1-letter area code Z for Zwickau2-letter area code TR for Trier3-letter area code CUX for Cuxhaven
Vehicle registration plates (German: Kraftfahrzeug-Kennzeichen or, more colloquially, Nummernschilder) are mandatory alphanumeric plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle registered in Germany. They have existed in the country since 1906, with the current system in use since 1956. German registration plates are alphanumeric plates in a standardised format, issued officially by the district authorities.[1][2]
All motorised vehicles participating in road traffic on public space, whether moving or stationary, have to bear the plates allotted to them, displayed at the appropriate spaces at the front and rear. Additionally, the official seals on the plates show their validity which can also be proven by the documentation coming with them. Motorcycles and trailers carry only a rear plate.
A significant feature of German vehicle registration plates is the area code, which can be used to tell the district of registration. It has developed into a widespread habit in Germany, even a children's game when travelling, to guess "where that vehicle is from".[3][4]
Number plate in post-1994 format (FE-style)[a]Number plate in pre-1994 format (DIN-style), no longer issued but still in use[b]Number plate with few characters, hence shorter than standard 520×110Number plate for motorcycles, issued until 2011 (280×200) [c]Small number plate (255×130)[d]
The legal requirements for these licence plates are laid down in a federal law titled Verordnung über die Zulassung von Fahrzeugen zum Straßenverkehr (Ordinance on the admission of vehicles for road traffic), or in the shortened version Fahrzeug-Zulassungs-Verordnung, FZV[5] which replaced part of an older law named Straßenverkehrszulassungsordnung, StVZO[e] in 2011. The law distinguishes between Kennzeichen meaning a specific combination of letters and digits, and Kennzeichenschilder which are the physical licence plates.[5]: §12 In everyday language, these terms are often replaced indifferently by Nummernschild and rarely is the difference emphasized by restricted use of either Nummer or Schild.
German number plates are rectangular, with standard dimensions 520 mm × 110 mm (20+1⁄2 in × 4+3⁄8 in) for cars, trucks, buses and their trailers. Plates bearing few characters may have reduced length but must retain the size and shape of the characters. Plates in two lines for the said types of vehicles[f] measure 340 mm × 200 mm (13+3⁄8 in × 7+7⁄8 in). Motorcycles also have plates in two lines but with specific dimensions: Plates for "large motorcycles" (engine displacement over 125 cc or power output exceeding 11 kW (15 bhp)) issued until 2011 combine a size of 280 mm × 200 mm (11 in × 7+7⁄8 in) with characters of the same size as used for car plates, while those issued since 2011 have characters of reduced size and measure either 180 mm × 200 mm (7+1⁄8 in × 7+7⁄8 in) or 220 mm × 200 mm (8+5⁄8 in × 7+7⁄8 in). Plates for "light motorcycles" (Leichtkrafträder up to 125 cc and 11 kW (15 bhp)) combine a size of 255 mm × 130 mm (10 in × 5+1⁄8 in) with characters of reduced size. This smallest size of plates is also used for agricultural tractors with a maximum speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) and their trailers and may also be issued as an exception for certain import cars, when a plate of regular size cannot be applied at the available space.
The characters on the licence plate, as well as the narrow rim framing it, are black on a white background.[5]: §12(1) In standard size they are 75 mm (3 in) high, and 47.5 mm (1+7⁄8 in) wide for letters or 44.5 mm (1+3⁄4 in) wide for digits. The smaller plates bear characters of 49 mm (1+7⁄8 in) height and 31 or 29 mm (1+1⁄4 or 1+1⁄8 in) width, respectively.[5]: Appendix 4 In the current system, introduced in 1956, they consist of an area code of one, two or three letters, followed by an identifier sequence of one or two letters and one to four digits. The total quantity of characters on the plate must not exceed eight. Identifiers consisting of one letter with one- or two-digit numbers are often reserved for motorcycle use since there is less space for plates on these vehicles, especially before the reduction of plate size to 180 × 200 mm and 220 × 200 mm in 2011.[6]
Modern German plates use a typeface called FE-Schrift (fälschungserschwerende Schrift, tamper-hindering script). It is designed so that the letter P cannot be altered to look exactly like an R, and vice versa; nor can the F or the L be forged to equal an E, etc. Another feature is the equal width of all characters, different from the old DIN 1451 script which had been in use since the introduction of the current system in 1956. FE-Schrift can be read by OCR software for automatic number plate recognition more easily than DIN 1451.
The present style was introduced in 1994 and became mandatory in 2000, so the number of licence plates issued in the old style has become very rare. As with many plates for countries within the European Union, a blue strip on the left shows a shortened country code in white text (D for Deutschland = Germany) and the Flag of Europe (12 golden stars forming a circle on a blue background).
Traditionally, German licence plates are made of aluminium sheeting, with embossed characters rising above background level. Over the years, however, various other materials have been used, albeit to a small extent only. Since 2013, a new style of plates made of plastic is allowed.[7] They are said to be less sensitive to mechanical damage and to cause less CO2 emission in their production, but are more expensive.[8]
Licence plate with part-plastic (1964); plate and area code are embossed whereas the identifier characters (J 5) are riveted on.
