Buying a car in Germany: a complete guide to become a pro
Public transportation, bikes & shared mobility options are enough for most people to get around. Buying a car in Germany is a necessity for some.
In this guide, we go through the whole process, from first searching through the car market to driving off in the sunset.
This guide is based on research & experience while I bought my first car in Germany: a Peugeot 308. I also leased a 2008 for some years. I made some mistakes along the way. Hopefully, you can learn from them too.
How to buy a car in Germany: TL;DR:
This guide goes in great details on all aspects of buying a car in Germany. Here are some important points to take away. Feel free to ask questions in the comments.
- Use online platforms to find & compare new or second-hand cars. They connect dealership & private sellers to private buyers like you.
- Other platforms are offering a one-stop-shop experience. Order the car online with registration service included. Get the car delivered at home & with a 30-days satisfied guarantee.
- Buying through a dealership/platform is more expensive but safer. Buying through a private offers more room for price negotiation but it’s riskier & needs more preparation.
- When you buy a new car, leasing is often a better idea than a flat-out purchase. It does require a good credit score though.
- Registration involves having a car insurance, a safety inspection certification, licence plates & forms. It’s done at your local registration office. It’s sometimes possible to do it online.
- This guide otherwise includes tips on finding cheaper cars, getting a lower quote & making registration easier.
Finding the right car
Finding a new car in Germany
It’s much easier to look at new cars (Neuwagen) online, instead of entering a dealership right away. More choices, more options and easier to compare.
Create accounts and set up search alerts on those platforms:
- Carwow
- Mobile.de (English interface)
- AutoScout24 (English interface)
- AutoHaus24.
You will only find professional listings coming from dealerships. They use those platforms to generate leads & attract you with competitive offers. Sometimes, the car offered is not available anymore but they will try to sell you something similar.
Finding a second-hand car in Germany
German people absolutely love trading cars and they also take good care of them so it’s not rare to find second-hand cars in Germany (Gebrauchtwagen) that are in great conditions. You can find offers of cars for sale in Germany from both privat sellers and dealerships on:
- Carwow
- Mobile.de (English interface)
- AutoScout24 (English interface)
- AutoHaus24.
- eBay Kleinanzeigen
- Facebook Marketplace
More recently, newer platforms have tried to make the second-hand purchase experience a lot more streamlined & digital. On there, you can find certified cars and have it delivered to you: they also take care of registration in some cases. Financing options are also possible. Those one-stop-shop platforms are:
Buying a second-hand car in Germany through a dealership automatically comes by law with a 12-months warranty (Gewährleistung). However, this only covers existing issues, not normal tear & wear or undiagnosed issues. It is sometimes tricky to make use of that warranty when there is an issue. The dealership also often offers a special insurance for used cars that covers 50% of future repairs. Again here, read the small prints.
Buying a second-hand car in German through a private seller involves more risks because there isn’t any warranty but you aren’t liable to VAT, as it is a transaction between private pople.
Identifying defects when buying a car in Germany
Buying a second-hand car for the first time is a complex task, especially when you don’t know much about mechanics. It’s best to bring somebody knowledgeable if you can.
The ADAC (German driver association) also has a full check-list there (DE) to identify potential issues. You can find another check-list here in English. Especially important is:
- Mileage (Kilometer Stand) & age of the car
- First registration (EZ – Erstzulassung)
- Number of owners
- Diesel fuel or Petrol (Diesel or Benzin)
- Date of the next roadworthiness check (HU/AU/TÜV).
- Comprehensiveness of maintenance records (Checkheft)
- Engine power
- Known issues
- Emission certification (Umweltplakete) stickers that come on the windshield.
Take your time to ask questions and to look around/under the car. The seller should not try to limit your inspection time or avoid questions. Prefer models with lower maintenance costs (which you can check there).
How to find cheaper cars in Germany
You can take advantage of certain tips & rules to drive the price down further and making the most of your budget if you want to buy a car in Germany.
Jahreswagen
Those are vehicles bought new by employees of car manufacturers or dealerships with a special discount. To avoid unlawful trading, they have to keep it at least a year before selling it again. This means that the car are in a really good condition, fairly recent, and at a good price. Definitely something to look for in listings.
EU cars
You can buy new & second-hand cars in Germany from other EU countries at cheaper price, thank to lower tax rates among other things. In other words, you are free to shop for a second-hand car in Germany. This is also called EU Wagen or Reimport.
A few things to note:
- Some models have different options from a country to another.
- The law of the country applies: the terms of the sales contract & warranty might be less protective of the buyer than in Germany. There might also be less included service in the contract.
- Foreign dealer’s guarantee and service booklet is required.
- You can’t test-drive the car before you buy it.
- You need to apply for temporary plates in the origin country to move the car to Germany.
Companies specialize in importing cars from other countries to sell them to you, taking over the complex process for a fee. Googling “EU wagen kaufen” gives you a long list of platforms. You can also do the import process yourself but that’s quite complex.
Test drive cars – Vorführwagen
Those are the new cars used to take around customers looking for a new car in a dealership. Although it’s not exactly a second-hand car, there can be a significant rebate on a car that has been driving only a few kilometers. However, what you see is what you get. No possibility to take different options or a different engine. There is only this one car.
Price negotiation, financing & buying a car in Germany
Assessing the value of a car
There is a scale known as the “Schwake Liste” that all car traders who sell & buy cars in Germany recognize. It sets the value of all cars down to every model of every year. This is handy to compare the listed price with the offers you will find. Although it’s excellent guidance, this list also reflects price drops due to the bad reputation or perception of certain brands. You can use this to your advantage:
Typically, German cars experience a smaller value drop than french cars due to their reputation. Although it is often justified, some cars with less “prestige” might also be worth a second look. Skoda cars which use the same parts as Volkswagen’s experience a higher price drop.
Bargaining prices
There is often only little room on bargaining the price of new cars in Germany. The listed price is often quite close to what you will pay. There is wiggling room though:
- Dealerships might apply a discount if they have excess inventory and need to reach their sales targets.
- Negotiate additional options or equipment to be included at no extra cost or at a lower price.
- Negotiate that the dealership takes over the registration process & plates for free.
- Negotiate a better overall price via a leasing option. Compare the total cost of ownership with leasing vs without.
- Negotiate a better insurance rate with the dealership, than you would otherwise with your own comprehensive car insurance. Best to compare offers here.
- If you own a car already, you may be able to trade your old model in for a discount.
Bargaining price when buying second-hand cars in Germany is a lot more normalized. Based on the possible defects & issues you have detected, together with the data of the Schwake Liste, you can drive prices down.
- Be open about the issues your raise and avoid a completely frontal angle.
- Respect the person’s time & make up your mind up fast.
- Your best negotiation power is the ability to say no: don’t take a deal you don’t like.
- If the person accepts to deal in English, be aware that it’s a favor made to you.
Do note: When you buy from a dealership, you pay a 19% VAT. When you buy from a private seller, you do not pay VAT.
