Apply for export license plates (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) for used vehicles imported from abroad
Ausfuhrkennzeichen beantragen für eingeführte Gebrauchtfahrzeuge aus dem Ausland
Machine translation of the German page, 2026-09-15. The German original is binding.
Anyone who takes their vehicle abroad to remain there needs an Ausfuhrkennzeichen (export licence plate).
The vehicle must be presented to the registration authority before the export licence plate is issued.
Prior Außerbetriebsetzung (taking the vehicle out of service) is no longer required. For registered vehicles, however, the previous licence plates must be presented.
Once the period of validity has expired (15 days to 1 year - depending on the insurance contract and the authority's decision in the individual case), the vehicle may no longer be operated on public roads.
Please note that, in addition to administrative fees, further costs arise for the licence plates.
It is further pointed out that, for applicants without a residence in Germany, the details of an Empfangsbevollmächtigter (authorised recipient) with a residence in Berlin, or a residence in Germany and place of stay in Berlin, must be provided and recorded.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• COC certificate (Certificate of Conformity) - entry for Germany
Please make sure that field 47 of the COC certificate contains an entry for Germany (emission class/emission key).
• Presentation of the vehicle www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fzv_2023/
in accordance with § 14 para. 8 FZV (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung, Vehicle Registration Regulation)
• Documents in original
Please bring all documents in the original as a rule.
Documents you need
• Application for the allocation of an export license plate (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) (completed)
(under "Formulare" [forms])
• valid personal identification document
• if applicable, an informal power of attorney, including the identification document of the person granting the power of attorney and of the authorized representative
unless it is a notarized power of attorney
• COC certificate (Certificate of Conformity) - entry for Germany
Please make sure that field 47 of the COC certificate contains an entry for Germany (pollutant class/emissions key).
• foreign vehicle documents
If the vehicle cannot be clearly identified, i.e. technical data is missing, a full expert report (Vollgutachten) pursuant to § 21 StVZO (Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) with a technical data sheet from an inspection body is required.
• Proof of a valid main inspection (Hauptuntersuchung)
pursuant to § 29 StVZO (main inspection test report, HU-Prüfbericht)
• Insurance confirmation for the export license plate
• Extract from the commercial register (Handelsregister) and trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung) in the original or as a certified copy, as well as identification documents of the authorized representative(s)
(for companies)
• Extract from the register of associations (Vereinsregister) in the original or as a certified copy, as well as identification documents of the authorized representative(s)
(for associations)
• Notification for value-added tax (VAT) purposes regarding the intra-Community acquisition of a new motor vehicle
(under "Formulare" [forms])
(for EU imports)
This notification must be provided for vehicles
• that are no more than six months old
• or that have so far been driven less than 6,000 km (total mileage).
• Customs clearance certificate (Zollunbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung)
for imports from a non-participating EU member state pursuant to § 6 (6) FZV (Vehicle Registration Regulation)
• SEPA direct debit mandate or certificate confirming payment of the motor vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer)
As of 01.03.2014, a SEPA direct debit mandate can be issued for the collection of the motor vehicle tax. If cash payment is desired, this can now only be made at the Zollamt Marzahn (Marzahn customs office).
• foreign license plates for registered vehicles (if available)
Forms
• Antrag auf Zuteilung eines Ausfuhrkennzeichens (application for allocation of an export registration plate) www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/kfz-zulass
• Mitteilung für Umsatzsteuerzwecke über den innergemeinschaftlichen Erwerb eines neuen Kraftfahrzeugs (notification for VAT purposes concerning the intra-Community acquisition of a new motor vehicle) (bei EU-Importen) (for EU imports) www.berlin.de/labo/_assets/kraftfahrzeugwesen/labo3499.pdf
• Erklärung zur Empfangsbevollmächtigung (declaration of authorization to receive documents) (nur wenn kein Wohnsitz im Inland vorhanden ist) (only if you have no place of residence in Germany) www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/empfangsbevollma
Fees
The fee is based on the Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr (fee schedule for road traffic measures) in its currently applicable version and amounts to at least 36.70 EUR in the most favorable case.
The production of the license plates is not a service provided by the Kfz-Zulassungsbehörde Berlin (motor vehicle registration authority). No information can be given about separately incurred costs.
Legal basis
• Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV, Vehicle Registration Regulation) §§ 6, 45 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fzv_2023/
• Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO, Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) §§ 21, 29 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvzo_2012/
• Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr (GebOSt, Fee Regulation for Road Traffic Measures) Annex to § 1 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgebo_2011/anlage.html
• Kfz-Zulassungsvoraussetzungsgesetz (FzZulGebEinfG BE, Berlin Motor Vehicle Registration Fee Introduction Act) § 1 gesetze.berlin.de/bsbe/document/jlr-FzZulGebEinfGBErahmen
• Umsatzsteuergesetz (UStG, Value Added Tax Act) § 18 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ustg_1980/__18.html
• Kraftfahrzeugsteuergesetz 2002 (KraftStG 2002, Motor Vehicle Tax Act 2002) § 1 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/kraftstg/__1.html
Further information
• Customs information on tax concessions / tax exemptions (Generalzolldirektion, Directorate General of Customs) www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Kraftfahrzeugsteuer/Steuerverg
• Contact for the Zollamt Marzahn (Marzahn customs office) (Generalzolldirektion) <https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Berlin/ZA/ZA_Marzahn_2101/ZA_Marzahn_2101.html?category=KFZSteuer&bcnn=128770>
• General information on vehicle registrations for companies and associations (Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten, State Office for Citizen and Regulatory Affairs) www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/artikel.274551.p
• Book an appointment (Termin) at the vehicle registration authority (KFZ-Zulassungsbehörde) (Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten) www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/formular.910499.
Who is responsible
• Processing is carried out exclusively by the Kraftfahrzeugzulassungsbehörde (motor vehicle registration authority) in Berlin-Lichtenberg.
• Book an appointment www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/formular.910499. with the KFZ-Zulassungsbehörde (motor vehicle registration authority)
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO)
- Kfz-Zulassungsbehörde - Berlin Lichtenberg - Ausfuhrkennzeichen
Original
Service number 324185 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324185/