Vehicle License Plates; Applying for a Red License Plate for Test Drives and Transport Runs

Red license plates are issued by the local registration authority to reputable motor vehicle manufacturers, motor vehicle parts manufacturers, motor vehicle repair shops, and motor vehicle dealers on a temporary or revocable basis for recurring business use, including on different vehicles. A license plate with red lettering on a white background with a red border consists of a distinguishing symbol and an identification number, which, like the short-term license plate, consists only of digits and begins with “06.”

Note: The red license plate must be used in conjunction with the special vehicle registration booklet.

The applicant must

• be trustworthy and
• own a vehicle-related business registered in their name.

You must submit the application to the licensing authority with jurisdiction over your place of business. You may also authorize a representative to do so on your behalf by providing a written power of attorney.

If an application form is required, you can obtain it in advance from the registration authority and fill it out at home. Depending on the services offered by your registration authority, a downloadable form or an online service may be available.

You can find information about the registration authorities under “Related Links.”

The registration authority will automatically notify your insurance company of the license plate assignment.

The registration authority will assign the license plates to you.

• Business Registration
• A valid ID card or passport of the business owner (or all business owners)
• If represented by another person: a written power of attorney and, in addition, a valid ID card or passport of the authorized representative
• Explanation Regarding the Collection of Motor Vehicle Tax
• For legal entities: an extract from the commercial register and the identification cards of all managing directors or authorized signatories
• Proof of the applicant's reliability
  This is generally verified by information from the Federal Central Register (certificate of good conduct), information from the Central Trade Register, or information from the Central Traffic Register at the Federal Motor Transport Authority
• If no application form is provided: a written explanation of the need
• Insurance Confirmation in the Form of an eVB Number

The fee for issuing a red license plate ranges from 25.60 to 205.00 EUR, depending on the amount of work involved.