apply for a season licence plate

The seasonal license plate documents an annually limited period of operation during which the vehicle is considered registered. The period is determined by the owner. It must be at least 2 and may be a maximum of 11 months. The operating period always begins on the first day of the first month indicated (upper number) and ends on the last day of the last month (lower number).

Registration, number plate, insurance and tax obligations

In principle, all regulations of the vehicle registration ordinance apply to vehicles with seasonal license plates. This means that these vehicles are subject to compulsory registration, compulsory number plates, compulsory insurance (all year round) and compulsory taxation.

Parking the vehicle

The vehicle may only be driven and parked on public roads and places during the operating period. Outside this period, the vehicle may only be parked on private property or other non-public areas. Non-compliance is an administrative offence (§ 48 No. 9 FZV).

Operating period - commitment and change

The vehicle owner is bound to the selected operating period. Commissioning outside the operating period is an administrative offence (§ 48 no. 1a FZV).

The notifiable change of the operating period (e.g. instead of April to October the period should be March to November) is possible at any time. The assigned letter/number combination remains the same, but new registration plates are necessary because of the changed period.

If the vehicle is to be used outside the operating period, the seasonal license plate must be changed back to a normal license plate or the operating period. The transfer of a normally registered vehicle to a seasonal license plate and vice versa is possible at any time.

If the general inspection is due in a month outside the operating period, it must be carried out in the first month of the next operating period.

Insurance

For seasonal license plates and in case of a change of the operating period, the submission of an electronic insurance confirmation number (eVB) is required as proof of the existence of a motor vehicle liability insurance.

• Registration certificate part I (vehicle registration document)
• Registration certificate part II (vehicle title)
• Vehicle registration number, if the vehicle is registered
• Certificates of the still valid general inspection (original)
• Electronic confirmation of insurance (eVB)
• SEPA direct debit mandate for collection of vehicle tax
• General documents on the vehicle owner (see Downloads)

The costs for registering a vehicle with a seasonal number plate depend on the respective type of registration (transfer, re-registration, ...).

The minimum fee for the allocation of a seasonal number plate is €27.40.

The registration authority uses special adhesive seals with special security features for the vehicle documents. This increases the total fees by € 0.30 per adhesive seal used.

• § 9 Para. 3 FZV
• Annex VIII point 2.6 to StVZO (extension of period for main inspection)
• Appendix 4 Section 5 FZV (Design of registration plates)