All-plastic plate (2008)
Plastic licence plate (2013), characters clipped on
Detailed view of all-metal plate, characters partly worn off
FCN sticker on a licence plate (not exactly legal)
Number plates are retroflective, but must not be mirroring, concealed or soiled, nor may they be covered by glass, foil or similar layers.[5]: §12(2) Occasionally, drivers who adorn their licence plate with a badge of their favourite football club are fined and ordered to restore the original state.[9][10]
The first part or Unterscheidungszeichen consists of one, two or three letters representing the district where the car was registered, such as B for Berlin or HSK for Hochsauerlandkreis. These letters formerly coincided with the German districts. They were assigned unambiguously, as each district had one abbreviation only. Whenever a district changed its name or was merged with another, the area code would be redefined and any vehicle registered henceforth could only be issued the current code. Since 2013, however, this rule was revoked and area codes long abolished were re-introduced.[11][12] In consequence, many districts use more than one code,[g] and certain codes, on the other hand, are not assigned to one district only.[example 1] The assignation of each code and combination is registered with the Zentrales Fahrzeugregister (ZFZR).[13]: §34
In some cases an urban district and the surrounding non-urban district share the same letter code. Usually, these are distinguished by different letter/digit patterns. For example, the urban district of Straubing has one letter after the area code (SR-A 123), whereas the surrounding district Straubing-Bogen has two letters (SR-AB 123) in this place. However, several cities that share their code with the surrounding rural districts have started using any available codes for both districts without any distinction; the city of Regensburg, for example, and the surrounding rural district of Regensburg used different systems with their code R only until 2007.
Germany includes diacritical marks in the letters of some codes, that is the letters Ä,[14] Ö, and Ü,[h], but not ẞ. For a long time, German codes kept to the rule that a code with an umlaut would prohibit another code with the respective blank vowel, e.g. there could not be a district code FU as the code FÜ was already in use for Fürth. This rule was disregarded in 1996, when BÖ was introduced for Bördekreis in spite of BO existing for Bochum, although Bördekreis got BK in 2007 since there were confusions internationally for e.g. fines.
There is a principle that two vehicles can't share the same letter-number combination, even if disregarding the dash (shown as blank on plates). So if a car has SR-A 123, no car can have S-RA 123. Otherwise this would violate the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic annex 2 which says that letters and numerals are used for registration numbers, but not that spaces or dashes are significant.
N plate with two middle letters from Nuremberg (Nürnberg) city
N plate with one middle letter from Nürnberger Land district
When the area codes were introduced, they were intended mainly as a means for police officers to identify speeders and other traffic offenders. However, they soon developed into everyday abbreviations of people's home areas and were cherished or despised. Sometimes, the codes of neighbouring districts were given mocking or spiteful meanings.[example 2] When districts merged and only one of their codes could be continued, fierce battles might ensue about which one.[15]
Licence plate from the municipality of Büsingen, 1970s
Since 1968, a peculiar rule has applied to the municipality of Büsingen am Hochrhein which is a German exclave completely surrounded by Swiss territory. Although Büsingen belongs to the German district of Konstanz, it is part of the Swiss customs area. For this reason, a vehicle registered to a citizen of Büsingen does not bear KN for Konstanz but BÜS, signifying to Swiss customs officers that this is in fact a domestic vehicle. There are about 700 cars with this area code, which makes Büsingen the smallest and least-populated registration precinct in Germany.[16]
From [A-AA 100 to 999] To [A-ZZ 100 to 999] (Excludes [A-PS 100 to 999], reserved for city Police) From [A-AA 5000 to 9999] to [A-ZZ 5000 to 9999] [A-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G [A-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G
From [A-A 1000 to 9999] To [A-Z 1000 to 9999] From [A-AA 1000 to 4999] to [A-ZZ 1000 to 4999] [A-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G [A-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G'
From [AB-AA 100 to 9999] to [AB-ZZ 100 to 9999] [AB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AB-'XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [AB-A 1000 to 9999] to [ AB-Z 1000 to 9999] [AB-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AB-'XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [AN-AA 100 to 999] to [AN-ZZ 100 to 999] [AN-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AN-'XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [BA-AA 100 to 9999] to [BA-ZZ 100 to 9999] [BA-X 1 to 9999] Where X is :B, F, G, I, O , Q (Excludes [BA-P 1000 to 9999], reserved for City Police) [BA-XY 1 to 999] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O , Q
[BA-X 1 to 9999] Where X is not:B, F, G, I, O , Q (Excludes [BA-P 1000 to 9999], reserved for District Police) [BA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O , Q
