Applying for registration for car trailers
Service description
You apply for the registration of your motor vehicle trailer at the registration authority in whose area you have your place of residence or registered office. Motor vehicle trailers can be registered to private individuals and legal entities or companies as vehicle owners, i.e. also to:
- Companies,
- Authorities or
- Associations.
Car trailers are exempt from the registration requirement if they
- are not used for journeys over 25 km/h and either
- carried behind tractors or self-propelled machines for agricultural or forestry purposes,
- in the form of caravans and pack wagons in the fairground industry or
- are used as mobile construction huts.
Furthermore, they are exempt from the obligation to obtain a licence without a speed limit:
- Working machines,
- Special trailers for transporting sports equipment, animals for sports purposes or lifeboats,
- Fire brigade and disaster control trailers,
- single-axle trailers behind motorbikes, mopeds and motorised medical chairs and
- Seat carts that are carried behind single-axle agricultural or forestry tractors or work machines.
Note: For a vehicle trailer that is already registered, provided it has not been taken out of service completely in the meantime, you only need to submit an application for re-registration in the event of a change of keeper.
Procedure
You must apply for your licence in person:
- Contact your local licensing authority for information on the required documents and forms.
- If possible, make an appointment or, if available, use the online procedure.
- Bring all the necessary documents and the relevant payment amount with you to your appointment.
- Your documents will be checked directly on site.
- If the test is positive, you will receive the certificate during the appointment:
- Your personal licence plate number,
- the stamped licence plates and
- Your authorisation documents.
- There are usually private dealers not far from the registration office where you can have the number plate printed directly afterwards.
Note: You can also be represented by an authorised person. If you are not registered in Germany, you can only apply for the licence plate if you name a person authorised to receive it.
Who should I contact?
Your local competent licensing authority.
Prerequisites
- The trailer must correspond to an approved type or an individual authorisation must have been issued.
- Motor vehicle liability insurance for your car trailer
- You must not have any outstanding fees and expenses from previous authorisation processes.
- Payment arrears over EUR 30.00: no authorisation until you have settled the debt
- Arrears of less than EUR 30.00: authorisation at the discretion of the local competent authority
- You must not have vehicle tax debts of EUR 5.00 or more. Late payment penalties, interest and late payment penalties are also taken into account when calculating the amount.
Which documents are required?
- for private individuals:
- valid identity card or passport
- for legal entities/companies:
- Extract from the commercial register or
- Business registration or
- Extract from the register of associations
- Registration certificate part II (if available, otherwise apply for a copy),
- Certificate of conformity (abbreviation: COC) or
- Individual authorisation for the trailer in the original,
- Report on the successfully completed and valid main inspection,
- electronic insurance confirmation
- for private individuals:
What fees are incurred?
Costs are incurred.
What deadlines do I have to observe?
none
Processing time
Varies depending on the licensing office.
Legal basis
Applications / Forms
Forms: can be obtained from your local licensing authority
Personal appearance required: no
Further information
Short text
- Trailer vehicle registration
- Trailers carried on public roads require a licence
- Upon registration, the vehicle owner receives the vehicle documents, licence plate number and number plate
- Personal appearance by vehicle owner/representative required
- No authorisation if fees in arrears from previous authorisation processes exceed EUR 5.00
- No online application possible
- fees apply
- Responsible: local licensing authority
Typing
3