Financing options
Most new cars are leased and not bought upfront: that’s how most car brands make their money nowadays. The financing almost always goes in pair with the leasing option. Simplifed, the process looks like this:
- You sign a contract with car brand’s bank to get a loan to “buy the car” at a fixed value, fixed term & fixed rates.
- At the same time, you sign another contract where the bank promesses to buy the car back at the end of the fixed term, at certain pre-set residual value (=depreciated price).
- Like with a normal bank, you need to show your credit score with your SCHUFA to get it approved.
Buying a new car outright does not make a lot of sense for most people as it’s an extremely cash-intensive for a highly depreciative asset. However, if you want to take a loan out to buy your new or second-hand car in Germany, you can turn to this guide about loans in Germany. Take your time, compare options.
It’s not unusual for cars to be bought in cash. We paid almost 6000€ in cash for our first car!
Registering your car in Germany
Once you have bought your car in Germany, it’s time to take the administrative steps required to be able to drive it.
Passing the road-worthiness inspection: TÜV
In Germany, road-worthiness inspections are a public safety business conducted by private organizations such as TÜV, GTÜ, KÜS & DEKRA in mandated technical centers. They make your car go through the “Hauptuntersuchung” (HU) & the “Abgasuntersuchung” (AU). Both checks are part of the same test now, and German people will often simply say the “TÜV check” when talking about the HU.
- Newly-bought cars must go through this inspection first after 3 years in Germany, then every 2 years. At first, you get a certificate of conformity instead.
- Used cars must go through this inspection every 2 years.
- This inspection is mandatory to register your car in Germany and costs around 110€.
- If the car you bought still has a valid certificate, you don’t need to make it test again. Make sure to get the certificate from the previous owner then.
If the vehicles passes inspection, it will be registered in the Zulassungsbescheinigung (certificate) that comes with the car.
Getting a car insurance certificate: eVB nummer
The public authorities will require an eVB Nummer (elektronische Versicherungsbestätigung – digital insurance confirmation). It’s a unique ID that confirms that your policy is indeed valid. You automatically obtain this number from a car insurance provider.
I have made an extensive post about car insurance in Germany here.
Getting your license plates:
There are 2 ways to get your license plates:
- Offline: This is done in the shops right next to the car registration office, which sole’s business is to sell you those. You negotiate prices between 15€ & 20€ and you get them on the spot. You can only do that after you have been at the registration office once.
- Online: You have convenient services like this one or that one that lets you order them online, with the possibility to pick a custom plate and reserve it with the registration office. Expect an additional convenience fee on top of the plates themselves. It’s more expensive but you don’t need to come back at the office again, it’s more convenient. Make sure you order one with the right prefix for your city or Bundesland.
It’s not required to change license plates if:
- you move to another part of the country (since 2015). You still need to update the papers & stickers though.
- the new owner lives in the same district/city. You still need to update the papers & stickers though.
Going to the local registration office
The finishing line is almost in sight. You now need to go to the local car registration office, the Zulassungsbehörde also know as KFZ-Zulassungsstelle.
- Book an appointement at your local office as soon as you have bought your car. You can use this portal to find yours. New cars owners go to Neuzulassung (new registration) appointements & user car owners go to Halterwechsel/Umschreibung (owner change) appointments.
- Have all of these ready:
- eVB Nummer – Insurance certificate.
- TÜV certificate for used vehicles
- Certificate of conformity for new vehicles, provided by the dealership.
- Sales contract.
- Passport/ID card.
- Meldebescheinigung – Residence registration certificate.
- New license plates (if ordered online)
- Old license plates if relevant.
- Old Zulassungsbescheinigung (registration certificate) if relevant.
- Debit authorization form 032021 filled out. This is how the car tax is paid every year. IBAN details only.
- The actual registration form filled. Can be obtained online from your local Amt (e.g for Berlin)
- Pay 30-60€ in cash or via debit card (EC-Karte).
- If you have your plates with you, the clerk with put the license plate certification stickers on them. If not, you receive a paper, get out of the building & buy the plates in one of the special shops next to the Amt & come back again.
- Optional if your car doesn’t have it, buy the Umweltplakete (emission certificate) stickers from the clerk. It’s cheaper and faster.
- You get an updated registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung) with your details.
Register a car in Germany online
There are 3 possibilities:
- Most foreigners can’t use the designated public digital service. This service requires a Neuer Personalausweis (nPA) or elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel (eAT) with the new online authentication chip (eID) is needed. Most foreigners don’t have this. Detailed process & requirements are explained on this page.
- Open to all are specialized 3rd party registration services – Kfz Zulassungsdienst. They go through the whole process for you for about 150-200€. It’s more convenient but more expensive. You also need to send some original documents via post & a power of attorney. You’d need to be ok with that.
- As mentioned above, if you use full-service platforms to buy a car in Germany like HeyCar, Instamotion, AutoHero, they can take care of registration for you.
Drive into the sunset
Well done, you have successfuly bought your first car in Germany! With your registration certificate, you can now go back to the dealership or to the private seller to pick the car up and drive off.
Make sure that you get all the documents & equipment.
Total cost of car ownership in Germany
Here is a quick overview of different fees associated with car ownership in this country:
Taxes
In Germany, every car owner has to pay a car tax (KfZ-Steuer) yearly to finance highways & roads among other things. Its price differs depending on the power of your engine. The average tax in 2023 is 142€ per owner. I pay around 250€ a year for my Peugeot 308. You can use this calculator (DE or EN) to get a precise figure.
Maintenance costs
No surprises there, a car needs to visit the repair shop once in a while. After buying a car in Germany, this is one of the more expensive parts of ownership. Your choice of vehicle will greatly impact how much is spent on maintenance. More reliable models need less maintenance. You can use the following database to get an overview of maintenance costs in Germany:
Car insurance
The average comprehensive car insurance policy is 324€/year in 2021, but depending on your vehicle it can be anywhere between 200€ & 800€.
You can find different ways to decrease the costs of car insurance in Germany in this guide.
Fuel
The energy crisis has impacted the prices of gas in the long-term. You can use apps such as Clever Tanken that lets you localize gas stations with cheaper fuel prices.
Electric cars in Germany have access to a lot of affordable public 11Kw & 22Kw charging stations within cities, and more expensive fast-charging stations along the highways. Use apps like ChargeMap & Plugsurfing to find charging stations around you.
Parking costs
Depending on the type & size of your city, parking costs will vary wildly. A resident parking permit may be required on your street too. Google “Bewohnerparkausweis [city]” to check if that is needed. You can also see it on street signs.
This costs anywhere between 20€ & 50€ per year.
Inspection costs
As pointed out above, getting a TÜV check costs you 80-120€ every 2 years.
I hope this guide to buying & registering your car in Germany was useful to you. Feel to ask questions in the comments’ section if something is still unclear.
Bastien
Buying a car in Germany – FAQ
There are certainly ways to get discounts on new cars, free option upgrades or at least preferential financing terms. It’s fairly rare to pay full price for a new car. Price listed on second-hand cars have less room for negotiation, unless you can find defects that were not listed in the ad.
