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Apply for a licence to operate individual vehicles
The operating licence, together with the registration plate, is part of the registration procedure for motor vehicles on public roads. An operating licence is a confirmation that your vehicle complies with the relevant regulations.
It is issued for type-approved vehicles by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) or comparable institutions in other countries of the European Union. For vehicles without type approval, it is issued by the registration authority as an individual licence.
The expiry of the operating licence is regulated in Section 19 (2) of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO).
Driving without or with an expired operating licence constitutes an administrative offence. The registration office can also prohibit operation and cancel the licence plate. Furthermore, liability insurance cover may lapse if the operating licence or individual approval has not been issued.
Responsible authority
The licensing authority of your district or city is responsible for issuing an operating licence.
The local jurisdiction is based on
- for natural persons, according to the place of residence (main residence) of the vehicle owner
- for legal entities (companies), according to the location of the main or branch office
- also applies to partnerships that are entered in the commercial register (e.g. OHG and KG) or registered merchants
Details
Prerequisite
You require an individual approval in accordance with § 13 EG-FGV for
- New vehicles for which there is no declaration of conformity (CoC certificate) and which belong to one of the following vehicle categories:
- M (cars, motorhomes, buses)
- N (vans, lorries, tractor units)
- O (trailers)
You need an operating licence for all other new or used vehicles for which no declaration of conformity (CoC certificate) is available, for example
- self-constructed vehicles imported from a country outside the European Economic Area
- Vehicles without EC type approval
- Vehicles whose operating licence has expired
- Vehicles that have been deregistered for more than 7 years
- Vehicles to which modifications have been made by means of installations or conversions
Procedure
- You apply for an expert opinion from an officially recognised expert or a technical service appointed to test complete vehicles in the relevant vehicle category
- You submit the expert opinion together with the other documents to your local registration authority.
- The local licensing authority issues or amends the registration certificate Part II (vehicle registration document) and Part I (vehicle registration document) or notes with a seal on the expert opinion for obtaining an individual approval or general operating licence that the operating licence has been issued
Deadlines
None
Required documents
Issue of an individual approval
- Expert opinion from an officially recognised expert or a technical service authorised to test complete vehicles of the respective vehicle category.
- Identity card or passport of the applicant. The applicant and the subsequent owner of the vehicle do not necessarily have to be one and the same person.
- for legal entities (companies): Copy of the extract from the trade register
- proof of authorisation to dispose of the vehicle, if applicable
Issue of an operating licence
- Expert opinion from an officially recognised expert or a technical service appointed to test complete vehicles of the respective vehicle class.
- if already available, the registration certificate part I or the vehicle registration document, also in the case of comparable foreign documents
- Identity card or passport of the applicant. The applicant and the subsequent owner of the vehicle do not necessarily have to be one and the same person.
- for legal entities (companies): Copy of the extract from the trade register
- proof of authorisation to dispose of the vehicle, if applicable
Costs
The fees are set out in the German Road Traffic Fee Regulations (GebOSt):
- eUR 39.50
The authorised organisations charge additional fees for technical inspections. Find out about the respective amount in advance.
Processing time
These are individual authorisations. The processing time can therefore not be specified exactly.
Miscellaneous
Driving without or with an expired operating licence is an administrative offence. The registration office can also prohibit operation and cancel the licence plate. Furthermore, liability insurance cover may lapse if the operating licence or individual approval has not been issued.
The operating licence according to § 21 StVZO is only valid in Germany. The registration certificate part I (formerly: vehicle registration document) is proof of a vehicle's operating licence.
You must carry this with you as the driver. You must also carry the original or a copy of the relevant documents for parts installed or attached to the vehicle, for example
- the relevant operating licence,
- Type approval,
- Approval within the scope of the operating licence or a supplement thereto
- an extract from this licence or approval
If the modification is accepted on the basis of
- a licence,
- an authorisation or
- a parts certificate,
the modifications do not have to be entered in the registration certificate part I. In these cases, you must carry corresponding proof with confirmation of proper installation or fitting and the conditions to be observed. If the modifications made have been entered in the registration certificate part I (vehicle registration document), the obligation to carry the documents and evidence described does not apply.
Legal basis
Verordnung über die EG-Genehmigung für Kraftfahrzeuge und ihre Anhänger sowie für Systeme, Bauteile und selbständige technische Einheiten für diese Fahrzeuge (EG-Fahrzeuggenehmigungsvoraussetzung - EG-FGV):
- § 13 Einzelgenehmigung für Fahrzeuge
Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO):
- § 19 Erteilung und Wirksamkeit der Betriebserlaubnis
- § 21 Betriebserlaubnis für Einzelfahrzeuge
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 28.07.2025
