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FZV time limits and figures: official values of German vehicle registration
This overview collects 25 time limits, periods and dimensions from the German Vehicle Registration Ordinance (FZV): from 10 days of driving with the registration decision and 12 months of plate reservation to 7 years for re-registration. Every row names the section and links the official text.
25 official values from 23 FZV sections · Last checked: · FZV sections · Knowledge · Sources · Glossary
Zevra is the B2B platform for digital vehicle registration for car dealers, registration services and fleets: cases are entered in the dealer portal and filed nationwide by power of attorney with qualified electronic signature – from €10 per registration, no base fee, no minimum volume.
Which time limits apply to registration, deregistration and re-registration?
| Subject | Time limit or value | Reference | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving with the registration decision instead of the registration certificate part I | at most 10 days after retrieving the decision | § 30 FZV | Transfer online: re-register a used car to the buyer digitally |
| Reserving the number plate after deregistration | at most 12 months from the day of deregistration | § 16 FZV | Reserving a number plate: term, fee and rules for personalised plates |
| Internet-based re-registration: how long the vehicle may have been deregistered | no more than 7 years at the time of the application | § 29 FZV | Re-registration online: put deregistered vehicles back into service digitally |
| Call-in of the registration certificate in the official gazette (Verkehrsblatt) | 4 weeks to present it | § 15 FZV | Change of address after a move: re-registering a vehicle online |
| Registration as a large customer with the Federal Motor Transport Authority | regularly more than 500 applications per year | § 34 FZV | Becoming a KBA large customer: requirements, details and duties |
| Deletion of portal data after the session is aborted | no later than 30 minutes after the abort | § 19 FZV | i-Kfz portal: procedure, 30-minute limit and availability of online registration |
Which figures apply in the digital procedure and for large customers?
| Subject | Time limit or value | Reference | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Correcting the data in the portal for an electronic application | up to 3 times, then the dialogue is aborted | § 20 FZV | Electronic registration application: identification, checks and fees |
| Coordination with the registration authority before an exceptionally high number of applications | with more than 100 applications in 1 day | § 37 FZV | Large-customer interface: how large customers file a registration application |
| When registration takes effect with a written notice to the large customer | on day 3 after the day of dispatch | § 39 FZV | Registration notice for large customers: notification, effect and immediate putting into service |
Which periods apply to special plates?
| Subject | Time limit or value | Reference | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating period of a seasonal plate | at least 2 months, at most 11 months | § 10 FZV | Seasonal plates, E plates and H plates: applying online in Germany |
| Expiry date of short-term plates | end of the 5th day after allocation | § 42 FZV | Short-term plates or red plates: what dealers need for test and transfer drives |
| Keeping the trip records for red plates | 1 year after they were made | § 41 FZV | Red plates 06: permitted drives, vehicle document booklet and return |
| Time limit of a registration with export plates | the term of the proven liability insurance, at most 1 year | § 45 FZV | Export plates: exporting vehicles – what dealers need to know |
| Traffic year of the insurance plate | 1 March to the end of February of the next year, i.e. 12 months | § 52 FZV | Insurance plate: which vehicles need it and how long it is valid |
| Temporary participation of foreign vehicles in road traffic | a period of up to 1 year | § 46 FZV | Foreign vehicle in Germany: how long it may drive without German registration |
| Covering the plate film of an insurance plate with a new film | up to 3 times, then all films are removed | § 53a FZV | Insurance plate as a film: carrier plate, hologram and expert report |
| Marking of electrically powered vehicles under § 11 and Annex 3 | applicable until the end of 31 December 2026 | § 79 FZV | Old German vehicle documents: which papers and plates remain valid |
Which fitting dimensions does the FZV prescribe?
| Subject | Time limit or value | Reference | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower edge of the front number plate | at least 200 mm above the road surface | § 12 FZV | Fitting number plates: what the FZV prescribes on height, tilt and readability |
| Lower edge of the insurance plate | at least 200 mm above the road surface | § 53 FZV | Insurance plate: which vehicles need it and how long it is valid |
| Lower edge of the insurance sticker | at least 50 mm above the road surface | § 56 FZV | Insurance plate: which vehicles need it and how long it is valid |
| Lettering height of the wording "GDV" on the plate film | 8 mm | § 53a FZV | Insurance plate as a film: carrier plate, hologram and expert report |
When is data deleted from the vehicle registers?
| Subject | Time limit or value | Reference | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deletion from the Central Vehicle Register (vehicle with a plate under § 9) | 7 years after deregistration | § 72 FZV | German vehicle register: when data is deleted after deregistration |
| Deletion from the local vehicle register (vehicle with a plate under § 9) | no later than 1 year after receipt of the notice from the Federal Motor Transport Authority | § 73 FZV | German vehicle register: when data is deleted after deregistration |
| Deletion from the database of certificates of conformity | 10 years after the day of transmission | § 74 FZV | COC database of the KBA: purpose, manufacturers' duties and deadlines |
| Manufacturer's report of a ban on first registration to the Federal Motor Transport Authority | at the latest 30 working days before the ban takes effect | § 74 FZV | COC database of the KBA: purpose, manufacturers' duties and deadlines |
Questions about FZV time limits and figures
How long may you drive after online registration without the registration certificate part I?
Until the registration certificate part I arrives, at most 10 days after retrieving the registration decision. Until then, under § 30 FZV, carrying the decision in directly readable form is sufficient.
How long does a number plate stay reserved after deregistration?
At most 12 months, counted from the day of deregistration. Under § 16 FZV the keeper receives a written or electronic confirmation.
Are the time limits and figures in this overview binding?
No. Only the official German text of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance on gesetze-im-internet.de is binding; every row links to it. In an individual case the competent registration authority decides.