How to Deregister a Car in Germany (Even If You Are Not There)

To deregister a car in Germany (Außerbetriebsetzung), the registered Halter files it with the registration office (Zulassungsstelle), in person or online via i-Kfz. For CarTurf customers our German partner is the Halter, so you have two options:

1. Re-register the car in another country and send us the confirmation, or
2. Deregister fully: park the car off public roads, then send us photos of the three hidden security codes (one on registration certificate Part I, two on the plates). See how to reveal them in our video.

You can do either from anywhere in the world. Customers contract with CarTurf Global FZCO (Dubai). Our German partner CarTurf UG (haftungsbeschränkt) is the registered Halter.

CarTurf charges no fee for online deregistration. We deregister online, which stops insurance and vehicle tax, and your CarTurf subscription stops after deregistration.

Deregistration takes the vehicle out of service:

• The plates are no longer valid and the car may not be driven or parked on public roads. Keep it on private property or in storage.
• The insurance obligation ends. Prepaid premiums are refunded pro rata by the insurer.
• Vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer, collected by German customs) stops, and prepaid tax is refunded pro rata.
• Registration certificate Part I is marked as deregistered. Keep it: you need it to register the car again.

If a car stays deregistered for more than seven years and the proof is missing, a new operating permit may be needed to re-register it.

Path A: re-register in another country. You register the car in your new country (at the local registration office there) and send us the new registration confirmation. We then close the German side.

Path B: full deregistration. You are not re-registering anywhere yet, for example because you sell the car, store it or ship it out. You send us photos of the three security codes and we complete the deregistration.

If you sell, the buyer usually re-registers the car in their own name, which ends our registration automatically. See selling a car in Germany.

Path C: export plates. Driving the car out of Germany for good? Export plates (only for cars registered through CarTurf): you mail us registration certificate Part I (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I) and the current plates. We turn them in and get export plates plus export documents in your name, within 1–3 business days of receiving the documents. Prices including liability insurance: 30 days €300, 60 days €590, 90 days €790. We don't arrange shipping to the USA, but we can recommend shipping partners.

Cars registered (or re-registered) in Germany since 1 January 2015 carry hidden security codes that allow online deregistration:

1. Front plate: a code under the round registration seal (Stempelplakette).
2. Rear plate: a code under its seal.
3. Registration certificate Part I (Fahrzeugschein): a code under a scratch-off field.

Uncover the codes only when you are ready. Once a seal code is exposed, that plate is no longer valid for driving. Photograph each code clearly and send the photos to us. For older registrations without codes, deregistration happens in person at the registration office, which we handle as Halter.

Watch how to reveal the codes before you start. Damaged codes make it tricky: if a seal or the scratch field is torn and a code can no longer be read, online deregistration may not work, so uncover them carefully.

A deregistered car must stay off public roads. Your options:

• Sell it. Our selling assistance is €500 + 5% of the gross sale price; our team lists the car, talks to buyers in German and handles the paperwork. See sell a car in Germany.
• Store it. CarTurf customers pay €50/month outdoor or €100/month indoor (non-customers €75 / €150). See car storage in Europe.
• Re-register it later. You need a valid inspection (HU/TÜV) and insurance again. Registration takes 1–5 business days once we have the documents. See TÜV inspection.
• Scrap it at a certified recycler, who issues the official recycling certificate (Verwertungsnachweis).