[BH-OF 1 to 999] and [BH-OP 1 to 999] From [BH-F 7000] to [BH-F 7999] From [BH-N 8000] to [BH-N 8999] From [BH-O 2000] to [BH-O 2999] From [BH-OF 1000] to [BH-OF 6999] From [BH-OG 9000] to [BH-OG 9999] From [BH-OK 3000] to [BH-OK 3999] From [BH-OP 1000] to [BH-OP 4999]
From [BK-A 100 to 999] to [BK-M 100 to 999] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I) From [BK-N 1] to [BK-Z 999] (Excluding codes O and Q) From [BK-AA 1 to 99] to [BK-PZ 1 to 99] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I, O, Q) From [BK-A 1000 to 9999] to [BK-Z 1000 to 9999]
[BK-A 1 to 99] to [BK-M 1 to 99] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I) From [BK-RA 1 to 99] to [BK-ZZ 1 to 99] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I, O, Q) From [BK-TA 1000 to 999] to [BK-ZZ 1000 to 999]
[BK-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [BK-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are : B, F, G, I, O, Q From [BK-A 1000 to 9999] to [BK-Z 1000 to 999] From [BK-AA 100 to 9999] to [BK-ZZ 100 to 999] From [BK-AA 1000 to 999] to [BK-SZ 1000 to 999]
[BT-X 1 to 999] Where X is not : B, F, G, I, O, Q [BT-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q [BT-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is not: B, F, G
From [DA-AA 100 to 999] to [DA-ZZ 100 to 999] [DA-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q [DA-X 1 to 99] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [DA-A 1000 to 9000] to [DA-Z 1000 to 9999] From [DA-AA 1000 to 9999] to [DA-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [DA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q [DA-X 1 to 99] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q
[FR-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FR-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FR-NA 1000 to 9999] to [FR-ZZ 1000 to 9999]
[FR-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FR-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FR-AA 1000 to 9999] to [FR-MZ 1000 to 9999]
[FÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FÜ-AA 100 to 9999] to [FÜ-ZZ 100 to 9999]
[FÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FÜ-A 1000 to 9999] to [FÜ-Z 1000 to 9999]
[GÖ-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, O, Q [GÖ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, O, Q From [GÖ-AA 100 to 999] to [GÖ-ZZ 100 to 999]
Göttingen City (A subdivision of Göttingen District)
[GÖ-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [GÖ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [GÖ-A 1000 to 9999] to [GÖ-Z 1000 to 9999]
[H-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [H-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [H-A 1000 to 9999] to [H-Z 1000 to 9999] From [H-BA 1000 to 9999] to [H-BZ 1000 to 9999] From [H-FA 1000 to 9999] to [H-GZ 1000 to 9999]
[H-X 1 to 9999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [H-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [H-AA 1000 to 9999] to [H-AZ 1000 to 9999] From [H-CA 1000 to 9999] to [H-EZ 1000 to 9999] From [H-HA 1000 to 9999] to [H-ZZ 1000 to 9999]
[HD-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HD-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [HD-AA 100 to 9999] to [HD-ZZ 100 to 9999]
[HD-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HD-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [HD-A 1000 to 9999] to [HD-Z 1000 to 9999]
From [HN-AA 100 to 999] to [HN-ZZ 100 to 999] From [HN-AA 1000 to 9999] to [HN-MZ 1000 to 9999] [HN-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HN-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [HN-A 1000 to 9999] to [HN-Z 1000 to 9999] From [HN-NA 1000 to 9999] to [HN-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [HN-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HN-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [HO-AA 100 to 999] to [HO-ZZ 100 to 999] From [HO-AA 1000 to 9999] to [HO-ZZ 1000 to 9999] (Shared) [HO-B 1 to 999] [HO-G 1 to 999] [HO-F 1 to 99]
From [HO-AA 1000 to 9999] to [HO-ZZ 1000 to 9999] (Shared) [HO-F 100 to 999] [HN-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HO-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [KA-AA 100 to 999] to [KA-ZZ 100 to 999] From [KA-NA 1000 to 9999] to [KA-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [KA-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, Q [KA-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, Q
From [KA-A 1000 to 9999] to [KA-Z 1000 to 9999] From [KA-AA 1000 to 9999] to [KA-MZ 1000 to 9999] [KA-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, Q [KA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, Q
From [KL-AA 100 to 999] to [KL-ZZ 100 to 999] [KL-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [KL-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [LA-AA 5000 to 9999] to [LA-ZZ 5000 to 9999] From [LA-AA 100 to 999] to [LA-ZZ 100 to 999] [LA-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [LA-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [LA-AA 1000 to 4999] to [LA-ZZ 1000 to 4999] [LA-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [LA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
[LF-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: FZ, GH, KQ, RW, TS, WW,XX, ZZ [LF-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G [LF-XY 1 to 99] Where XY is: DH, FZ, GH, KQ, LU, RW, TK, TS ,WW, XX, ZZ [LF-DH 100 to 199] [LF-LU 100 to 299] [LF-TK 100 to 199] [LF-VW 200 to 499]
[M-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G [M-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G [M-XY 100 to 9999] Where neither X nor Y are: I, O, Q Unless either X or Y is: B, F, G In addition, XY can be any other combination of letters.
