Who pays when nobody is established as the driver after a parking offence? This page summarises § 25a of the German Road Traffic Act.
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 keeper bear the costs?
- Fine proceedings are pending for a stopping or parking offence.
- The driver of the motor vehicle cannot be identified before the limitation period for prosecution expires.
- Or identifying the driver would require disproportionate effort.
The costs of the proceedings are then imposed on the keeper or the keeper's representative, who also bears their own expenses.
Does this also apply to trailers?
Yes. The same applies to the keeper of a trailer when a stopping or parking offence was committed with the trailer while it was not coupled to a motor vehicle.
When is the costs order waived?
The decision is waived when it would be inequitable to burden the keeper or the keeper's representative with the costs.
How do the proceedings run?
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| hearing | Before the decision, the person on whom the costs are to be imposed has to be heard. |
| timing | The costs order is made with the decision that concludes the proceedings. |
| remedy | application for a court decision within 2 weeks of service |
| court decision | The court's costs order cannot be contested. |
Does the keeper thereby also bear the fine?
§ 25a governs the costs of the proceedings and the expenses. The provision concerns only stopping and parking offences.
What does this mean for dealers?
For rental firms, fleets and dealers with demonstration cars this means: without a documented driver the costs of the proceedings stay with the keeper.
With Zevra the dealer files registration and deregistration in the dealer portal. Registration costs from 10 € per case, deregistration 2 € net, plus official fees.
- Logbook order in Germany: order, entries and retention for keepers (§ 31a StVZO)
- Retrieval from the vehicle register: search keys, occasions and transmission block
- Fines in German vehicle registration: standard rates from the schedule of fines
- Registering rental cars and taxis: reporting the use and meeting deadlines
- 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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Sources: Straßenverkehrsgesetz (StVG) § 25a – Kostentragungspflicht des Halters eines Kraftfahrzeugs · Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO) § 31a – Fahrtenbuch · Sources · Vehicle figures: tax, insurance, fines