The German Vehicle Registration Ordinance distinguishes three kinds of keepers: natural persons, legal entities and associations with legal capacity. Which proofs are required in detail is set out by the registration authorities in leaflets – the overview below summarises three of them.
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 Mohamed Gabal, owner
Who is the vehicle registered to?
| Legal form | Registered to | Typical proofs |
|---|---|---|
| GmbH, UG (limited liability), AG | the company as in the commercial register | current commercial register extract · ID of an authorised signatory · power of attorney and ID of the representative |
| GmbH & Co. KG, KG, OHG | the company as in the commercial register | current commercial register extract · ID of an authorised signatory · power of attorney |
| Sole trader / tradesperson | the owner as a natural person, business as an addition | owner's ID · current trade registration |
| Registered merchant (e. K.) | depending on the authority: owner or company | current commercial register extract · ID · trade registration where applicable |
| GbR (civil-law partnership) | depending on the authority: one partner or the GbR | IDs of all partners · trade registration or partnership agreement · declaration of consent |
| Liberal professions | the natural person, firm/practice as an addition | ID · proof of the professional activity · proof of address |
| Registered association (e. V.) | the association | current register of associations extract · ID of the authorised signatory |
The overview reflects what the leaflets of the Märkischer Kreis district, the City of Erfurt and the Stade district state. Details differ between authorities.
How recent must the commercial register extract be?
Authorities require a current extract. The Stade district explicitly states 6 months at most; there, a registration certificate accompanying a passport must also be no older than 6 weeks.
Other authorities state no fixed period. In case of doubt, the rule of the authority in whose district the company seat or branch is located applies.
What is different for sole traders and a GbR?
- Sole trader: the vehicle can only be registered to one individual. If the business or its address is to appear in the documents, a current trade registration must be presented.
- GbR: some authorities register to one partner and require a declaration signed by all partners; others register in the name of the GbR.
- The business name can be entered as a name addition in the registration certificate part I.
- Liberal professions are not subject to trade registration – it is replaced by other proof of the activity, for example via the professional chamber.
And how does company registration work digitally?
Legal entities identify themselves in the i-Kfz portal with the company account (Unternehmenskonto BUND) and ELSTER certificate. If a representative files the application for a legal entity, the Vehicle Registration Ordinance requires the power of attorney to carry a qualified electronic seal – or the qualified electronic signature of an authorised representative.
With Zevra the dealership enters the case in the dealer portal and has the power of attorney signed digitally. Prices: €10 per registration, plus official fees and VAT.
Why do company registrations fail in practice?
- The person signing the power of attorney is not an authorised representative according to the commercial register.
- The commercial register extract is outdated or incomplete.
- Company name or address differ from the register entry.
- For a GbR the declaration of all partners is missing.
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- Car dealerships
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- Pricing
Sources: Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV) § 6 – Antrag auf Zulassung · Bundesministerium für Verkehr: Internetbasierte Fahrzeugzulassung – So funktioniert i-Kfz · Märkischer Kreis: Merkblatt zu Firmenzulassungen · Stadt Erfurt: Zulassung eines Fahrzeuges auf eine Firma (Stand März 2020) · Landkreis Stade: Besonderheiten bei der Zulassung auf Firmen