When is handling number plates a criminal offence? This page sums up § 22 and § 22a 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
Which acts are number plate misuse?
- fitting a vehicle without an official plate with a sign that gives the appearance of official marking,
- fitting a vehicle with a marking other than the one officially issued,
- altering, removing, covering or otherwise impairing the recognisability of the official plate.
Unlawful intent is required. Motor vehicles and their trailers are covered.
Which penalty applies?
The act is punished with imprisonment of up to 1 year or with a fine, unless other provisions threaten a heavier penalty.
Is driving with false plates also punishable?
Yes. The same penalty applies to anyone who uses a vehicle on public roads or squares knowing that the marking has been forged, falsified or suppressed.
What applies to forged plates?
| Act | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Forging or falsifying plates so that they are used as officially approved ones | Imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine |
| Offering forged or falsified plates for sale or putting them into circulation | Imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine |
Forged or falsified plates can be confiscated.
What does a covered plate cost as a regulatory offence?
Putting a vehicle into operation whose plate is fitted with glass, film or similar covers is, under the schedule of fines, a regulatory offence with a standard rate of 65 euros.
What does this mean for dealers?
For dealers this means: use plates only on the vehicle they were issued for.
With Zevra the dealer files registration and deregistration in the dealer portal. Registration costs from 10 € per case, deregistration 2 € net, plus official fees.
- 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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- German vehicle tax: who is the tax debtor and what is taxed? (§ 7 and § 1 KraftStG)
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- 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)
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- Car dealerships
- Registration services
- Fleet operators
- Pricing
Sources: Straßenverkehrsgesetz (StVG) § 22 – Kennzeichenmissbrauch · Straßenverkehrsgesetz (StVG) § 22a – Missbräuchliches Herstellen, Vertreiben oder Ausgeben von Kennzeichen · Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung (BKatV) Anlage – Bußgeldkatalog · Sources · Vehicle figures: tax, insurance, fines