Imports from states outside the EU and EEA follow sections 6 and 8 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance (FZV). This page shows which documents dealers prepare.
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 proofs belong to the application?
| Proof | When | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Customs clearance proof | Vehicle imported from a non-EU state | Section 6(7) FZV |
| Certificate of conformity | Vehicle with EU type approval | Section 6(4) no. 1 FZV |
| Individual approval certificate | Vehicle with individual approval | Section 6(4) no. 3 FZV |
| Registration certificate part II | Always; if missing, it is applied for | Section 6(3) FZV |
| Number of the foreign registration certificate | Vehicle was registered abroad | Section 8(1) FZV |
If the customs clearance proof is not submitted, the registration authority informs the competent main customs office of the registration.
When is a main inspection before registration mandatory?
For a vehicle with EU type approval that was in use in a state outside the EU or EEA, an inspection under section 29 StVZO must always be carried out before registration.
Vehicles from another member state follow a separate rule: there the duty depends on whether an inspection would have been due in the meantime.
What happens to the foreign papers?
The registration authority withdraws the foreign registration certificate, keeps it for six months and informs the Federal Motor Transport Authority within one month at the latest.
If the foreign certificate has two parts and part II is missing, the vehicle is only registered once the foreign authority has confirmed the earlier registration via the Federal Motor Transport Authority.
What if vehicle data are missing?
If data such as mass, dimensions or emission values are missing, the authority can request a report by an officially recognised expert or a technical service showing the missing data.
How do dealers prepare the case?
- Collect the customs clearance proof and foreign papers completely before applying.
- Plan the main inspection if the vehicle was used outside the EU or EEA.
- Clarify missing technical data early with an expert.
Once all proofs are available, dealers file the registration in the Zevra dealer portal, from 10 € per case plus official fees.
- Importing an EU vehicle and registering it in Germany: what dealers need to know
- CoC (certificate of conformity): the proof at first registration
- Individual approval for vehicles in Germany: conditions, expert report and revocation (§ 13 EG-FGV)
- Registration without a valid HU: what is possible when the inspection has expired
- Registering without residence in Germany: authorised recipient, competence and application
- Chassis number (VIN): where it is, how it is built and what it does at registration
- 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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- Importing an EU vehicle and registering it in Germany: what dealers need to know
- Registration without a valid HU: what is possible when the inspection has expired
- Certificate of destruction (Verwertungsnachweis): scrapping and deregistering a car
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- Car dealerships
- Registration services
- Fleet operators
- Import dealers
- Pricing
Sources: Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV) § 6 – Antrag auf Zulassung · Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV) § 8 – Zulassung nach vorheriger Zulassung im Ausland · Sources · FZV sections § 6 · FZV sections § 8 · Vehicle figures: tax, insurance, fines