Yes, some platforms let you buy and register a car fully digitally in Germany.
Question on Residential parking permits/
I just recently purchased a car and am looking to understand the following: as berlin.de states a 4 week processing time for residential parking permits, how do you protect from receiving Ordnungsamt parking tickets in the meantime?
Thanks
Hey Joelle. Good question. Aren’t there any other parking spots in your neighborhood you can use in the meantime? Those free spots might be further away but don’t require any permits or any paid ticket.
From what you are saying however convoluted the system, at least in Germany you appear to be able to register a car the same day. I have been in the process of registering a car in the UK (not previously registered) and I am still waiting 6 weeks later.
Hello,
Can someone help me with the list of the recurring payments that a car owner would pay except Gas?
For example road tax, vehicle tax – what other monthly/yearly payments one would bear? Thanks in advance.
Hey Mykee. There would insurance, vehicle tax, costs of changing tires (winter/summer) and renewing TÜV whenever relevant.
Hi Bastien!
Many thanks for the comprehensive guide. I do have a silly question. What happens to the car while it’s being registered? Should I organize a garage for it while I wait for the KFZ-Zulassung? I get that you can move around with the temporary license plates but I’m wondering if the car can stand on the street without registration plates.
Many thanks for the response!
Hey Konrad. Yeah, in theory this is not legal and if the police sees this in time, it can decide to take it away, and without a license plate, that will be very hard to prove you are the owner. That’s what the temporary plates are there for.
Hi, I am selling my car but I don’t know what the process is?
Should I deregister my car? How can I keep the plates? Should I do something with the plates?
Thanks in advance,
Hey Enrique. I am not sure either. I found you this source in German though, maybe that helps.
Hi Bastien, I’m looking for a used car and confused with the number of previous owners e.g if a car is first registered in 2013 and has 3 previous owners, what does it indicate? Does it mean the car had some faults and so people sold it so soon or anything else?
Hey Amit. I can’t really tell you. This is why it’s best to buy a used car from a garage or a retailer directly, in case there are some faults with the car. In this case, you have the safety of being able to claim your money back or free repairs.
Hi there, thanks for this info! I’ve run into a problem. I bought a car from a car dealer who is taking car of the vehicle registration etc. I bought my car insurance and provided the EVB number, along with ID, Meldbescheingung and so on. I am waiting on my Aufenhaltstitel – right now I just have the appointment set up for December. So the dealership said the EVB number didn’t work. What could be the problem? Do I need a residency card already? Right now, I have the “Fiktionbescheinigung” and my US passport. Neither the insurance company nor the car dealers know what the problem is…
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Good evening everyone, I’ve bought a used car from a car seller the 4th of September. The car is already paid and I’ve provided the insurance EVB number. The seller (is a car shop, not a private) is taking care of the paper work and he told me that now we need to wait for the registration and the plates, which is something I really don’t understand. Is it because of COVID? With all the paper done, why is taking so long? :/
I live in the USA, have a Dutch passport and do not have a place of residence in Europe.
I plan to leave the US and move to Europe shortly. I plan to buy a used car in Germany and look for a place to move to, probably in France or Italy. I assume it will take me three months or less to find such a place.
I have 3 questions:
1. Can I get a temporary registration for my car in Germany for three months?
2. If so, what are the procedures? (could I use an Empfangsberechtigter to do so)
3. Can I get temporary insurance?
As soon as I have found a place of residence, I will permanently register and insure my car in my new home country.
Thank you for your cooperation
Hey Jan. You’d need to be a German resident to have your car in your name, registered in Germany with local insurance and so on. So i don’t think this plan would work.
Hi Bastien. We just recently purchased a German registered car in Ireland and need an advise on changing ownership. We are Irish and would like to keep the van just for travel in Europe on German plates. Can we do it? My sister lives in the same city where car is registered in Germany. If you have any thoughts please let me know. Kindest regards. Les
Hey Les. As non-German residents, this would not be possible for you. The car would need be registered and insured in your sister’s name as a workaround..
Hi all!
Could you please help me with some information? How can I move a car from one city to another in germany after i bought it? “The buyer can transfer the car with the 3-day license plate he has brought with him”. I don’t quite understand what he means by that.
Many thanks in advance for your answers!
Hi all,
I signed a contract for a car at a VW dealership and handed over my passport and other appropriate documents with the EVB number from my insurance for the registration, and have now been waiting 5 weeks and heard nothing. The registration office still have my passport (which I am NOT comfortable about) and I am simply waiting. Has anyone else experienced similar long waits for car registration? As the car is a small camper, the plan was to be able to use it over the summer break, but that is looking like it won’t happen. It is so frustrating!
Hi Denise.
I’m in the same shoes. I just bought a Volvo Jahreswagen from a volvo authorised dealer in Wuppertal. I live in Bonn. They are doing the registration on my behalf and have taken all the docs as you mentioned. It’s been 3 weeks for me. But if you say it is 5 weeks for you already then I’m even more worried. Please feel free to contact me soon as you get yours. I will do the same. It’s annoying to have to wait so long before I could drive.
That’s actually normal, the waiting times to get an appointment are longer especially after the Covid shutdown. It’s super annoying as am also in the same situation.
Funny thing is that they give individuals earlier appointments that they do with companies doing it on your behalf. So you could next time just go through the process on your own. You’d just need to ask the dealership for a new HU certificate + the car papers and you’re good to go.
Hello, thank you very much for the informative post. I have a question: Does the car and/or do the old number plates have to be there when I register the car? I’m planning to buy a car from a friend in the city where I currently live. I’m also in the process of moving to a new city. If I do my Ummeldung first for the new city, could I register the car in my new city, then bring the plates back to my old city and put them on the car and then drive it away? Thanks very much in advance for your help 🙂
Hey Catherine. If i followed you correctly, yes, you could do that.
Hey,
I am picking up a new lease car next month. I wont receive the license plates until the day of the pick up. How can I be insured to drive the car home?
Thanks in Advance,
Ray
Hey Ray. You can signup for insurance before you pick up the car, provided you have the right details, as mentioned in the post.
Hey,
I am planning on purchasing a used vehichle from Mainz Kastel. The only problem is that the next appointment is in August. Can I go to the closest registration office ? Like in Wiesbaden wich is 15km away ?
Hey Pogononyi. You need to go to the office located your district/city. Source.
If you buy a car with a valid Hauptuntersuchung you will naturally NOT need to get a new roadworthiness inspection. Just take the report from the last one with you, which the previous owner will provide. Your new number plate will get a HU seal according to the remaining validity
Hey Steffen. Thanks for the input.
Hello. Thanks so much for the info! We are trying to understand how long it will take to get an appointment to register the car. We don’t have a car but we have seen a couple that we could buy straight away. However, we would like to use the car by beginning of July and we cannot find much information of how long the wait time is currently if you ask for an appointment. Does anybody know if it takes more than 4 weeks? Thank you!
