Apply for a licence to operate vehicle parts
If parts are manufactured for installation or attachment to vehicles, it can be checked whether an operating licence is required. The type approval can be restricted to vehicles of a certain type, of a certain type or only for a certain type of installation or attachment. The validity of the type approval can be made dependent on the approval of an officially recognised expert or an officially recognised expert or inspector for motor vehicle traffic.
Responsible authority
The lower road traffic authorities (district authorities, towns and cities) are responsible for the approval of vehicle parts in accordance with Section 22 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO).
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
Owners or other authorised persons are entitled to apply.
The licensing authority can issue an individual type approval to the authorised person for vehicle parts that are not subject to mandatory type approval in accordance with Section 22a of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) and whose use does not contravene a traffic regulation.
Procedure
- Inspection of the relevant vehicle part by an officially recognised expert for motor vehicle traffic or an approved inspection body.
- Submit an application to the competent licensing authority.
- If the inspection is positive, the approval authority will issue the individual approval by noting the following on the report of the officially recognised expert for motor vehicle traffic or the test centre, stating the place and date: "Type approval granted".
- Any restrictions or exemptions from the provisions of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) are included in the note.
Deadlines
none
Required documents
- Proof of authorisation to dispose of the vehicle
- Documents showing the technical description of the vehicle part
- sample of the vehicle part, if applicable
- Certificate from an officially recognised expert from a testing organisation in accordance with § 22 StVZO
Costs
The fees are based on the effort involved and the economic benefit to the applicant in accordance with the scale of fees for road traffic measures (GebOSt). They may therefore vary in individual cases.
Processing time
These are individual authorisations. The processing time can therefore not be specified exactly.
Miscellaneous
If you want to convert or add components to a vehicle, you may only operate the vehicle on public roads if you have a valid operating licence for these vehicle parts. This applies, for example, to wheel rims, special wheels, parking heaters, trailer couplings and many other retrofits. You must comply with a number of requirements to ensure that your vehicle's operating licence does not expire.
Legal basis
Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO):
- § 19 Erteilung und Wirksamkeit der Betriebserlaubnis
- § 22 Betriebserlaubnis für Fahrzeugteile
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 24.07.2025