How must a vehicle registered abroad be insured? This page sums up the German Foreign Vehicles Compulsory Insurance Act for the trade.
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.
Last updated: · Zevra editorial team · Reviewed by M. Gabal, owner
Which vehicles does the Act apply to?
It applies only to vehicles that are not normally based in Germany.
Which insurance is sufficient?
- frontier insurance,
- liability insurance prescribed by another state of the European Economic Area,
- other foreign liability insurance, if claims settlement by the national insurers' bureaux is guaranteed.
Frontier insurance must meet the German rules, including the minimum insured sums.
Which proof of insurance applies?
| Insurance | Proof |
|---|---|
| Frontier insurance | the insurance confirmation |
| Insurance of the state in which the vehicle is normally based | a Green Card |
| Other insurance of a state of the European Economic Area | proof comparable to the insurance confirmation |
For certain vehicles, exceptions from the duty to carry proof can be laid down.
Who must carry the proof?
The driver carries the proof of insurance when using the vehicle in Germany and hands it to the competent officers for checking on request.
The keeper may not permit the driver to drive without the proof.
What happens without proof of insurance?
On entry from a state of the European Economic Area the vehicle can be turned back; on entry from a third country it must be turned back.
If the lack is noticed inside Germany, the vehicle can be secured until the proof is presented.
Which penalty applies without insurance?
Anyone who uses a vehicle without the required cover, or permits its use, is punished with imprisonment of up to 1 year or with a fine. In case of negligence it is up to 6 months or up to 180 daily rates.
What does this mean for dealers?
For dealers taking over vehicles from abroad, the proof of insurance is part of the transfer drive.
With Zevra the dealer files registration and deregistration in the dealer portal. Registration costs from 10 € per case, deregistration 2 € net, plus official fees.
- Foreign vehicle in Germany: how long it may drive without German registration
- Compulsory motor insurance in Germany: duty to insure, term and penalty
- Minimum insured sums in German motor liability insurance: amounts per claim
- International registration certificate: when it is issued and what it is valid for
- Temporary registration proof: valid for 10 days
- Documents posted by the authority: within 6 days
- Digital deregistration: documents from 01.01.2015
- Digital registration: documents from 01.01.2018
- Registration with Zevra: €10 net
- Deregistration with Zevra: €2 net · base fee: €0
Deadlines and cut-off dates according to: Bundesministerium für Verkehr
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- Compulsory motor insurance in Germany: duty to insure, term and penalty
- Minimum insured sums in German motor liability insurance: amounts per claim
- Making, selling and issuing number plates: notice duty under § 6b StVG
- Number plate misuse under § 22 StVG: punishable acts and penalty
- Fines in German vehicle registration: standard rates from the schedule of fines
- German vehicle tax: car rates by engine size and CO₂ (§ 9 KraftStG)
- German vehicle tax liability: start, end and minimum term under § 5 KraftStG
- German number plate size and font: dimensions, FE font and character count (annex 4 FZV)
- Paying German vehicle tax: yearly, half-yearly or quarterly (§ 11 KraftStG)
- German vehicle tax for motorhomes, vans and trucks: rates by total weight
- German vehicle tax and severe disability: exemption and reduction under § 3a KraftStG
- Trailer without vehicle tax in Germany: green plate and trailer surcharge (§ 10 KraftStG)
- Operating licence for vehicle parts under § 22 StVZO: licence, inspection and type mark
- Claims history statement in Germany: deadline, content and equal treatment (§ 5c PflVG)
- General operating licence for vehicle types in Germany: grant, duties and lapse (§ 20 StVZO)
- Design approval for vehicle parts in Germany: duty, test mark and exceptions (§ 22a StVZO)
- Vehicle tax notice in Germany: assessment, reassessment and tax base (§ 12 and § 8 KraftStG)
- E-scooter and other small electric vehicles in Germany: operating licence, insurance sticker and minimum age (eKFV)
- German vehicle tax: who is the tax debtor and what is taxed? (§ 7 and § 1 KraftStG)
- Provisional cover in German motor liability insurance: start, end and duties (KfzPflVV)
- Logbook order in Germany: order, entries and retention for keepers (§ 31a StVZO)
- Keeper liability for stopping or parking offences in Germany: when the keeper bears the costs (§ 25a StVG)
- Individual approval for vehicles in Germany: conditions, expert report and revocation (§ 13 EG-FGV)
- Car dealerships
- Registration services
- Fleet operators
- Import dealers
- Pricing
Sources: Auslandsfahrzeug-Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (AuslPflVG) § 3 – Verbot des Gebrauchs nicht versicherter Fahrzeuge · Auslandsfahrzeug-Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (AuslPflVG) § 13 – Anforderungen an den Versicherungsnachweis · Auslandsfahrzeug-Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (AuslPflVG) § 14 – Fehlender Versicherungsnachweis · Auslandsfahrzeug-Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (AuslPflVG) § 18 – Strafvorschriften · Sources