Hey Chloe. The unfortunate answer is: it depends. Waiting time may change depending on the size of the city and current influx of applications.
Hi Bastian,
Thank you for a fantastic site. For people who live outside Germany, but want to buy a car with german registration, there is a company in Flensburg that will help you with all the details. They will even buy your dream car for you and keep it garaged until you need it.
Check it out on: imc-motorclub.com
Hi, Bastien! Thanks for the informative article. I have secured myself a termin in the car registration office. I have also reserved the cat number that I want to have online. Is it a good idea to have the numbers already printed when going to the car registration office?
Hey Tzvetan. Honestly, i don’t know. Bring them just in case?
Hi Bastian,
I am in the process of buying a car that I leased through my company for the last 3.5 years,
I have arranged the purchase as well as the insurance but given the current situation with COVID-19 I am unable to make an appointment to register the car,
Is there a grace period where I can continue to drive the car until I am able to actually register it in my name ?
thanks
Andy
Hey Andy. You need to have a valid insurance, as well as proper registration documents for your car. Otherwise, you can’t be driving it. If you get checked, you might be met with some level of understanding, given the current situation, but that is a dangerous game to play.
Hi Bastien! Thank you for the informative post. Do you know by any chance whether I could register with an international driving license?
Hey Willy. I don’t see anything speaking against this if it’s recognized in Germany.
Hello, I’m looking to buy a second hand van, in germany. I would like to travel around Europe. I have German citizenship, and a friend that lives in berlin. Would it be possible to buy van in germany and travel around Europe?
Thanks
HEy Ben. Yes, it is possible to buy a van here, but what’s the problematic is to get the plates and the insurance bit. This should be done wherever you are residing atm.
Hi,
I live in Puchheim and want to buy a car registered in Munich. Do you know which registration office should I go to? Thank you.
Hey there. The one in your city.
Hi,
We’re a UK Company with an office in Berlin. We would like to buy a new car from Italy and have it registered in Berlin. Is this possible to do?
Hey Sandman. I don’t know anything about doing this for a business.
Hello;
Thanks for this post is super helpfull.
I have a question, i just bought second hand van and it has no plates, and is not registered anywhere.
with no plates i cant drive it to the TÜV, could i register the car get the plates and then pass the TÜV?
Thanks in advance
Hey Myriam. You’d probably need to get temporary license plates for the purpose of that or if that is not possible, maybe arrange the garage doing the TÜV to pick it up for you.
Hello, I’m looking to buy a second hand van, and registering it while living here. In a few months I would then like to move into my van, complete an abmeldung for Berlin/Germany, and then travel around Europe for a while. Do you know if this would be allowed – to own a German registered vehicle and not be a current German resident?
Thanks
Hey Georgia. You need to be a German resident to have the car registered under your name.
How to register the motorcycle that I found in Germany: I do not have a german address and I buy it to drive to Thailand where I live
In this case, you’ll need Ausfuhrkennzeichen (number plates for export), these are the ones with a red stripe on the left with the expiration date. But you have to provide a person with a German address to receive these and to sign a declaration like this one here https://www.steinburg.de/fileadmin/download/buerger-service/dienststellen-ansprechpartner/dezernat-3/ordnungsamt/kfz-zulassung/Empfangsberechtigter_als_Formular.pdf Without a German bank account (yours or another person’s) it will be tricky to pay the road tax, maybe you’ll have to go to the Hauptzollamt (main customs office), which collects this tax. They’ll give you a tax bill, with this and a verification of payment you can get Ausfuhrkennzeichen.
Interested in receiving information for new / second hand vehicles from 2018 to date
Hi. I would like to pay for cars in Essen Germany, I do not know where to go. help me, give me an address essen germany.please thank
Hello,
My daughter’s family moved to Germany. Is it possible that I have second address in Germany and have official address in Finland.
Possibility to buy and register car in Germany in order to use it when visiting Germany, this happens very often
I am a US citizen and a resident in France. I am In the market for an SUV that is automatic and uses benzine. It has so far been impossible to find one in France. Germany seems to have quite a few. Would I be able to purchase a used vehicle and bring it to France to register there?
Hello,
I am looking at the same basic idea. My understanding is yes, it’s very easy between EUY countries. Please let me know what you find out and good luck.
Bastion,
Your blog is quite helpful and I too have a question, if you’d be kind enough to help answer.
I married a European woman and I’m from the US. We are staying in 3 different places this summer, in Europe and while I look for work as we’re considering the move to Europe vs US.
Am I able to buy a car in Germany and temporarily register it for the 3 months? Of course longer if I find work but I’m trying to avoid import fees as I’ll state below.
She’s Eastern European and they have a high import tax being they are not part of the EU. They also don’t have reliable used cars.
Any suggestions would be super helpful.
Thanks
Hey, you’d need to be German resident to register a car in your name here.
Iam mody from egypt, i will come to germany with a visitor visa, can i buy a mew brand 2019 mercedes car and next day export by myself to egypt?
As dealers in germany as i know told me the car has to spend 6 months and registered firstly in germany, please reply….thx.
Hey Mody. Then i suggest you try the opinion of experts.
Hi
I am student in Germany from India. I have a international driving license valid till 2020. Due to my intern and thesis work i need to buy a pre owned car. I live in essen. I have visa house contract. So my question is can i buy a car on own with international driving license. Is it would a problem in germany ??
Hey Rakesh. Your license has no impact on your capacity to buy a car in Germany.
I am in the similar situation!
So i can buy a car and get it registered and drive with my international driving license ??
for the insurance and/or all the rest of the procedures there no dire need of EU or German driving license?
Hi,
I am from UK. I would like to buy a car in Germany to take to Albania.
How long would the whole process take? Could I buy a car in the morning and have all the paperwork ready by the same day so that I can leave Germany with the car same evening?
I have a UK passport
Hey Kayla. I can really reply to this as i don’t know what is required to move a car to Germany, on the Albanian side. Sorry.
Your blog/post is wonderful. It made my life quite easy when I was preparing to buy a Car. Now I have a Car and Most valuable info I got it from this post. It is very well explained and straightforward. Thank you very much.
Hey! Great post. Working my way though the list and I just have two questions,
Any advice on which appointment to book? My google translate doesn’t help this time!
https://service.berlin.de/standort/121364/
AND
Any tips on beating the que? Usually I wouldn’t book but turn up first thing in the morning and fly though. Seems like it’s all bookings now.
Thanks!
Darcy
Hey Darcy. Yes, best is to book an appointment. Depends on your case; eg: if your car is new, click on “Neufahrzeug anmelden”.
Hey Bastian,
I am going to buy a second hand VW. But the name on the documents differ from the one with whom I signed the contract. (I haven’t paid yet,but he gave me all the documents for registration). He says that he bought it from a relative. Now I am concerned about that. You think isn’t this a problem?
Thank you.
