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Apply for a certificate of roadworthiness for vehicles not subject to registration
Would you like to drive a vehicle that is not subject to registration on public roads, and does this vehicle not have EU type-approval or national approval? If so, you must apply for a certificate of roadworthiness.
The operating licence is part of the registration process for motor vehicles on public roads. An operating licence is confirmation that your vehicle complies with the relevant regulations.
Various vehicles that are exempt from registration require an operating licence in order to be used on public roads. These include, for example:
- self-propelled work machines and forklift trucks
- single-axle tractors for agricultural or forestry purposes
- light motorcycles
- two- or three-wheeled mopeds
- motorised wheelchairs
- Small electric vehicles such as e-scooters
- Trailers used in agricultural or forestry operations
Depending on the type of vehicle, you may be granted an operating licence with or without the allocation of a separate registration number.
The General Operating Licence (ABE) is issued by the manufacturer for vehicles produced in series.
You must apply for an Individual Operating Permit (EBE) if your vehicle, which is exempt from registration, does not have EU type-approval or any other national approval, such as an ABE. Examples of such vehicles include:
- self-built vehicles
- one-off productions
- vehicles from small-scale production runs
- vehicles from abroad without EU type-approval
To obtain an EBE, you must submit a report from an officially recognised expert or a technical service designated to test complete vehicles of the relevant vehicle class, which must include various test reports. These reports must prove that the necessary tests have been carried out and that the vehicle complies with the regulations.
You will be granted an indefinite operating licence. It will lapse if:
- you make modifications to the vehicle and the vehicle type approved in the operating licence is altered,
- there is a risk to road users,
- the exhaust emissions or noise levels deteriorate,
- you fail to comply with any conditions relating to fittings or attachments, or
- you take the vehicle out of service permanently.
Once the type-approval has expired, you may apply for a new type-approval by submitting a report from an officially recognised expert or a technical service designated to inspect complete vehicles of the relevant vehicle class. The final decision on the granting of a new type-approval rests with the competent authority under the relevant regional law.
Responsible authority
The licensing authority in whose district you have your main residence, place of business or branch office
is the registration authority,
- for a city district: the city council
- for a rural district: the district administration
Details
Prerequisite
You require an individual approval in accordance with Section 13 of the EC Vehicle Approval Regulation (EG-FGV) for
- new vehicles for which no Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is available and which belong to one of the following classes
- M (passenger cars, motorhomes, buses)
- N (vans, lorries, articulated lorry tractors)
- O (trailers)
You require a type-approval certificate for all other new or used vehicles for which no Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is available, for example for
- vehicles of your own design
- vehicles imported from a country outside the European Economic Area
- vehicles without EC type-approval
- Vehicles whose registration has expired, for example
- vehicles that have been de-registered for more than 7 years
- Where applicable, vehicles to which modifications have been made through installations or conversions
Procedure
- You must apply for a report from an officially recognised expert or a technical service designated to inspect complete vehicles of the relevant vehicle class
- You must submit the expert report, together with the other supporting documents, to your local vehicle registration authority
- The local registration authority will issue or amend Part II (Vehicle Registration Certificate) and Part I (Vehicle Registration Document) of the registration certificate, or will affix a seal to the expert report for the purpose of obtaining an individual approval or general operating licence, confirming that the operating licence has been granted
Deadlines
none
Required documents
- The applicant’s identity card or passport.
- Technical specifications of the vehicle
- Any restrictions on the vehicle’s type approval
- For vehicles subject to registration:
- Registration certificate, Part I (vehicle registration document)
- Proof of a valid general inspection
- where applicable, proof of insurance/number plate
- For vehicles not subject to registration:
- an informal confirmation of roadworthiness from a competent body, such as a garage or an expert, including a description of the vehicle (manufacturer, chassis number/VIN)
- Proof of ownership, for example a bill of sale or invoice, in the original in each case
- A full technical report from a testing centre if the manufacturer no longer exists
Costs
- Fees are set in accordance with the Schedule of Fees for Road Traffic Measures (GebOst).
- Authorised organisations charge additional fees for technical inspections. Please check the applicable rates in advance.
Processing time
These are individual applications; it is therefore not possible to specify the processing time precisely.
Miscellaneous
Driving without a valid roadworthiness certificate, or with one that has expired, constitutes an administrative offence; furthermore, the registration authority may prohibit the vehicle from being used and cancel the number plate. In addition, if a roadworthiness certificate or individual authorisation has not been granted, third-party liability insurance cover may lapse.
The type-approval under Section 21 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) is valid only in Germany. The registration certificate, Part I (formerly the vehicle registration document), serves as proof of a vehicle’s type-approval. This must be carried in the vehicle.
The Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt) can issue you with proof of a general operating licence for vehicles manufactured in the former GDR. This applies to:
- Light motorcycles (mopeds)
- Bicycles with auxiliary motors
- Light motorcycles from the former GDR that were first put into service before 1 March 1992
- motorised wheelchairs from the former GDR that were first put into service before 1 March 1991
- Trailers manufactured in the former GDR that do not require registration
Legal basis
Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO):
- § 19 Erteilung und Wirksamkeit der Betriebserlaubnis
- § 21 Betriebserlaubnis für Einzelfahrzeuge
Verordnung über die Zulassung von Fahrzeugen zum Straßenverkehr (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung-FZV):
- § 4 Voraussetzungen für die Inbetriebsetzung eines zulassungsfreien Fahrzeugs
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 14.08.2026
