Motor Vehicle; Application for De-registration

De-registration terminates the vehicle’s registration. The most common reason is the sale of the vehicle. Until a new buyer is found, the owner saves on vehicle tax and insurance. Another main reason is to de-register motorcycles, travel trailers, and convertibles during the winter months.

You can deregister your vehicle at any registration office. Information about registration offices in Bavaria can be found under “Related Links.”

You can reserve your license plate for the purpose of re-registration (see “Related Topics”).

Vehicles can also be de-registered online (see the online procedures of the vehicle registration authorities in Bavaria). 

If a vehicle in class M1, N1, or L5e is handed over to a recognized recycling facility, the previous owner or holder of the vehicle must have it deregistered immediately at the competent registration authority upon presentation of a certificate of recycling. The registration authority enters the data into the registry and, after verification, returns the proof of recycling (Section 17(1), sentences 1 and 2, FZV).

Parts I and II of the registration certificate must be surrendered to the registration authority immediately after recycling. The registration authority must withdraw and destroy Parts I and II of the registration certificate.

The same applies if the vehicle is disposed of in another EU or EEA member state or in a third country.

You can deregister your vehicle

• if you intend to sell it,
• if you are not using it temporarily, or
• if you are having it scrapped.

You must apply to the registration authority to have the vehicle decommissioned.

The decommissioning will be recorded in Part I of the registration certificate.

This can also be done online. In that case, the process is automated and takes effect immediately upon completion of the entry. 

To do this, you must enter the security codes from the Registration Certificate Part I and the license plate numbers.

You can access the online procedures on your registration authority’s portal. You can also find further information there.

Information about the registration authorities’ online procedures can be found under “Related Links.”

After seven years, if proof is missing, a new operating permit is required upon re-registration.

• Certificate of Registration, Part I
• Official license plate
• When disposing of the vehicle: additionally, a certificate of recycling and the vehicle registration certificate (Part II)

• Certificate of Registration, Part II
  Part II of the Certificate of Registration (formerly the vehicle registration certificate) is required only if the vehicle is disposed of.
• Proof of Recycling (Proof of Disposal)
  When the vehicle is subsequently scrapped, you must provide proof of recycling (proof of disposal).

• Deactivation at a registration authority: 15.90 EUR
• Deactivation via the Internet: 2.10 EUR
• In addition, the registration authority may charge for postage costs incurred.
• Added to this are the fees charged by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (1.20 EUR) and for document seals used (0.30 EUR each). If the license plate is reserved for the re-registration of the same vehicle, an additional 2.60 EUR applies.

When scrapping a vehicle that is to be taken out of service, a so-called certificate of recycling is required, which increases the fee:

• if you submit the certificate at the time of decommissioning, the fee increases by 5.10 euros
• if you submit the certificate later, the fee increases by 10.20 euros