[M-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G [M-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y: B, F, G [M-XY 100 to 9999] Where either X or Y or both are: I, O, Q But neither X nor Y are: B, F, G
From [MZ-AA 100 to 999] to [MZ-ZZ 100 to 999] From [MZ-AA 1000 to 9999] to [MZ-KY 1000 to 9999] [MZ-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [MZ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [MZ-A 1000 to 9999] to [MZ-Z 1000 to 9999] From [MZ-LA 1000 to 9999] to [MZ-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [MZ-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [MZ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [N-A 1000 to 9999] to [N-Z 1000 to 9999] From [N-AA 100 to 9999] to [N-ZZ 100 to 9999] [N-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [N-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [OL-A 1000 to 9999] to [OL-Z 1000 to 9999] [OL-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [OL-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [OS-AA 100 to 999] to [OS-ZZ 100 to 999] (Excludes [OS-PD 100 to 999], reserved for District Police) From [OS-AA 3000 to 9999] to [OS-ZZ 3000 to 9999] [OS-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [OS-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [OS-AA 1000 to 2999] to [OS-ZZ 1000 to 2999] [OS-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q (Excludes [OS-P 1 to 9999], reserved for City Police) [OS-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [PF-AA 100 to 999] to [PF-ZZ 100 to 999] From [PF-NA 1000 to 9999] to [PF-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [PF-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [PF-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [PF-A 1000 to 9999] to [PF-Z 1000 to 9999] From [PF-AA 1000 to 9999] to [PF-MZ 1000 to 9999] [PF-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [PF-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [R-AA 100 to 999] to [R-ZZ 100 to 999] From [R-MN 1000 to 9999] to [R-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [R-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [R-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q (Excludes [R-PR 100 to 999], reserved for City Police)
From [R-A 1000 to 9999] to [R-Z 1000 to 9999] From [R-AA 1000 to 9999] to [R-MM 1000 to 9999] [R-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [R-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [RO-A 1000 to 9999] to [RO-Z 1000 to 9999] From [RO-AA 10 to 9999] to [RO-ZZ 100 to 9999] [RO-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [RO-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [SW-AA 100 to 9999] to [SW-ZZ 100 to 9999] [SW-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [SW-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
[ÜB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: K, N, P, Q, U, W, Y, Z [ÜB-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is : A, E From [ÜB-XA 1 to 99] to [ÜB-XZ 1 to 99] Where X is: A, C, E [ÜB-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: BB, HH, II, MM, NN, OO, XX [ÜB-XY 1000 to 9999] Where XY is: FF, GG, PP, RR, VV
[ÜB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: A, C, E, G, I, J, L [ÜB-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is: B, X From [ÜB-XA 1 to 99] to [ÜB-XZ 1 to 99] Where X is: U, V, W, Y, Z [ÜB-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: AA, DD, FF [ÜB-XY 1000 to 9999] Where XY is: KK, OO, TT, RV
[ÜB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, D, F, H, M, O, R, S, T, V, X [ÜB-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is not: A, B, E, X From [ÜB-XA 1 to 99] to [ÜB-XZ 1 to 99] Where X isn't: A, C, E, U, V, W, Y, Z [ÜB-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is not: AA, BB, DD, FF, HH, II, MM, NN, OO, XX [ÜB-XY 1000 to 9999] Where XY is not: FF, GG, KK, OO, PP, RR, RV,TT, VV
From [UL-AA 100 to 999] to [UL-ZZ 100 to 999] From [UL-NA 1000 to 9999] to [UL-ZZ1000 to 9999] [UL-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [UL-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
[UL-A 1000 to 4999], [UL-A 6000 to 9999] From [UL-B 1000 to 9999] to [UL-Z 1000 to 9999] [UL-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [UL-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [WÜ-AA 100 to 999] to [WÜ-ZZ 100 to 999] From [WÜ-AA 1000 to 9999] to [WÜ-ZZ 1000 to 9999]
(Excludes [WÜ-PP 1 to 9999], reserved for Police) [WÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X is B, F, G, I, O, Q [WÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
From [WÜ-A 1000 to 9999] to [WÜ-Z 1000 to 9999] [WÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't B, F, G, I, O, Q [WÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q
Registration plates become valid with the official seal of registration.[5]: §12(3) This is a sticker of 45 mm (1+3⁄4 in) diameter, following the area code and bearing, in colours, the seal of the respective German Bundesland with the name of the state and the issuing district authority added in print. Older stickers were monochrome, black on silver or white, and smaller (35 mm; 1+3⁄8 in), depicting the seal of either the Bundesland or the city district. Vehicles used by federal institutions, such as Bundespolizei, carry the German Bundesadler instead of a Bundesland seal.
The rear plate bears, above the official seal, the vehicle safety test sticker. This test is obligatory three years after the first registration, and every two years after that. (This time scheme applies to most vehicles, but differs for trucks, taxis, etc.) The expiration date can be seen at one glance, as the sticker is attached with the month of expiration pointing upwards. The black mark framing the sectors on either side of 12 thus makes it easy for the police to read the expiration month from a distance. Like the hand on a clock, the marking shows the position of a number on the face of a clock. The year when the next safety test is due is printed in the centre of the sticker and also indicated by the colour of the sticker which is repeated every six years.
Whereas the technical inspection was introduced in 1951, it was not before 1961 that a decal on the rear plate indicated when it was due.[22] The inspection generally had to be performed every two years, only later brand new cars were granted an extra year before their first technical inspection. Consequently, there were not so many different colours needed, and the pattern was different then.
Between 1985 and 2010, a similar yet hexagonal sticker was applied to the front plate, certifying the emission test which had to be performed separately since March 1985. With a change of laws effective in 2010, the emission test was incorporated into the safety test, so the emission sticker became obsolete.[23]
Registration seal, City of Duisburg, pre-1994 version with city arms
Registration seal, City of Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, post-1994 version with state emblem
All these stickers are specially treated to be easily transferred onto the licence plates, but hard to be removed without damaging the plate itself, making them relatively counterfeit-proof.
