Germany license plate (D) in 2025 ✅

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What does a standard German license plate look like?

German license plates are white with black characters, with a format of 520x110 millimeters (standard rectangular) or 280x200 millimeters (standard square), using the FE-Schrift typeface. Since 1995, license plates have included the euroband with the national code "D" (Deutschland - Germany) on the left side. The first, first two, or first three letters correspond to a specific region of the country. The current system, which remains in place today, was introduced on July 1, 1956. You can check plates from East Germany (DDR) here. The first license plate within the first standardized system was issued in 1906, in black on a white background, starting with the regional code (different from the current one), followed by a hyphen and a series of digits. In German, car license plates are called Kfz-Kennzeichen, but they are more commonly known as Nummernschild or Kennzeichen.

Current German License Plates

Current license plates are composed as follows: GGG-LL-NNNN, where G is a geographic identifier consisting of one, two, or three letters.

L consists of one or two letters with no geographic meaning, and N consists of one to four numbers. Interestingly, most single-letter regional codes are in the eastern part of the country. Behind the regional code, two stickers are displayed. The top one indicates the technical inspection date, and the bottom one represents the federal state. On December 1, 2023, the code MUC was introduced for Munich plates as a complement to M.

Are personalized license plates allowed in Germany?

Although license plate customization is not as extensive as in Sweden or Czech Republic, it is possible to choose part of the letters and characters displayed on a German license plate for just 10.20 euros (in German, Wunschkennzeichen). Customizing a German license plate involves selecting up to two letters after the regional seals and up to four numbers without a leading zero. However, some combinations are not allowed, both for letters and numbers. Letter combinations referring to Nazism or similar organizations are prohibited. Some forbidden letter combinations include AH, HH, SD, HEI L, HJ, N PD, N S, N SU, S ED, WAF FE, and AC AB. The numeric combinations 88 and 18 are also prohibited due to their negative historical connotations.

Stickers Used on German License Plates

Two stickers are used on German license plates. Both appear right after the regional code. The upper one indicates the expiration of the technical inspection, and the lower one identifies the federal state (Land).

Technical Inspection Sticker

The first sticker, shown at the top, indicates the expiration date of the vehicle's technical inspection. The first inspection occurs after three years, and then every two years. The sticker's center shows the last two digits of the expiration year (e.g., 25 for 2025). The upper part of the sticker always displays the expiration month. Note that the sticker is rotated if it expires in a month other than December. The color of the sticker changes every seven years to help law enforcement quickly identify validity. This sticker is displayed only on the rear plate. Until 2010, a similar hexagonal sticker was placed on the front plate to indicate emissions conditions.

Federal State Seal

The lower sticker measures 45 mm and indicates the federal state where the vehicle was registered. It appears on both front and rear plates. The top part displays the name of one of the 16 states (Land), while the center features the state's coat of arms. The lower part shows the Zulassungsstelle, the local vehicle registration office within the federal state. Seals may differ for the armed forces, which use the national German emblem. Since 2015, a QR code has been included with an embedded security chip.

What color can the technical inspection sticker be?

If you're wondering about the color of the technical inspection sticker we showed earlier, below you will find all the data from the 70s to the upcoming years. Since 1980, the colors have followed a pattern of blue, yellow, brown, pink, green, orange, and again blue. Select from the dropdown below to see the background color of the sticker year by year.

Federal state seal

The sticker shown at the bottom is 45 mm in size and shows the federal state where the vehicle was registered. It is shown on both the front and rear license plates. The top displays the name of one of the 16 states (land). In the center, it shows the state's coat of arms. At the bottom, it shows the Zulassungsstelle, which refers to the district office within the federal state where the registration took place. Additionally, the seals may be different for the armed forces, which use the German national coat of arms. Since 2015, a QR code has been displayed under which there is a security chip.

Special license plate systems in Germany today

Germany currently uses a series of special license plates to identify the different types of vehicles that drive on its roads. Below, we show the different types of license plates you can find.

