ROUTE
Buying a used car
Buying a used car: purchase contract, insurance, transit plates, TÜV inspection and registration.
✓ Checked: 15/08/2026
Buying a used car in Germany takes five steps, and their order matters more than speed: purchase contract, insurance with an eVB code, transit plates if needed, roadworthiness inspection, and registration. None can be skipped — driving without valid registration is prohibited, and without an eVB code no plates are issued.
Tailor the route to you
Answer a few questions and only the steps you actually need will remain. We will hide the rest.
Is the car de-registered? A de-registered car has no plates, or only temporary ones.
Is the roadworthiness test due? The month and year are on the sticker on the rear plate.
› More about this route
The most expensive part is decided before any money changes hands, in the contract. It records the exact date and time of handover: from that moment the car is your responsibility, and this is the clause that settles disputes over fines dated the day of the sale. No fields should be left blank — mileage “to be filled in later” can appear far lower in the seller's copy, and you will answer for it at the next sale.
Financially the route is cheap but full of traps. Registration costs roughly €26–50, plates €20–30, and the inspection €80–130 every two years. Carelessness costs more: two months late for the inspection is €60, eight months is €75 plus a point on your record, and driving a deregistered car without transit plates starts at €70.
WHERE PEOPLE MOST OFTEN LOSE MONEY AND TIME
- Leaving the date and time of handover out of the contract. A fine dated the day of the sale then becomes an argument about who was driving — and without an exact time there is nothing to prove.
- Leaving blank fields in the contract. The classic is open mileage: in the seller's copy it may read tens of thousands of kilometres lower, and at resale the liability is yours.
- Turning up at the registration office without both vehicle documents. Part II without Part I is not accepted: the latter is needed for the previous owner's deregistration, and you will have to come back.
- Using your normal eVB for transit plates. A regular policy does not cover an unregistered vehicle, so an accident during the transfer stays with you — transit requires separate cover.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ROUTE
In what order should the steps be done?▾
First the purchase contract with a check of the papers and VIN, then insurance and the eVB code. If the car is deregistered, transit plates for the drive home. If the inspection has expired or is due, that comes next. And only at the end the registration, where every earlier document is needed at once.
What does registration cost on top of the car itself?▾
Registration is roughly €26–50 and plates €20–30. A due inspection adds €80–130. For moving a deregistered car, the transfer plate under §19 FZV is the cheaper option at around €11. Plus insurance, whose cost depends on your no-claims class and who drives.
What should be checked before handing over money?▾
Both registration documents, the VIN on the body and in the papers, the service history and the date of the next inspection — it appears on the sticker on the rear plate and in Part I. An expired or imminent inspection is no reason to walk away, but it is a bargaining point: the test costs €80–130 and any defects considerably more.
Can I start the insurance at a later date to save money?▾
No. Cover must be in force from the day of registration: an eVB with a future start date will be refused at the registration office. The code itself is valid for 30 days from issue, so you obtain it shortly before your appointment rather than in advance.