Cheers, Ali
Hi there, thank you so much for this. Can you answer a silly question for me? I don’t understand the logistics of actually taking a used car home once I have bought it! Here’s how I understand it, and what my confusion is:
I live in Potsdam, and I’ll probably end up buying a used car from a dealership in Berlin.
Let’s say I find the car online, I make an appointment to go and see it and hopefully test drive it, and I decide I like it.
I will be getting a car loan from my bank to buy it, so I then need the dealer to give me a contract to say that it’s mine when I pay for it.
Then I go to the bank, give them the contract, and get the money (the next day, probably). I then go back to the dealership and give them the money, and officially own the car, but I don’t have insurance yet.
So I go online and buy insurance, which I guess will take 24 hours to give me the EVB number, but I haven’t yet registered the car to me, so do I leave the car at the dealership until I have the insurance certificate and have gotten an appointment at the Zulassungbehörde and then come back again when all that is done and pick it up? Or can I drive it home on the dealership plates so long as I have insurance? Or how does that all work?!
Help! What’s the right order to do all this?
Hey Sarah. You can arrange temporary license plates/insurance for the time you need to make all these steps, talk to the dealership about it.
This is very useful information for expats. Thank you for putting up each step so nicely. Wonderful!
Thank a lot
Hi Bastien! I am a planning on purchasing a used vehicle next year in Europe for a charity road rally. Would I be able to register and insure the vehicle as a foreign non-resident? I am a US citizen and will have an International Driving Permit.
Thank you.
Hi Michael. This is in my opinion not very easy without being a resident. I have heard that the UK might be more lenient, as long as you have an address where you can receive letters from. Being a US citizen with international driving permit is not a problem otherwise. Maybe you could into export plates, as suggested here.
Hello,
My name is Ivar. I am coming to Frankfurt to reiceive a car which I will have paid for already. This is a branch from Mercedes and the person told me that they are not a dealer and will just deliver me the car without helping with the paperwork such as getting the plates and prepare the refund of the v.a.t.
I was wondering if you could point out a good dealer which could prepare things and put the plates on the car before I come to Germany. Thank you.
Hi Ivar. Sorry, i can’t help you with that.
another perfectly helpful article, thank you SiB team! a stupid question : i am going to buy a used car from a dealer, and i was told from friends at work that KFZ-zulassungstelle job can take a while so I am trying to make an appointment at Kreuzberg or Lichtenberg locations. however, despite lots of google translate efforts, i wasn’t able to find the correct service in service.berlin.de for chasing a termin. could you help me out? i believe that dealer will offer help in this but i also want to take the matter in my own hands (already reserved a license plate online).
I’m not sure i understand the question. In the link contained in the article, there is a link to pick the standort and make an appointment …
Hey,
Im a little confused at what the proccess would be if i lived in berlin, and would want to buy a car outside of berlin.
How would i sort it out so i wouldnt have to go check the car out, come back to berlin, register the car if i’m happy with it, and go back out?
Would i get temporary plates in whatever city im checking out the car to drive it back to berlin? and in that case would i need to be insured?
thanks a lot !
Hi Jules. All these details can be discussed with the seller directly, they can arrange this for you in some cases.
hi if I buy a car in Germany and drive away do I still need to register it there or can I take some temporary plates , and if I can take temporary plates do you know how much will that be?
Hi Florin. What you are looking are called “Ausfuhrkennzeichen”, which are export plates. I believe you don’t need to be a German resident to get those. More info in German here.
Bastien,
I must say, this is an amazing post and it took me some time to read all the replies to ensure I don’t duplicate.
If I bought an oldtimer car in Berlin (1978 Merc W123 Petrol) a few years ago, and the seller did not give me a Sales Contract he only Gave me the Fahrzeugbrief + Abmeldebescheinigung fur den Fahrzeughalter(vorubergehend stillgelegt issued in 1988)
Will I still be able to register the car in my name, considering I have everything else?
Do you know if this Classic Car(oldtimer) is exempt from from the HU or other environmental tests?
Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Ferris. It’s a specific question for sure! I’m not knowledgeable about the special treatment vintage cars have regarding TÜV and other tests. Sorry. You should gave gotten a sales contract, it’s a protection for both the buyer and the seller. I think it should not be a problem though.
Hi
I read all the questions and answers but I still have a doubt:
I am an EU citizen and want to buy a second hand van in Germany and register it in Germany. Is the Anmeldung enough to do it, or do I need to be resident in Germany?
Hi Alessandra. Yes.
Hi!
An old (bj.1993), broken german registered car is now in Sweden so how to buy a german registered car out side Germany and get registration papers from Germany (otherwise it is impossible to register car to me in Sweden) and in this case, I do not need to have a “export plates”.
Hi Tim. I don’t see where the problem is. You can do all of that even if the car is not physically located in Germany. The only problem is that you need to have the TÜV certification, which can probably only be done in Germany.
Hi! Firstly, this post has been a god send, so thank you for posting it.
I have one question though – I’m in somewhat of a rush and want to get a car on the road ASAP… How long should I expect the entire process to take? I have read in a number of comments that the registration can take a few weeks. Is there any way to drive it before then? Or do the temporary plates only last a day or so?
Thanks!! ::)
Hi Sam. Yes, depending on the insurance, the Zulassungstelle, etc. It can be anywhere between a few days and weeks. Temporary plates could be a solution depending on what you need.
Hello Bastien,
I just moved to Berlin for work on Blue Card and I registered my address here. Can I buy a car and register it using my Indian drivers license? Will I be able to also get car insurance on my license. I will eventually apply for German drivers license but for now, I am legally allowed to drive in Germany for 6 months. Not sure if this 6 months rule is only for driving rental cars or can I actually buy a car and drive here in Germany. Please clarify.
Thanks,
Raj
Hi Raj. I guess it boils down to if your license will be recognized and valid by the German authorities to do that.
I have a question about having the car parked on the street without plates, I bought a car and the handler drove it to my home and parked it there. the registration will take at least one week and am afraid I’d run into troubles with the controllers if the car is just standing like this. Anything I can do?
Hi Zyad. Good question. I think it’s in theory not allowed but can’t you have the temporary plates there instead?
hi Bastien,
I bought a new car and waiting for it’s registration by the car dealership. the process started a week ago but wasn’t completed because of a mistake in the insurance. I have now the right insurance and I need the car ti be registered maximum on 27.3 (Tuesday). in the car dealership they told me that it will take additional week because they need to start the process from the beginning.
do you have any suggestions how to complete the process quicker and hopefully have it done by Tuesday? is there an option for a sofort registration somehow? I am willing to drive anywhere if there’s an option like that.
thanks, Barak
Hi Barak. I’m sorry i don’t think it can go faster in that case.
I was so naive to go to register my future car with an appointment. I wasted time and I ended up with an appointment on April 16th. It’s frustrating to have the car ready waiting for you while you have to wait for the appointment. 1 week is not bad in your case Barak
Hey, thanks for the advice. I got my Führerschein done.
I live in Berlin. If i buy a car out of Berlin, what’s the procedure?
