Not only are there different types of german driver’s licenses, there are also different types of license plates that are attached to a vehicle. according to german law, a distinction is made between general license plates, red license plates, seasonal and short-term license plates, classic car license plates, export and exchange license plates, and insurance license plates . For special vehicle groups such as electric vehicles and official vehicles of authorities there are also special license plates. license plates are used to classify vehicles. In this article we will take a look at the different types of license plate.
Table of contents:
General information about the license plate
According to § 10 of the vehicle registration ordinance (FZV), every vehicle that is registered for road traffic must have a license plate number. this license plate consists of a distinguishing sign and an identification number. The first area of the license plate is the distinguishing sign, which consists of one to three letters, z.B. "B". The distinctive license plates represent the administrative districts or the vehicles of the federal and state authorities, the federal police or other organizations that are entitled to use their own license plate (e.g. the federal police).B. THW, bundeswehr, diplomatic corps or international organizations like NATO.). distinguishing signs can also contain umlauts such as "a. For identification numbers are not allowed. A vehicle can be uniquely identified by its identification number. This consists of one or two letters and up to four numbers, z.B. "HL 62".
Violation of the obligation to display license plates under § 10 FZV can result in a fine of up to 60 euros. The license plate must also not reflect or be heavily soiled or obscured.
Costs for a license plate
The costs for license plates depend on the type of license plate. A changeable license plate, which can be used on different vehicles, can quickly cost 100 euros. Red license plates and H license plates are even more expensive and cost approx. 200 euro per vehicle. If a short-term license plate is required, the cost is about 50 euros.
But also the wishes of the vehicle owners are taken into account when issuing a license plate. If a license plate is chosen or reserved, the issuing authority may charge a surcharge of 12.80 euros plus. Regarding the costs of the standard license plate, which amount to between 50 and 70 euros. If a vehicle is deregistered, the license plate can be reused on another vehicle.
General license plates
The standard license plates are the plates that identify normal passenger cars. A distinction is made here between the new EU standard version and the old license plates according to DIN typeface.
standard version euro license plate
(source: license plate.Net)
Standard version old version in DIN font
(source: license plate.Net)
The standard license plate consists of two parts, the distinguishing sign and the identification number, in addition to the nationality sign.
The inspection sticker is also affixed to the license plate, providing information about the last emissions test and main inspection. Based on the color scheme, it can be directly determined in which year the next inspection is due. The color coding helps u.A. Helping the police to identify overdue vehicles more easily. Another characteristic of the license plate is the stamped sticker. This is a sticker issued by the registration authority. This plate provides information about the proper registration of the vehicle.
If the license plate cannot be attached in a single line because the vehicle’s license plate holder does not allow this, a two-line license plate is also possible.
License plates for authorities, diplomats and embassy personnel
In the case of authority license plates, a distinction is made between city or county authorities and state authorities. These license plates are similar to the standard license plate, but unlike standard license plates, they do not have a block of letters in the identification number, and consist solely of the distinguishing sign and the identification number made up of numbers.
license plates for city or county authorities
(source: car license plates.Net)
license plates for state authorities (source: autokennzeichen).Net)
Until 1997, city and county authorities received their own license plates; nowadays, normal license plates are used for this purpose, in which certain combinations of letters are reserved. The license plates of state authorities consist of the state abbreviation as a distinguishing sign and an additional number that identifies the department to which the vehicle is assigned. This type of marking is a recommendation of the federal government, which has not been implemented in all federal states.
Special license plates are also available for diplomats and members of the embassy.
License plate for diplomats
(source: license plates.Net)
License plates for embassy personnel
(source: license plate.Net)
Diplomatic and embassy license plates indicate that the person driving the vehicle has special rights and immunity in the Federal Republic of Germany. German jurisdiction does not apply here. Passengers of these vehicles must be protected separately in case of emergency and vehicles must be allowed to pass through security barriers. Vehicles with this plate are tax exempt.
Export license plates, dealer license plates and red license plates
Export and dealer license plates are license plates used to transfer the vehicle to a foreign country. These are only valid on a specific day and may only be issued if the vehicle has passed the main inspection and has export insurance in place.
Red license plates are mounted on unregistered vehicles and are intended for dealers and garages. These are used for test drives and transfer journeys and begin with the numbers 06. These license plates can be used more than once and are not permanently assigned to a vehicle. Prerequisites for this are a trade license and proof of need as well as proof of insurance and the certified reliability of the applicant. A certified reliability of the applicant does not exist if, for example, he or she increasingly violates the limited purpose of a red license plate or drives vehicles in spite of defects, e.g., a defect in the vehicle.B. In the load securing, has put into operation.
Seasonal and short-term license plates
seasonal and short-term license plates are limited to a certain period of time. In the case of short-term license plates, this period usually covers one day and is used exclusively for commercial journeys, such as.B. test, inspection or transfer drives. This license plate may be used for a maximum of five days. The expiration date is indicated on the license plate. Seasonal license plates, on the other hand, are intended for vehicles that are not to be driven throughout the year. This often occurs with motorcycles, convertibles or campers. Seasonal license plates are also associated with tax savings, as the vehicle tax is not calculated for the entire year in these cases.
For short-term license plates, the time of validity is displayed in yellow on the right side of the plate and includes the date on which the license plate expires. seasonal license plates are standard license plates, which also show the beginning and end month of validity on the right side. The upper number indicates the start month and the lower number the end month. the minimum period for seasonal license plates is two months and max. Eleven months.
Vintage car license plate
Interchangeable license plates for classic cars
(source: car registration number.Net)
In the case of vintage vehicles, a distinction must be made between vehicles that are driven regularly and vehicles that are only used sporadically. The H license plate is issued if the vehicle and its conversions are at least 30 years old. The H stands after the last digit of the identification number. In order to issue the H license plate for a car, a corresponding oldtimer certificate is required. Vehicles with this number also benefit from tax savings.
Red classic car license plates are changeable license plates. These are marked with the number 07 and are only used for vehicles that are seldom in use, e.g.B. At exhibitions. A classic car certificate is also required for these vehicles.
License plates for tax-privileged motor vehicles
The green license plate identifies vehicles with tax concessions or tax breaks. Tax exemptions from. These can be agricultural vehicles, exhibition vehicles or work machines. For these license plates an explicit approval of the tax office is required. The structure of the license plate is the same as the standard license plate. In addition to green license plates, there are also E license plates for electric vehicles. The "E" is placed on the right side of the license plate like the "H" of a vintage license plate.
Insurance license plate
Insurance license plates serve as proof of existing insurance for the vehicle. These are compulsory for unregistered vehicles such as mopeds and scooters and can be obtained from the relevant motor vehicle insurance company. The license plate consists of three digits and three letters. The letters stand for the insurance company and provide information about the existing liability insurance. The license plate can be printed in black, green and blue. The colors change annually, as the license plate has a limited validity. The year in which the license plate was issued is also indicated at the bottom of the plate.