Historic Vehicle Registration

Historic Registration (red 07). In Germany, vehicles that are more than 30 years old from their first circulation can opt for special registrations that show the letter H on the right side of the license plate. These types of plates use black characters on a white background and follow the regular German configuration. The historic vehicle registration (with the H letter) is valid throughout the year. In order for a German vehicle to be registered as historic, it must have a report validating it as "historic." These H-letter registrations can circulate abroad without restrictions and can be used for commercial purposes. The inspection of a historic vehicle with this registration takes place every two years. Do not confuse the historic vehicle registrations with the H letter with the historic vehicle for occasional use with red characters. In no case, the historic vehicle registrations with the H letter at the end can exceed 8 characters, including the letter H. It is possible to combine a historic plate with a seasonal registration if the historic vehicle is not driven for several months during the year.

Electric Vehicle Registration

Since October 2015, German electric vehicles can use a special registration system, ending with the letter E and using the same configuration as the regular system. In no case, the electric vehicle registrations with the letter E at the end can exceed 8 characters, including the letter E.

Seasonal Registration with Small Numbers

Have you seen a regular German registration plate but it has small numbers on the right side? Then you’ve seen a German seasonal registration plate (in German Saisonkennzeichen). What do the small numbers on the right side of the plate signify? The small numbers on the plate identify the months during which the registration is valid, and therefore the vehicle circulation. The number on the top indicates from which month the vehicle can circulate, and the number below indicates until which month it can circulate with that seasonal plate. This type of seasonal registration is used in motorcycles, luxury vehicles, or motorhomes, among others. The period during which driving is valid must be at least 2 months and at most 11 months. It is common in northern Europe and mountainous areas that during winter months, it is very difficult to drive. This has led Germany to create this type of registration that reduces the owner’s expenses in exchange for not being able to drive the vehicle during the months they specify. For example, a vehicle showing the numbers 03 above and 09 below will be able to drive between the first day of March (03) and the last day of September (09). From October to February, this vehicle cannot circulate or park on public roads.

German Transferable Registration Plates (W)

Since June 2nd, 2012, Germany has had transferable car plates, known as Wechselkennzeichen. These German car plates allow more than one car to use the same registration number and are rarely seen on the roads. The unique feature is that a number between 1 and 10 appears on the right side, identifying the car relative to the others. Additionally, above the security sticker, there is a small letter W. These transferable plates can also be used on historic vehicles, adding the letter H behind the number in the vertical plate on the right side of the main registration.

Tax-Free Vehicle Registration Green Plates

Tax-free vehicle registrations in Germany are characterized by green characters and the same configuration as the regular system. Vehicles that can use the green tax-free plate are those that are exempt from vehicle tax. These vehicles can be of many types, such as tractors and agricultural machinery, trailers for transporting sports materials, animals for sports purposes, and lifeboats. Tax-free green plates are also used in agricultural and forestry operations, for the transportation of dairy products, and by farmers and foresters for maintaining green spaces. German motorcycles and mopeds cannot use these special green plates.

Red Character Registration Plates 05, 06, and 07

In Germany, there are three types of registration plates for cars or motorcycles with red characters. The two most common are the red plates starting with 06 and 07. 06 identifies dealership plates, and 07 is for historic vehicles. The red 05 registration plate identifies test centers.

German Dealership Registration Plate Red 06 (Händlerkennzeichen)

German registration plates with red characters starting with the numbers 06 are those that identify dealership registrations. In German, they are called Händlerkennzeichen. They are commonly seen on new vehicles, but can also be used on already-registered vehicles. These red dealership plates starting with 06 are mainly used for driving tests, but can also be used for visits to the workshop and transfer trips (transfer trips (Überführungsfahrten) are trips made by vehicles that have not been officially inspected and require authorization to circulate). These dealership plates cannot be fixed to the vehicle as they will be reused on another vehicle later. These plates are valid for one year. These plates cannot be used for private purposes. The first block of 1, 2, or 3 letters identifies the region.