Can I just drive it back to Berlin and register here? Thanks
Yes kasun. Yes. Pretty much.
Hi Bastien,
I’m new her in Germany and recently i have Anmeldung.
Can i buy and register a used car, as my driving licence was issued from Dubai.
I’ve been told that i can drive only for six months with Dubai driving license.
But after that i need to replace it with German one, but this will take time.
So, is there any chance to buy and register a used car with Dubai driving license.
Thanks a lot for your kind advice.
Nasser
Hi Nasser. It won’t be a problem in my opinion.
Hey Bastien,
I’ve posted before.Thank you for your comment. I am now buying a secondhand car (2015) Renault Kangoo froma registered Renault garage here in Berlin. I hope to travel back to the UK in it next weekend. What should I do next? I need insurance, what else? I am officially living here now.
Hi Linda. Well, all steps are listed in the post. Is something unclear?
Hi Bastien! I will probably not find the car of my dreams near me, so if I want to go to Bavaria or Hesse or somewhere else would I be able to register it there with papers and license plates showing my Landkreis (for insurance purpose, I prefer not to have it registered in a big city) or I have to get temporary yellow plates (Kurzzeitkennzeichen) and register it where I live?
And if temporary plates is the answer, do you know perhaps if I can get those there or I have to bring them with me from my local Zulassungsstelle?
Hi Larisa. Tmeporary plates are probably the answer. I think you can get them from any Zulassungstelle or even directly for the handler in some cases.
Hello Bastien,
A really useful article about buying a car in Germany! I am now trying to purchase one too in Berlin and naturally I have some questions related to the topic. I would be relieved if you tried to answer them.
1) I live in Berlin from 2012. By nationality I am Spanish, my driving licence is Spanish as well. My question is: could I register a car in Berlin with my spanish driving licence?
2) unfortunately now I do not have Anmeldung (where I live). Question: would it cause any problems while trying to register the car?
Thank you a lot for your time.
Best wishes,
Leon
Hi Leon. 1) No. 2)As mentioned in the post, yes.
hello Bastien, Ive not posted before so unsure if it will get to you??? 2 questions please. I have an english number plate skoda octavia estate here in Berlin. Is there anywhere in Berlin I can exchange for a german reg car? Also. Ive lived in Berlin for a year and a half, have a german bank account but Im not regisitered as being here although I rent an apartment.. I need to buy a secondhand car here in Berlin, Can I without credentials? thanks Lin
Hi Linda. The process is the same for your car, as described in the post. You can buy a second hand car sure, but you won’t be able to insure it.
well without insurance, its a non starter, isn’t it? Sooooo, I need to register that Im living here at presence?
Yes.
Hi! I am in the same situation and this answer worried me. For sure you can’t register a car in Germany without a German driving license? I have an EU one, it should be accepted everywhere in EU.
HI Larisa. Yes you can register a vehicle with any license recognized by the German state, including any EU issued document.
Hi Bastien. I am not living in Germany. I want to come to Berlin and buy a motorbike and then ride it back to istanbul.
In this condition I will not use that in Germany just will ride highways to border.
1) Is it (buying car/motorcycle) possible for whom dosent live in Germany and he/she is just a tourist?
2) What about taxes?
Thank you
Hi Berhram. I guess it’s possible for anybody to buy a vehicle in Germany, it’s the questions of the cots of bringing it back home. Concerning taxes, i guess you have to check what the import duties are with the Turkish administration. Can’t help you there. Good luck. 🙂
Dear Bastien, Kindly ask for your assistance as I do not find no information on my topic. As I am leaving in Germany from 2015 and i bought an used car from a dealer in april 2015. Car was financed by VW Bank and in 2019 April i have the ,,schlussrate’’. But from July this year I need to go back with work in my home country Romania. What possibilities do I have? Can I keep the car with German plate no. As I will have no longer German address and reaidance? Do I have the possibility to give back the car to the deaer? What do you recommand? Thank you in advance.
Hi Adrian. I think you’d better look at the contract to see termination conditions for that financing. Worst case scenario, you take the car with you to Romania but you still need to pay for it.
Hi Bastian,
Thanks for this great job. As you can see, it is helpful for many people.
As fa as I’m concerned, It could be off topic but I actually am about to create my own car export business here in France to an Indian Ocean country and my clients are only interested in german mercedes benz sprinter, so I’d like to know if you can give me some tips of how to handle it : getting in contact by phone with a car dealer settled in Germany (have you any names, any wellknown places?) or moving myself to Germany to do the search myself ?
Now I know at least how to handle with papers thanks to your guide.
Sorry for my poor english.
And thanks for your kind answer
Karine
Hi Karine. I am afraid i can’t help you further for b2b related requests. Good luck.
Hi Bastien,
A quick one as I can’t manage to find a clear answer anywhere. I brought my personal car recently in DE from another EU country, after moving here a while back, and want to register it here and have two questions.
Regarding the Proof of Ownership. I have a short contract in my native language, is this accepted by the registration office or are authorized translations a must? Second question is regarding the DE plates, do I need to hand in my old plates when I go for the registration or after I get the new plates?
Thank you!
I quickly perused all the answers and could find nothing about new cars. I have paid the down payment on a factory order VW California (30%) and take possession on January 31, 2018. I understand that I can only keep the car in Europe for one year then need to leave Europe or sell it. But I understand that I can register it without an address. The dealer can arrange insurance but how does the registration work? If I want to drive the vehicle to Italy a few days after purchase, can the dealer arrange licence plates so that the vehicle is all ready to go? Thank you.
Hi Ronald, yes the dealer can arrange license plates. Registration and insurance process is the same as described in the article above.
Bastein, I do wonder if you could help me please! I have spent endless days trawling through pages and trying to translate and still no answer to my question. Which is…I want to buy a vehicle in Germany because they are lots cheaper than Spain (where I live) and UK (where I am from). I plan to live in the van or travel a lot therefore I am not sure where to register the vehicle or import it to. It would be a lot easier to keep it as German, but I do not live in Germany. Do you know if I can keep the vehicle registered there for my nomadic tendencies? Thanks so much, this damsel in destress appreciates all advice 😀
Hi Rachel, you’d need a local German address and registering at the city hall to be able to do the whole process of getting an insurance, registering it etc.
Ok thanks I think that is impossible for me right now so I guess I will have to import it to either uk or spain 🙁
Many thanks for your detailed information.
One month ago, we bought a second-hand Skoda from a dealer. We made a one-page contract, paid one-third of the negotiated fee, and also gave the dealer all the requested documents such as insurance, passport, etc., since the dealer was supposed to do the registration paperwork for us. We were told to wait for something around one month for the registration process and then we will be able to pick up the car. So during the past month, the dealer had our documents.
Now we intend to travel abroad in the next few days, but the registration has not yet been done. We asked to at least have the documents but the dealer told us they are in the police station. So my question is that, is this typical for the car registration office to keep our identification documents for a long time? I am aware that it normally takes several weeks to get an appointment, but I thought after finding an appointment date, the dealer must only show our documents to the officers and that’s it. I am wondering if they should keep our docs or not?
