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Vehicle de-registration (putting out of operation)

Do you wish to de-register your vehicle? On de-registration, your tax and insurance obligations cease. The approval authority will remove the stickers from your vehicle's numberplate (putting out of operation). Following this, you may no longer drive the vehicle on public roads or park it in public areas.

You may travel back from the approval authorities:

  • on the same day (until midnight at the latest)
  • only in Germany
  • via a direct route, with the non-stamped numberplate.

This only applies if:

  • the vehicle conforms with requirements and
  • is still insured at the time of putting out of operation. At the same time, the numberplates may not be used for registration of another vehicle.

For the return journey, you must properly display the numberplates on the vehicle. It will not suffice to place the registration behind the front or rear windscreen.

Note: Clarify with your insurance company in advance as to whether the vehicle is insured for the return journey.

Prerequisite

If your vehicle is to be scrapped, you require a certificate of destruction from your car scrapyard. This confirms the proper disposal of the vehicle. If applicable, you require a formless declaration of the whereabouts of your vehicle.

Responsible department

All licensing authorities in Germany, if you can produce the necessary documents.

In case of lack of documents, only the licence plate administering approval authority.

The authorities are

  • for an urban district (Stadtkreis): the city council (Stadtverwaltung)
  • for a rural district (Landkreis): the rural district office (Landratsamt)

Procedure

You or an authorised representative must

  • notify the de-registration to the licensing authorities and
  • hand over the numberplate and
  • the necessary documents.

Note: You will receive back the de-stamped numberplates and the cancelled registration certificate part I (previously: vehicle certificate). If you wish to use the registration again in the future, you can have this reserved for a determined period of time. The reservation will incur a fee.

The tax-administrative body and the insurance company will be automatically informed of the de-registration of your vehicle.

Required documents

  • Registration certificate part I (previously: vehicle certificate)
  • Numberplates
    • If applicable, proof of destruction or
    • declaration concerning whereabouts (for example disposal abroad or continued use as old timer).

Costs

Depending on time taken for administration: from 5.10 EUR

Note: Should you de-register your vehicle outside of the area of the approval authorities which are responsible for you, a higher fee will be charged.

Release note

The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Verkehrsministerium released it on 16.08.2021. Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.

In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.