How long do a deregistered vehicle and its keeper remain in the register? This page sums up § 72 and § 73 of the German Vehicle Registration Ordinance.
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
When does the Central Vehicle Register delete data?
| Case | Deletion |
|---|---|
| Vehicle with a plate under § 9 | 7 years after deregistration |
| Red plate | 7 years after return or removal of the stickers |
| Short-term plate | 7 years after expiry of validity |
| Export plate | 7 years after expiry of the registration's validity |
| Insurance plate or insurance sticker | 7 years after the end of the traffic year |
When does the local vehicle register delete data?
- vehicle with a plate under § 9: no later than 1 year after receipt of the notice from the Federal Motor Transport Authority,
- red plate and short-term plate: no later than 1 year after return, withdrawal or expiry date,
- export plate: no later than 1 year after expiry of the registration's validity.
What applies in the case of theft or loss?
Details of a theft or other loss of the vehicle, the number plate or the registration certificate part II are deleted when they are found again. Otherwise this happens after the search measures have ended.
How long does data on the former keeper remain?
In the local vehicle register, the details of the former keeper are deleted 1 year after the plate has been allocated for the new keeper.
Vehicle identification number, number plate and insurance data from an insurance confirmation are deleted there 3 years after the confirmation has lost its validity.
Which period applies to re-registration?
Internet-based re-registration requires that the vehicle has not been deregistered for more than 7 years at the time of the application. The ordinance names the same span for deletion from the Central Vehicle Register.
What does this mean for dealers?
If the registration authority has transferred the data storage of its local register to the Central Vehicle Register, the latter's deletion periods apply.
With Zevra dealers file deregistration and re-registration digitally. Registration costs from €10 per case, deregistration €2 net, plus official fees.
- German vehicle registers: which vehicle and keeper data is stored
- Retrieval from the vehicle register: search keys, occasions and transmission block
- Vehicle deregistration online: take vehicles out of service digitally – for dealers and fleets
- Re-registration online: put deregistered vehicles back into service digitally
- 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
Read more
- Car sold: what seller and buyer must report to the authority
- Change of address after a move: re-registering a vehicle online
- Keeper's change of name: having the vehicle documents changed
- Reporting vehicle changes: what must be reported without delay
- Registering rental cars and taxis: reporting the use and meeting deadlines
- HU intervals: when is the general inspection due for which vehicle?
- Compulsory deregistration: when the authority takes a vehicle off the road
- Registration offences: what section 77 FZV lists
- Foreign vehicle in Germany: how long it may drive without German registration
- German vehicle registers: which vehicle and keeper data is stored
- Retrieval from the vehicle register: search keys, occasions and transmission block
- General inspection in the vehicle register: which data are stored
- Vehicle data to insurer and tax office: what the registration authority transmits
- KBA notifications to registration authorities: new plate, theft and duplicates
- Exemption permit under § 76: competence, limits and duty to carry it
- Car dealerships
- Registration services
- Fleet operators
- Vehicle dismantlers
- Pricing
Sources: Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV) § 72 – Löschung von Daten aus dem Zentralen Fahrzeugregister · Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV) § 73 – Löschung von Daten aus dem örtlichen Fahrzeugregister · Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV) § 29 – Internetbasierte Wiederzulassung · Sources · FZV sections § 72 · FZV sections § 73 · FZV sections § 29