I found my answer!! now please delete my unanswered question! tnx!
Great info here! Thanks. Do you know if it is possible to buy, register and insure a car in Germany even if I have a danish residence? (the car would stay on the german side of the border)
Good question. I don’t think it would work, then it would be danish plates.
Hi and Thanks for the very useful information.
I have a car with Italian license plate and I am moving permanently to Germany, Berlin with the car. I am renovating the Insurance in Italy and also there is something similar to TUV that every 24 months I have to do. (this time it will be in January). My questions are as follows: How much time do I have to travel and live in Berlin with the Italian license plated-car and Italian insurance? I know that I cannot park the car in public places unless I register the car, Can I register the car with the insurance from an Italian Company? Can I register the car in Germany with the Italian TUV-similar certificate?
Do you have any suggestions that facilitate the traveling and living in Germany with my situation? what is the best path to follow?
Thanks a lot in advance.
Hi Samantha. There is no magic formula. Come here with your car on Italian insurance and switch to a German one when you are resident here. I believe the Italian TUV certificate won’t be enough i’m afraid. It’s probably not recognized in Germany.
Hello,
I need some help.
I found a car in EU.Bulgaria and it is on German license plates.
Private owner.
Can I buy it here in Bulgaria (without going to Germany)?
I want to register it on my name in Bulgaria
Who steps to take?
What documents do I need?
Thank you in advance
Hi Nenad. I guess then registration happen in Bulgaria so my advice is not relevant for you.
Thanks for this awesome post! Quick question – I bought a used car from a dealer in a different city and have an appointment here in Berlin to register it next week, after which I’ll be able to go pick it up. The email I got from the Zulassungsstelle mentions potentially needing to take the previous licence plates of the car to the registration appt. I have all the papers from the dealer for the car, but not the old plates. Do you know if this is really necessary?
Hi Anna. If you haven’t been provided the old plates, then there is no way to give them to the Zulassungstelle. I guess they want to avoid that these plates are used from criminal behavior. I guess you will have to explain the situation to them.
Hi Anna,
You will need so called Kurzzeitkennzeichen (valid for five days, the date will be on plate on a yellow label) – you can order them online and as you will receive them go for the car, mount the plates and go to Berlin. Here is a link to order the plates:
http://www.strassenverkehrsamt.de/kfz-zulassung-kurzzeitkennzeichen
That worked for me as I bought a car in Germany and drove it by my own to Poland.
You can also buy the plates at the place where the car is located.
Best
Konrad
Hi Bastien,
I am registered at Hesse and i plan to get a new car . What are the advantages of Leasing vs Buying one ?
Would you please be kind and advise of tax implications due to the owing a car ( apart from the annual amount of apprx.250 Euros, as you state in your article) ?
Hi Spyros. tax implications depend on so many factors that i can’t explain in a comment and i would need to more details about your car and stuff.
Hey buddy,
Thanks for interesting and useful info. Do you know anything about the SIXT Leasing program? I heard you can get a car off them for a fixed time period (e.g. 2 years for a monthly installment , say 150 EUR and then just return it, without having to pay any initial lump sum. So it is almost like a long term rental!
Cheers,
Petr
Hi Petr. Havent heard from this before. Feel free to get more info and come back here to tell the tale.
Hi,
I’m an Estonian currently living in Switzerland and want to buy a car from Germany, but i don’t want to register it here in Switzerland. How is it possible to use the car with German plates from October 2017 until May 2018 (then i can make an official registration in Estonia)? And what are the approximate costs of doing that?
Thank You for Your help!
Hi Kristo, it is possible to register for temporary plates but i don’t know about the costs.
We would like to buy a used campervan in Germany and are having a difficult time to find a registration service to do this, to provide a local address. There are several in Holland: BW Campers, Turner Cars, etc but we can find none in Germany. Can you help us please? Thank you very much. Roger
Hi Roger. Sorry, i cant really help.
what if a car comes from another country try and they sale it in Germany but it is not registered yet? how much could it cost? would it be risky to buy a car like that? I am looking at a BMW X6 from 2008 with Lybian documents apparently. what do you suggest?
Hi Edison. I would not do it because you’d have all the trouble of having to effectively import the car into Germany.
thanks for the wonderful posting! 🙂
hi! quick question: if you buy a 2nd hand car from a dealer, it is normal to pay all the amount in cash? This is how it is usually done here? Best!
Hi Ruth. Yes, this is Germany and they ask for cash. It’s crazy and i don’t know how this is still a thing. I bought my car with close to 5000€ in cash for example.
Just to add a bit: it is not really true. A lot of delars accept bank transfers as form of payment.
Hello , and going to Germany for about 3 to 4 month and am thinking about buying a cheap used car instead of using public transportation to save time, I was wondering if I can register a car with holding a touristic visa only to,Be noted am not a EU citizen
Hi Sara. If you fit all requirements and give all papers mentioned in this document, i don’t see why not. However as a tourist, i’m not sure you will be able to register an adress somewhere in time to start the buying and insurance process.
Hi Bastien!
I am a diplomat in Berlin and I am getting lots of mixed advice on the depreciation of cars in Germany. Mercedes is currently offering me 24% of on list price and 10% tax is refundable as well ( I am only here for 1 year).
So does it make more sense to buy a used car and get the 10 % tax back or should i buy a new one and get a larger discount. My main consideration is to lose as less money as possible!
Also, is it just my experience or is the used car market in Berlin way overpriced than outside. I understand that people can buy cars from say, Frankfurt and drive them in Berlin. There is no state/lander restriction, so why do you think berlin is so expensive??!
Thanks in advance!!
Hi Saketa. I don’t know why it’s more expensive in Berlin. I guess if you are confident you can sell your new car before you leave, it could be a good option. If not, then maybe a used car is preferable.
Hello everyone,
I am italian and I live in rome. I am planning to buy a used car from germany for my son.
Here are my questions:
How ling does it to finish all the procedures when i find the car?
How much does it cost to insure it for one week( just the time to get it to italy)?
Can i register it in my son’s name without him
Being present with me in germany?
I will appreciate your help and thank you in advance.
Hi Paolo. When you find the car, and you have all necessary papers, it depends how soon you can get an appointment at the local “Zulassungsstelle”. Hopefully a matter of days. You need to check with your insurance provider for costs. It depends on your record as a driver, model of the car, etc. If you are buying the car to bring it to Italy, register it to your name in Germany, and then register to your son’s name in Italy.
Hi,
Great post. Very Helpfull!
I am currently living in Saarland and im planning to buy a second hand car from Munich (since they have better and favouable options there). Is that possible? If yes, are there any particular things i should take care of (like registeration place or kfz)?
Also, which option is more preferable, dealer or private owner?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Naumil. The process should be the same. I’d prefer a dealer since you have more guarantees that if something is wrong post-purchase, he needs to fix it.
Hi!
This post is really really helpful, thanks a lot!