Red historical vehicle license plate with numbers 07

Do not confuse with Historical License Plates (H). Another type of license plate with red characters is used for collector's historical vehicles. This red license plate starts with the number 07 followed by a series of numbers and is used privately. The red license plate for classic vehicles allows the use of the vehicle for attending car events, test trips, and transport (transfer trips (Überführungsfahrten) are those trips made by vehicles that have not been officially inspected and require authorization to circulate) and for maintenance trips only. Therefore, the red historical vehicle license plate is not valid for daily use such as going shopping, for example. As with the Historical License Plates (H), the vehicle must be at least 30 years old. The red historical vehicle license plate is not usually recognized abroad except in Switzerland and may lead to severe fines. The cost of this type of license plate is approximately 200 euros for cars and 46 euros for motorcycles. The first block of 1, 2, or 3 letters identifies the region.

Red license plate for test centers 05

In addition to the previous two types, there are German license plates with red characters starting with numbers 05. This type of German license plate is valid only for recognized technical test centers and control organizations. The purpose of these license plates is solely to test whether the vehicle functions correctly. The number of these license plates is practically zero.

What are the provisional license plates from Germany with a yellow strip like?

Short-term provisional license plates from Germany (in German Kurzzeitkennzeichen) have a yellow strip on the right side. Provisional license plates from Germany start with a regional code of one to three letters, followed by a regional stamp in blue, and a configuration of the numbers 03 or 04 followed by a series of numbers. These provisional plates have been in use since May 1, 1998. Previously, they had the design of dealership plates. On the right side of the provisional license plates from Germany, there is a yellow strip that shows the validity period of the plate. The provisional plates are valid for a maximum of five days, and after that date, they are no longer valid.

How do German export license plates work?

If you export a car from Germany, you should know that the plates are assigned to the owner, not the vehicle, so you will receive the vehicle without plates. This means that to drive it from there, you will need to put a temporary export license plate, called Ausfuhrkennzeichen. These plates are characterized by a red strip on the right side of the plate. German export plates are valid for a limited time period.

German export license plates resemble ordinary "normal" license plates, with black characters on a white background, without the euroband and with a red strip on the right showing the expiration date, with the day at the top, month in the middle, and the last two digits of the year at the bottom. The first character group identifies the region.

Export license plates must be requested from the Federal Motor Transport Authority KBA, where the change of ownership is processed, and they usually cost around 35€, with no need to be a German citizen to do so.

Insurance indicator license plates (mopeds)

Some vehicles on German roads do not need a license plate. These plates are 130x105.5 mm in size, validated annually, and issued by insurance companies. In German, they are called Versicherungskennzeichen and apply, among others, to mopeds and electric scooters. The configuration is three numbers and three letters.

This type of plate has been in use since 1957, and it is used for the following types of vehicles. Mopeds, small motorcycles, and light vehicles with a maximum speed of 45 km/h. It is also used by motorized wheelchairs for people with reduced mobility and microcars (maximum unladen weight of 350 kg). Since 2019, electric scooters are also required to use this type of plate, with a reduced size of 65x52.8 mm. The colors of these plates change depending on the year, and apply from March 1st until the end of February the following year, and are issued by the insurance company. The numbering is completely random. At the bottom of the plate, the year in which the plate is valid is shown preceded by the letters GDC (GDV = General Association of the German Insurance Industry = Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft). Until 2021, physical plates were made of aluminum or steel sheet, but since 2021, it is optional to use a sheet or acrylic plate. License plates used by dealerships use red characters on a white background at all times, starting with the letter Z.

Colors used in German electric scooter and moped license plates

As mentioned in the previous section, insurance-issued plates for vehicles that do not require regular plates are issued annually, with a different color for each year. Below you can find the colors of the characters and border used year by year.