The only licence plates which do not need to carry either seal are repeaters. These are obligatory when the original rear plate is covered, in part or whole, by cargo or attached parts, such as bicycle carriers.[5]: §12(10)
The final identifier or Erkennungsnummer of the licence plate consists of one or two letters, followed by a number of up to four digits. Thus, basically any combination from A1 to ZZ9999 is possible, yet restricted by the maximum length of eight characters, including the area code. All 26 letters of the Latin alphabet may be used, yet this was not always so. In order to avoid confusion between B and 8, F and E, G and 6, I and 1, O and Q and 0, those six letters were excluded from the middle part of registration plates. In 1992, the letters B, F and G were permitted, and in 2000 the alphabet was completed as I, O and Q have been allowed. In the very first months of the numbering system, between July and November 1956, the letter I was used but J was not. This was soon reversed, but single vintage cars kept sporting their letter I between 1956 and 2000 when it was re-introduced.
This plate from Frankfurt am Main bears the letters F ST, whereas FS T may be found on a vehicle from Freising.
In the style used until 1994, a hyphen following the area code was used to separate the two groups of letters. This no longer appears in the new format but is often retained,[k] as the space between the geographic identifier and serial letters is a significant character and must be considered when writing down or transmitting a number. For example, F ST 683 is different from FS T 683. The risk of confusion can be avoided by writing a hyphen after the city code, like F-ST 683. For this reason, the police will usually radio the location name and spell out the next letters, using the German spelling alphabet. Thus, F ST 683 would be radioed as Frankfurt, Siegfried, Theodor, sechs-acht-drei and FS T 683 as Freising, Theodor, sechs-acht-drei. If the officer should not know the meaning of the area code, he would spell it out too, such as Friedrich, Siegfried, Trennung (separation), Theodor, etc.
While the number is issued by each district authority separately, a probable split between two or more districts sharing the same area code has to be considered.[example 3] Further restrictions are caused by "prohibited" combinations (see below). There has to exist a method[which?] to avoid two vehicles getting plate numbers only distinguished by the position of the blank space, because the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic describes some rules about international road traffic, and it does not define blank or hyphen as a significant character on plates.[24]
Very old example of a personalised plate, from Kiel
For an extra charge of €10.20, vehicle owners can register a personalised identifier, keeping to the above rules. In most cases of personalised plates, owners choose their initials and a number reflecting their date of birth. In this fashion, fictional Mrs Ulrike Mustermann, born 2 May 1965 and living in Essen, might choose E-UM 2565 for her car. By combining area code and random letters, further possibilities arise, such as a man from Oldenburg named Olaf, born on Christmas Eve, could choose OL-AF 2412. A resident of the town of Pirna might choose PIR-AT 77, Pirat meaning "pirate" in German. Kiel is one of few places where the number plate can spell out all of the city name.
These vanity plates can only be made up of the available prefixes and numbers, within the general rules. A James Bond fan from Hamburg would not be allowed the plate HH-JB 007 because leading digits 0 (or even double-0) are not possible; however, he might strive for HH-J 8007 or HH-OO 7, imitating digits by letters or vice versa. The owner of a Volkswagen Polo can certainly show VW in the middle section, but neither PO-LO 1995 nor VW-P0 L01 would be possible, as these prefixes are not issued nor may letters and digits be mixed at will. Nonetheless, a notable variety of personalised number plates can be spotted on German roads.
Whereas private persons are required to register their vehicle with the district authority of their residence, commercial enterprises can choose to establish branch offices from where to register at will – either for financial reasons, as insurance fees are dependant on the address of registration, or to obtain an interesting licence plate. On the other hand, other enterprises show their origin proudly nationwide. One of these is ADAC, the German automobile association, based in Munich. All their assistance cars, operating from the Alps to the North Sea, bear an M plate.
Deutsche Bahn, after being privatised and relinquishing their Behördenkennzeichen (authority plate) DB, prefers this logo as their middle letters, e. g. F-DB for the Frankfurt office. Deutsche Telekom, the largest telecommuncations company, often uses BN plates, as their headquarters remained in Bonn, where the company originated out of a governmental post & telephone agency. Yet wherever the respective branch office may be, the middle letters DT are preferred.
The Kone company registers their German vehicles in Koblenz, with middle letters NE, thus displaying their trademark on their plates. BMW, owner of Mini, registers all Mini press/marketing cars in the district of Minden-Lübbecke which holds the code MI, to get "MI-NI" number plates for the cars. BMW itself is based in Munich, yet M-INI plates are not possible to issue, as three letters after the district code are not permitted.