I have a question, I hope you can help me with this. I’m currently living in Germany (I have my residence here) and I would like to buy an used car from Spain. He is a private seller and it’s his first time selling a car. In your post you say that I’m going to need a sales contract in order to register the vehicle here in Germany. Do we need to make any kind of specific/official contract? Is there any model in the internet?
Maybe it’s better to find a specialist in this kind of paperwork? How are they called in german, do you know?
Thanks!
Hi Pedro. A quick research uncovered the following templates (here and there) for you to use. They are from trusted sources and should be fine but don’t hesitate to add any particular conditions. Hope this helps.
Very helpful article! I’m looking to buy a second-hand car. My only question is when I have all the needed documents, do I need an appointment at the KFZ-Zulassungsstelle or can I just show up early in the morning and the job done the same day? Checking for appointments, it takes more the one month to get one.
Thanks,
Zlatko
Hi Zlatko. I’m glad you find the post helpful. You should check on the website of the Zulassunstelle to see if they are open to walk-ins. In Berlin for example, it seems to only be working with appointments.
So does that mean that you cannot drive your car for about a month after you buy it (until having appointment for registering it)?
Hi Daniel, you might want to use temporary plates if you want to drive it before hand. It’s only just valid for a few days though. But yes, no driving if you don’t have plates.
Thank you this information is super helpful it made my car buying experience much easier!!!! You are a Hero and thanks for taking the time to do this
Great article, thanks!
I work and live in Spain, I will soon exchange my Argentinian Driving License for the Spanish one. Been driving for +12years. I am cosidering buying a car from an individual in GER. Some doubts:
1. I need to check that TUV/AU/HU are ok; at least until I arrive to Spain. Correct?
2.How do I do with the insurance? Considering I need to drive to Spain and then, once I register it there with the new plates, get a local insurance?
3. Regarding the Anmeldung… as I don’t live in GER, what do I need to do?
4. I need to get temporary plates then so I can register then the car in Spain?
5. and finally, is there any special sales contract? to transfer the ownership of the car from the previous owner to me?
Thanks a lot!
Hi Sergio. All those points are regulated on the Spanish-side, so you are probably in a better situation to do research than me as i don’t speak Spanish. I’m sure there is a guide for this somewhere. If you don’t live in Germany, you will need to register the car in Spain, with a spanish insurance, get spanish plates etc… Sorry i can’t help further.
Hello. Yesterday i bought a car in Berlin but i need to take temporary plates because i live in Albania. Can you help me by teelin me where can i get those temporary plates?
Thank you!
Hey Orges. If you bought from a dealer, they can probably arrange that for you. However, those temporary plates are only tolerated within EU countries as mentioned here.
Hello. I am resident and citizen of Romania, and I am looking forward to travel to Germany for a day or two and buying a second hand car from there to bring it home, because of some reasons including dealers in my country ripping people off in a great manner like unwinding / rewriting the odometer sometimes even tens of thousands of kms backwards . and the price is sometimes more than double than it is in Germany. I need to be filled in with some details. Step by step. So. I travel there, I pick a car and I want to buy it. I’ve seen some cars on mobile.de already have the TUV check. Do I need to do it again? What do I need to do to just drive it home? Do I need to re register it? Can I get to an understanding with the seller to keep the plates so I can get the car home and send them back once I get new plates in my country? Also. Are the sellers going to sell me the car and help with paperwork in English, cause I don’t know how to speak German unfortunately. Thanks a lot in advance and have a great day!
Hi Robert. Regarding the TÜV, this is a technical check that’s valid for a certain time. If still valid, no need to do it again but TÜV is probably not recognized in Romania, so you might have to make this again but the Romanian version. When you buy it, you will get temporary plates on the car to drive it home (arranged from the dealer, maybe for an extra fee). Regarding in English, it’s probably a case by case basis thing, you will need to ask before-hand if they can assist in English. Good luck.
Looking to buy a cheap car for travelling a few countries (I’m from canada). Would I have to go through all the steps of registering etc or is there a quicker way to get one and start my trip?
Thank you!
Hi Tory. If you plan to buy one, i’m afraid that you will need to do all that yes. Another solution would be to borrow one from a friend or relative with appropriate insurance to cover you too.
Hello
Do I need to be legally resident and/or have a German driver’s license to own a vehicle? I have a holiday home and am registered with the local council, but not a full time tax paying resident. I’d like to have a motorbike to use while on holiday in Germany.
thanks
Good question Gary. Although you don’t need to be resident to buy a vehicle, you need to be resident to register and drive it. It seems less complicated and less hassle to simply rent for that time instead of buying a motorbike.
Hi I live in Australia and was looking at purchasing a motorcycle in Germany to tour though Germany and surrounding countries. Can you give me any advise on registering a bike. Is there any form of international registration?
Hi Peter. Registering a bike is the same rough process. You can drive anywhere in the E.U with the same registration number. Just make sure to book an insurance that cover international trips. It shouldn’t be a problem.
please can i have a a local site to check out used cars in germany
As mentioned in the article both Autoscout24 and Mobile.de are platforms with used-cars as well.
Hi,
can anyone say about how much time I (as a german) have before I need to register car in Germany if I bought it in France?
In theory, it should be as soon as possible and no longer than 6 months after you have moved the car. Source: Europa.eu
Hi Bastien,
My daughter is looking to register a GB car in Germany as she is going to be there for around 12 months which is the limit I believe., I has a full UK MOT, insurance etc. Any ideas of the process she’ll need to follow.
Thanks foe any help you can give.
Nigel
I think the process is the same but you will probably need to switch to a German insurance to get a policy recognized by the German government to go through the whole process.
Hi! I wanted to buy a car in Berlin and it is a private seller.. do you know if anyone can take care of things for me there? I would pay for their service of course.. here we also have companies that should handle it but they work too slow.. I’m still waiting for them to contact one seller there in Berlin… thanks
Hi Miguel. Thanks for your message. If you are looking for a middle-man, maybe try the keywords “gebrauchtwagen zwischenhändler berlin” – used cars middle man berlin – on Google to see if you can find a company that can manage the sell for you. Hope this helps.
Your article is so helpful. I’m a crazy person when it’s come to vehicles. I’m a student, and I study Maschinenbau. I still don’t have a Führerschein. But I found a good deal for 600€. I feel like buying and keep it until I get my Führerschein. It might at least take 6 months me to get it. So after I get it done only I can register the car right? Will it be a problem if I buy the car and keep near my apartment? Or can I do every other thing without my Führerschein? Like the insurance and the registration
(Why I want to buy a car so badly – It’s a 1995 old car, free time I just want to spend time on it and make it. I know it sounds crazy)
But I’m looking for an advice. Thank you 🙂
Even though it’s not a problem to keep the car on the streets. I wouldn’t do that since you will also need to pay for insurance for the time you can’t drive it, which might cost more than the price of the car itself. You can indeed register the car & book an insurance without a Führerschein. Just a lot of costs for now. Mabye wait a little bit?