Registering a Car (KFZ-Zulassung) in Munich
How to register a car in Munich: insurance and an eVB number first, the documents for the Zulassungsstelle, the number plates, the costs and the vehicle tax.
Key Takeaways
- Arrange car insurance first to get an eVB number — the registration office will not process your car without it.
- Bring your ID, registration certificate, the vehicle papers, a valid HU/TÜV and a SEPA mandate to the Zulassungsstelle, then have plates made nearby for about €20-30.
- Budget a registration fee of roughly €30-60 plus the annual Kfz-Steuer, which customs collects by direct debit based on engine size and emissions.
Registering a car in Germany follows a strict sequence, and turning up at the office without the right paperwork means going home empty-handed. The process — KFZ-Zulassung — is logical once you know the order: arrange insurance, gather your documents, register at the office, and fit your plates. This is mainly relevant if you buy a car here or bring one from abroad, since the city's excellent transport makes a car optional for many. Here is how to do it.
Insurance first: the eVB number
Nothing happens without insurance. Before you can register, you must take out Kfz-Versicherung (car insurance), which issues you an eVB — an electronic confirmation number that proves you are covered. The registration office will not process your car without it. Compare policies on a portal first, since liability cover (Haftpflicht) is mandatory and the wider principles of German insurance are covered in our liability and home insurance guide.
Where to go and what to bring
Registration happens at the Zulassungsstelle, part of Munich's KVR, by appointment. Bring your ID or passport, your Meldebescheinigung from your Anmeldung, the eVB insurance number, the vehicle documents (the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and Teil II, the registration and ownership papers), proof of a valid HU (the TÜV roadworthiness test), and a SEPA direct-debit mandate so the vehicle tax can be collected. Missing any one of these usually means rebooking, so check the office's list in advance.
The number plates
Plates are made outside the office, not by it. Once your paperwork is in order you take your assigned number to a nearby plate-engraving shop — there are always several around the Zulassungsstelle — and have the physical plates made for roughly €20 to €30. You can reserve a personalised combination (a Wunschkennzeichen) online beforehand if you like. The plates are then validated with official stickers, and your car is road-legal.
What it costs
Beyond insurance and plates, the registration fee itself is modest, generally in the region of €30 to €60 depending on the type of registration. The ongoing cost to budget for is the Kfz-Steuer (annual vehicle tax), which is collected by customs (the Zoll) via the SEPA mandate you provide and varies with your engine size and emissions. A cleaner, smaller-engined car costs noticeably less to tax than a large or older one.
Bringing a car from abroad
Importing your own car is more involved than registering a local one. You generally must register it within a set period of arriving, and it may need a German roadworthiness inspection and a Certificate of Conformity (COC) to confirm it meets EU standards, with extra steps for non-EU imports. Because customs and tax can also come into play, it is often worth weighing the hassle and cost against simply selling abroad and buying locally once you are settled.
Buying or selling used
Most newcomers who get a car buy used, which means a change of keeper rather than a fresh registration. When buying, check the car has a current HU and complete the re-registration (Ummeldung) into your name promptly; when selling, make sure the buyer re-registers it so liability and tax pass to them. Keep the signed handover paperwork, as it protects you against tickets or tax for a car you no longer own.
When you leave or scrap it
Closing things down mirrors setting up. When you sell, scrap or take the car out of Germany, you deregister it (Abmeldung) at the Zulassungsstelle, which invalidates the plates and stops the vehicle tax. Do this promptly so you are not charged tax or held liable for a car you have parted with. Keep the deregistration confirmation as proof, just as you keep the registration documents while the car is yours.
Registering a car in Munich is bureaucratic but predictable: insurance and the eVB first, then the office with a full set of documents, then plates from a nearby shop. Budget for the registration fee and the annual vehicle tax, and remember that between the Deutschlandticket and the city's transport, plenty of residents skip car ownership altogether. If you do want one, follow the sequence and a single appointment usually has you on the road.