From 1970s up to 1994, Essen city buses owned by city transport company EVAG (Essener Verkehrs-AG) were registered with E-AT number plates. This may be regarded a pun, as eat translates into German as Essen.[25][26]
ADAC roadside assistance car
Deutsche Bahn (DB) construction supervisor
2 cars of Deutsche Telekom (DT), registered in Münster
Combinations that are regarded as a Verstoß gegen die guten Sitten, which means "offence to moral and customs", are disallowed or otherwise avoided.[5]: §9(1) This refers mostly to abbreviations relating to Nazi Germany, such as NS (National Socialism), KZ (Konzentrationslager, concentration camp), HJ (Hitlerjugend, Hitler Youth), SS (Schutzstaffel) and SA (Sturmabteilung). Therefore, these two-letter combinations are generally not issued in any district, nor do the city districts of Nuremberg, Cologne and Stuttgart issue one-letter plates which would result in the combinations N-S, K-Z, S-A, S-D and S-S.[27][28][29]
Those prefixes which will not be issued as middle letters were also excluded from the list of possible area codes with the introduction of the current system, although between 1945 and 1949 the French occupation force had used the combination SA followed by the double-digit numbers 01 to 08 for the then seven rural districts in the Saar Protectorate and its capital Saarbrücken. Nor were these codes later taken into consideration for newly formed districts in former GDR: The district Sächsische Schweiz used the name of its capital, Pirna, in its code PIR, to avoid the use of SS. When the districts of Torgau, Delitzsch and Oschatz merged into Nordsachsen, they combined their initials into TDO, instead of abbreviating Northern Saxony as NS.[l]
Example of banned combination (NS) which was issued accidentally
On the other hand, the area codes HH and AH were chosen for Hansestadt Hamburg and former district Ahaus, although they could be interpreted as Heil Hitler and Adolf Hitler, respectively. In everyday German, the letters AH are not regarded as an obvious abbreviation for that name,[m] even less so in the 1950s when the lists were created.[n] Nonetheless, these two-letter codes and the respective numerals 18 and 88, signifying the first and eighth letter of the alphabet, obviously have developed into Nazi symbols. They are therefore generally avoided in the serial part of licence plates, although they may be found sometimes.[30] Generally, the decision whether or not a certain combination is permitted lies with the respective district authority. In Brandenburg, any plates that are related to Hitler, the Hitler salute, etc. cannot be issued, especially if they would be bearing digits 1888, 8818, 8888 or ending in 88, 888, 188. Nor can the combinations AH 18 and HH 18 be issued to new owners.[31] Some districts however allow these combinations if they are the owner's initials (for example, Norbert Schmidt might be able to get XX-NS 1234).[citation needed]
In 2004 in Nuremberg, a car owner was refused a number plate beginning N-PD because of the connection to the political party NPD.[32] After the terror group National Socialist Underground was uncovered in 2011, the city of Nuremberg refused number plates beginning with N-SU and even abolished the respective plates on their own vehicles of Stadtentwässerung und Umweltanalytik (sewage and environmental department).[33] In the 2010s, some districts started banning licence plates with the middle letters IS which resembled the Islamic State.[34] The Herford district registration office ceased issuing registration plates with the combination HF-Z in April 2022 to avoid connotations with the use of the letter "Z" as a symbol for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[35]
The combinations STA-SI, S-ED[29]/SE-D,[36]HEI-L, IZ-AN and WAF-FE are also forbidden or discouraged, to avoid association with Stasi, the Sozialistische Einheitspartei of the GDR, the Nazi salute, NAZI backwards and the German word for weapon respectively. Other combinations affected are BUL-LE (German derogative for police, roughly comparable to pig),[37]MO-RD (German for murder)[38] and SU-FF (boozing).[39][40]
On the other hand, plates that would seem offensive in other circumstances have been allowed, such as the infamous acronym AC-AB. Since the 1950s, morals and customs have certainly changed, and combinations which may have appeared indecent then do not raise an eyebrow now. Therefore it is not a problem to get a licence plate with S-EX,[29] SE-X or SE-XY,[36] for example.
For quite different reasons, some districts hold certain letter combinations reserved. The Saxon capital Dresden issues all DD-Q plates to the state police vehicles. Likewise, Erfurt uses EF-LP for the police in Thuringia. Munich and other Bavarian cities reserve certain combinations with P for the police units within their authorities, such as M-PM, N-PP or RO-P.[41] Cologne issues K-TX to taxis and K-LN to the city's own vehicles.[28] In various districts, firefighter vehicles will be issued the middle letters FW standing for Feuerwehr.[42]
Fake number plate, seemingly from Munich but obviously not correct, due to the umlaut and the leading digit 0
Sometimes, e.g. in movie films, it may be necessary to show licence plates which do not really belong to any vehicle. The easiest way would be to create a fictional area code, such as NN-XY 555. In the 1980s TV series Der Fahnder,[43] the area code G was used for a fictional "large city" (German: Großstadt) in the Ruhrgebiet area. However, if the plot is supposed to take place in a defined town or region, the audience would expect cars to show codes of that area on their number plates. When James Bond was driving through Hamburg in Tomorrow Never Dies, the obviously fake Berlin licence plates on his BMW were soon pointed out.[44]
In the time before 2000, it had also been possible to use number plates with bogus identifiers containing the letters B, F, G, I, O and Q, which at that time were not issued in the middle group. Meanwhile, however, all these letters can appear on a real licence plate. In order to state clearly that the plate shown is a fictive one, the crew could use an impossible identifier, such as an umlaut in this middle section. Yet another way would be to have a valid registration issued (or at least reserved) by the district authority.
