Applying for an operating licence for unregistered vehicles
The operating licence is part of the registration procedure for motor vehicles on public roads. An operating licence is a confirmation that your vehicle complies with the relevant regulations.
Various vehicles that are not subject to registration require an operating licence in order to be able to participate in road traffic. These include, for example
- self-propelled work machines and forklifts
- single-axle tractors for agricultural or forestry purposes
- Light motorcycles
- two- or three-wheeled mopeds
- motorised patient lifts
- Small electric vehicles such as e-scooters
- Trailers in agricultural or forestry operations
Depending on the vehicle type, you can be issued an operating licence with or without the allocation of your own licence plate.
Responsible authority
The licensing authority of your district or city is responsible for issuing an operating licence.
The local jurisdiction is based on
- for natural persons, according to the place of residence (main residence) of the vehicle owner
- for legal entities (companies), according to the location of the main or branch office
- also applies to partnerships that are entered in the commercial register (e.g. OHG and KG) or registered merchants
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
You require an individual approval in accordance with § 13 of the EC Vehicle Approval Regulation (EG-FGV) for
- New vehicles for which there is no declaration of conformity (CoC certificate) and which belong to one of the following classes
- M (cars, motorhomes, buses)
- N (vans, lorries, tractor units)
- O (trailers)
You need an operating licence for all other new or used vehicles for which no declaration of conformity (CoC certificate) is available, for example for
- vehicles constructed by yourself
- Vehicles imported from a country outside the European Economic Area
- Vehicles without EC type approval
- Vehicles whose type approval has expired, for example
- Vehicles that have been deregistered for more than 7 years
- If applicable, vehicles that have been modified by installation or conversion
Procedure
- You apply for an expert opinion from an officially recognised expert or a technical service designated to test complete vehicles of the respective vehicle class
- You submit the certificate together with the other documents to your local registration authority
- The local registration authority issues/amends the registration certificate Part II (vehicle registration document) and Part I (vehicle registration document) or notes with a seal on the expert opinion for obtaining individual approval/general operating licence that the operating licence has been issued
Deadlines
none
Required documents
- Identity card or passport of the applicant. Note: The applicant and the future owner of the vehicle do not necessarily have to be one and the same person
- technical data of the vehicle
- any restrictions on the operating licence
- for vehicles requiring a licence plate:
- Registration certificate part I (vehicle registration document)
- Proof of valid general inspection
- proof of insurance/licence plate, if applicable
- for vehicles not requiring a licence plate:
- informal confirmation of roadworthiness from a specialised body, e.g. vehicle workshop or expert, including description of the vehicle (manufacturer, chassis number/FIN)
- Proof of ownership, e.g. purchase contract or invoice, in the original in each case
- Full certificate from an inspection centre if the manufacturer no longer exists
Costs
The fees are set out in the German Road Traffic Fee Regulations (GebOSt) and depend on whether a licence plate is also applied for:
- at least EUR 39.50
- maximum EUR 55.60
The authorised organisations charge additional fees for technical inspections. Please inform yourself in advance about the respective amount.
Processing time
These are individual authorisations; the processing time can therefore not be specified exactly.
Miscellaneous
Driving without or with an expired operating licence is an administrative offence; the registration office may also prohibit operation and cancel the licence plate. In addition, the liability insurance cover may lapse if the operating licence or individual licence has not been issued.
The operating licence according to § 21 StVZO is only valid in Germany. The registration certificate part I (formerly the vehicle registration document) serves as proof of a vehicle's operating licence. This must be carried on the vehicle.
The Federal Motor Transport Authority can issue you with proof of a general operating licence for vehicles manufactured in the former GDR. This applies to
- Mopeds (mokicks, mopeds)
- Bicycles with auxiliary motor
- Light motorbikes from the former GDR that were first put on the road before 1 March 1992
- motorised ambulance chairs from the former GDR that were first put on the market before 1 March 1991
- trailers from former GDR production that do not require a licence
Legal basis
Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO):
- § 19 Erteilung und Wirksamkeit der Betriebserlaubnis
- § 21 Betriebserlaubnis für Einzelfahrzeuge
Verordnung über die Zulassung von Fahrzeugen zum Straßenverkehr (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung-FZV):
- § 4 Voraussetzungen für die Inbetriebsetzung eines zulassungsfreien Fahrzeugs
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 28.07.2025