vehicle registration document for short-term license plates, the data must be collected and entered in full by the competent authority.

If the vehicle does not have a valid roadworthiness test, a short-term license plate can be applied for, with the note in the vehicle registration document that journeys will only be made to the nearest inspection office in the registration district and back. It is only possible to continue the journey if the general inspection has been passed.

If the vehicle does not correspond to an approved type or if no individual permit has been issued, a temporary license plate can be applied for, with the note in the vehicle registration document that journeys will only be made to the nearest inspection office in the registration district or an adjacent district and back.

The short-term license plate is valid for a maximum of 5 days. The expiration date is indicated on the license plate in a yellow field on the right-hand edge. After that, the sign may no longer be used on the road.

Short-term license plates are not valid abroad. In principle, they may only be used within the federal territory.

The number plates and the vehicle registration document do not need to be returned to the competent authority after the expiry of the period. They lose their validity after the expiry of the period.

For a one-time test drive or a transfer drive with an unregistered vehicle within Germany, you need a short-term license plate.

The responsibility lies with the district and the independent city in which you reside or with the authority responsible for the location of the vehicle.

In this case, the main residence according to the identity card is decisive. In the case of legal entities, this is the registered office of the principal place of business or the seat of the branch.

The application must be submitted to the competent authority in person or by a person authorised in writing (e.g. car dealer). If an application form is necessary, you can obtain it in advance from the competent authority and fill it out at home. Depending on the offer of the competent authority, a download form or an online service is available via the Internet. You will receive a special vehicle registration document from the competent authority, which you must fill out.