Several shops advertising Schilder (plates), in the street of the registration authority
Vehicles must be registered with their owner's name and current address. On proof of identity, vehicle documentation and liability insurance, the registration will take place in the district authority competent for the respective address.[5]: §6 An alphanumeric combination, which can be reserved according to personal wishes, will be issued to the vehicle. The physical plates, however, have to be acquired separately, either at a local store or online.[45] Both the dimensions of the plates and the typeface of letters and numbers are standardized. After purchasing the number plate, the official stamps must be applied, back at the registration office.[5]: §12(3) A fee is payable for the registration, in addition to the expenses for the plates.
Any registration or change of it will be registered both within the district authority and nationwide. The latter task is carried out by the Central Vehicle Register (Zentrales Fahrzeugregister, ZFZR) which is controlled by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA).[13]: §31 The data which are stored there refer to the vehicle, the owner and the insurance.[13]: §33 [46] Inquiries from foreign authorities can be addressed to ZFZR which will then direct them to the correct district.[13]: §37 [47]
Changes, such as a vehicle being sold or its owner moving residence, must be registered to keep the vehicle documentation up to date.[5]: §15 If the vehicle remains within the district, the licence plates may be retained. A vehicle being relocated outside of the district has to be registered at the authority now competent. Whilst it was mandatory to have the plates altered, according to the current address, this obligation was reduced in 2015 and has meanwhile been abolished. Since then, it is generally not possible any more to tell the owner's district of residence from the area code on the plates, as they may have registered it at a former residence e.g. in Hamburg yet moved to Frankfurt meanwhile.[48]
Example of a defaced plate – notice how the bottom seal is completely gone, due to scraping. (from Kronach).
When owners choose to deregister their vehicle, the officer at the local authority will want to see the licence plates with defaced seals on them as proof that the plate can no longer be used in public. For this purpose, special machines are available for use at the registration office. Once defaced, the plates may only be used legally on public roads for one return journey to the owner's residence. If a vehicle is to be deregistered and a new one registered to the same owner, it is possible to swap the licence plate from old to new within the same process. Documentation and fees are necessary nonetheless, and neither vehicle should be used to reach the authority, as the assignment of the number changes by the minute.
It is general practice for owners to deregister their vehicles when selling them, typically when a sale is agreed. A sales contract is highly recommended, and various forms are available online for free.[49] A seller may hand over their vehicle with valid licence plates and papers still in their name to the new owner, and the owner will complete the registration transfer to their name. In a scenario without a proper sales contract, the seller may become liable when the buyer commits traffic violations or even criminal acts related to the car or plates. It is generally not recommended to sell used cars with licence plates.
A car whose owner has not paid their insurance premium and is reported to the police by the insurance company may get entstempelt, unstamped when found in a public place. The police will remove the official seal using a scratching tool like a screwdriver, leaving the plate without a valid seal. This renders the vehicle illegal to be used, or to be left in a public place, unless the insurance premium is paid and plates are fitted with a new official seal. A one-time journey to the relevant registration authorities is permitted to have the seal reinstated, once insurance is restored.
As of 2020, the average registration fee is €26.00[50] whilst further fees may apply for choosing an individual identifier or for reservation of such. Whereas some of these amounts are ordained by federal laws, others vary slightly from one district to the next.[51] The prices for number plates, on the other hand, are subject to the free market and range from less than €10 up to around €40 per piece. Generally, it is cheaper to have the plates ordered online, but faster to walk across the street and have them made on the spot.
Further costs arise for motor vehicle tax (€194 on average[52] yet very much depending on engine and emissions) and mandatory liability insurance (€260 on average, in 2019;[53] depending on the model of the vehicle, age and residence of the owner, etc.). Comprehensive insurance is recommended but voluntary.
Besides the most common way of registering a vehicle for everyday, all-year use indefinitely, it is possible to register for several months of each year, or for a few days in order to export the vehicle abroad. As well it is allowed, under certain restrictions, to register two vehicles (such as a car and a motorhome) under one number, with the same main licence plate. These variations may save expenses in tax and insurance. Further ways of saving apply to vintage cars and to electrically powered vehicles. Each of these special registrations are represented in the respective licence plate.
In deviating from the system described above, vehicles registered to federal, state or communal owners can bear licence plates not showing the district and sometimes omitting the middle letters.
The President uses the licence plate 0-1, the Chancellor uses 0-2, the Foreign Minister uses 0-3 and the First State Secretary of the Foreign Office (i.e. the deputy Foreign Minister) uses 0-4. The President of the Parliament uses 1-1. This reflects the fact that the Parliament's President is not part of the executive branch but still ranks higher in (symbolic) importance than the Chancellor. These vehicles are tax-exempt and need not to be insured since the German government acts as insurer.
Bundeswehr uses old style non-reflecting plates. The German flag is shown, instead of the blue EU strip. Bundeswehr plates use the letter Y instead of a city code, as no German city has this initial. The Y is followed by a dash and a six-digit number (or five digits for motorcycles), for example Y-123 456. These vehicles are tax-exempt and need not to be insured since the German government acts as insurer. There is also no mandatory technical inspection required but the Armed Forces carry out a regular internal inspection on these vehicles similar to the official inspection.
Military vehicles which are used by the NATO headquarters in Germany use the same design as the Y-plates except they carry the letter X followed by a four-digit number, for example X-1234.