Federal plates in use in Germany

There are different plates for federal vehicles at the national level in Germany. These plates start with two or three letters, followed by a numerical combination. Below you can find a table with all the official codes used in German plates, which may start with BD (Federal Government), BP (National Police), BW (Maritime Authority) or THW.

Official plates

The official vehicles of each province have plates that begin with the regional code, followed by the technical inspection and the provincial seal. Finally, a series of numbers are shown. In the case of ministries, after the technical inspection and the provincial seal, a number separated by a hyphen from the rest of the plate is displayed. This number identifies a ministry, which may be represented from 1 to 7. (see table D4)

Continue in the text

If the second combination of characters starts with the digit 1 (1, 100-, 1000-, -19999), it identifies the district government. If they start with 2 (200-, 2000-, -29999), they identify vehicles from the local government, such as fire trucks. Police plates vary by region, as seen in table D2. However, until 2007, and from this date in Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, numbering from 3000 to 3999, 7000 to 7999, 30000 to 39999, and 70000 to 79999 are used.

Diplomatic plate of Germany

The current diplomatic car plates of Germany have a white background with black characters. They begin with the number “0”, followed by the technical inspection sticker and two groups of numbers. The first group of numbers in the diplomatic plates of Germany represents the code of the state, territory, or organization (see the diplomatic codes of Germany below). If the second group of numbers contains the number 1, it is generally the ambassador of that country. Plates for administrative technical staff begin with B or BN. B for Berlin and BN for Bonn. (+ detailed info)

The main government leaders in Germany use plates O-1 to O-5, starting with the number 0 (zero). O-1 is reserved for the Federal President. O-2 for the Federal Chancellor. O-3 for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. O-4 for the Secretary of State. And 1-1 for the President of the National Assembly (Bundestag).

Military plates of Germany

The current military plates of Germany use black characters on a white background. Military plates in Germany are reserved for the Federal Defense (Bundeswehr). Military plates have a different configuration within the German system. Military plates start with the national flag on the left, followed by the letter Y, a hyphen, and six digits. Since 1955, the letter Y has been used in German military plates, as previously the letters BW were used, but after becoming outdated, it was decided to use a letter that was less commonly used in the country. If the edge of the plate and the numbers are red, it will be a plate for test vehicles. Also, the letter X is used for NATO vehicles. In this case, the letter X is followed by a hyphen and a series of four digits.

German plate for American military forces in Germany

Since July 3, 2000, plates for the American forces in Germany have the same design as Germany's plates. Instead of using the euroband with the letter "D", they use USA password plates (identifying United States of America). The first two letters of the plates for the American military forces in Germany can only have some combinations as seen below. Currently, they can be HK, SH, QQ, while before, they were IF, AD, and AF. The configuration of the plates for the American military forces in Germany is the same as the regular system. However, in the left euroband, the USA password and the NATO emblem are shown. In 2020, the euroband was modified to show the USA letters in a much smaller size. In 2022, the NATO emblem was removed for high-number plates.

Letters on military plates	Extra data	Plate image
AD	European size
AF, HK SH, QQ	American size
IF	Official vehicle
Tx	Temporary

Matriculasdelmundo. License plates of Germany. Reviewed and updated information. Matriculasdelmundo.com. Retrieved on 31/03/2025 from https://matriculasdelmundo.com/en/germany.html.

License plates from other states and territories that you may be interested in:

Map of the Germany license plates

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Official Sources on License Plates of Germany

All the information about the license plates of cars and motorcycles in Germany and vehicle plates shown here has been extracted from official state archives (such as the BOE and the DGT in Spain), from personal sightings, by contacting automobile clubs from other countries, or through media or files referenced in the text. This information on car and motorcycle plates in Germany has been collected since 2009, so we hope you find the information you're looking for about Germany license plates.

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Please, check matriculasdelmundo.com in Spanish here for all the updated information about license plates of Germany.