Vehicle Registration Plates of Germany

Vehicle Registration Plates Of Germany

German vehicle registration plates (Kraftfahrzeug-Kennzeichen or, more colloquially, Nummernschilder) indicate the place where the vehicle bearing them is registered. Whenever the German owners of a motor vehicle change their main place of residence within Germany, they are required to re-register their vehicle(s) and buy new number plates. These can be valid for a full year or for between 2 and 11 months in any one year. The latter provision allows owners a financial saving in the case of vehicles (e.g. motorcycles) which they intend to drive only during one particular part of the year. As of 2007, new number plates normally cost around €30, while the cost of de-registering a vehicle and re-registering it with new plates is between €10 and €40. If ownership of a vehicle is permanently transferred to a new owner who lives in the same city/region then the registration number may remain unchanged. Administration fees are, however, still payable in respect of the necessary changes to the vehicle's official documentation.