Bundesfinanzverwaltung (customs)Vehicle of Baden-Württemberg state government
Both the federal government and federal state governments use special abbreviations instead of a city code. The code BD(Bundesrepublik Deutschland) applies to the federal government, ministries, parliament, presidential office, etc., whereas the state governments and diets use their respective codes. This difference is not made in the Stadtstaaten Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen, as they fulfil both district and state function in addition to their municipality's. In some Bundesländer, such as North Rhine-Westphalia, the state code is also used by the police.[example 4]
Bundespost vehicle, 1960s/70s, with old-style BP plate
Some branches and institutions of the federal government use their special prefix (often an abbreviation of their name) instead of a city code.
The Technisches Hilfswerk (German Federal Agency for Technical Relief) uses its abbreviation THW, so the plates read THW-80000, for example. All numbers on THW plates start either with the digit 8 or 9.
The Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes (Federal Administration of Waterways and Navigation) uses BW followed by a digit identifying the region of the office (from 1=north to 7=south).
Before the Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railways) and the Deutsche Bundespost (German Federal Mail) were privatised, they used the abbreviations DB and BP (e.g. DB-12345, BP-12345).
The federal police uses the code BP for Bundespolizei instead of a local code. Before 2006 the code BG, for their former name Bundesgrenzschutz, was used in the scheme BG-12345. This old code still remains valid, but any new vehicles will get the new code BP.
Official registered vehicle for Technisches Hilfswerk (German Federal Agency for Technical Relief)
Wasser- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes, here: South Office in Würzburg
Bundesgrenzschutz licence plate, old-style code BG, no longer issued
Bundespolizei (Federal Police), code BP in use since 2005
Official registered vehicle (here: fire brigade)Official registered vehicle for disaster relief
Before the legal reforms of 2006, official vehicles such as police, fire fighting and municipal administration did not carry a letter after the sticker, but only the district prefix and a number, such as M-1234. These included:
vehicles of the district government: 1–199, 1000–1999, 10000–19999
vehicles of the local government, e.g. fire brigade: 200–299, 2000–2999, 20000–29999, 300–399
disaster relief (mostly changed to "THW", see above): 8000–8999, 80000–89999
This style of plate is no longer issued in most states, but many official vehicles which were registered before 2006 still carry this type of plate.
A similar style is issued by some districts to consular or diplomatic vehicles in the form Aaa-9NNn (example: D-921). Unlike the other style of diplomatic/consular plates issued in Berlin and Bonn, this plate does not indicate the nationality of the mission.
Plates of cars covered by diplomatic immunity bear the digit 0 (Zero), followed by a two- or three-digit number which indicates the specific diplomatic mission, a hyphen and another number counting within this mission. Traditionally, a digit 1 in this final place denotes the ambassador or chef de mission. Lower-ranking embassy or consular staff without full diplomatic status are issued plates with the regular city code (mostly B for the capital, Berlin, or BN for the former capital, Bonn). The following characters are identical to the 0-plates, e.g. B 19–256. Further holders of diplomatic plates are certain international organizations, such as the UNHCR or the European Central Bank.[54]
Car of the Cypriot ambassador
Diplomatic plate, Indonesian embassy in Berlin
Plate for diplomatic employee, French embassy in Berlin
French
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Licence plate with part-plastic (1964); plate and area code are embossed whereas the identifier characters (J 5) are riveted on.
All-plastic plate (2008)
Plastic licence plate (2013), characters clipped on
Detailed view of all-metal plate, characters partly worn off
FCN sticker on a licence plate (not exactly legal)
N plate with two middle letters from Nuremberg (Nürnberg) city
N plate with one middle letter from Nürnberger Land district
Registration seal, City of Duisburg, pre-1994 version with city arms
Registration seal, City of Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, post-1994 version with state emblem
Registration seal (Coburg district, Bavaria)
Bundeswehr registration seal with the Bundesadler
Safety test sticker
Emission test sticker (1985–2010)
Safety test (here: valid until June 2007) and registration seal (Fürth, Bavaria)![Ancient safety test marker, September 1964[i]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/TUEV_Plakette_1964.jpg/120px-TUEV_Plakette_1964.jpg)
Ancient safety test marker, September 1964[i]
![Ancient safety test marker, September 1964[i]](/wiki/en/File:TUEV_Plakette_1964.jpg)
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_licence_plate_Germany_from_Bielefeld.JPG){kind=small}
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ADAC roadside assistance car
Deutsche Bahn (DB) construction supervisor
2 cars of Deutsche Telekom (DT), registered in Münster
A car of Kone's, unmistakably
Bus E-AT 895, headed for Essen-Kray in 1991
_Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg_Landesregierung_1%3DLandtag.jpg)
Official registered vehicle for Technisches Hilfswerk (German Federal Agency for Technical Relief)
Wasser- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes, here: South Office in Würzburg
Bundesgrenzschutz licence plate, old-style code BG, no longer issued
Bundespolizei (Federal Police), code BP in use since 2005
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Car of the Cypriot ambassador
Diplomatic plate, Indonesian embassy in Berlin
Plate for diplomatic employee, French embassy in Berlin
Consular corps plate in Hamburg
Small format plate for a U.S. diplomat
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