Answer

Can I register a car online in Germany?

Since i-Kfz Stufe 4 (September 2023), residents can register a car fully online in Germany — but only if they have a German ID with an activated eID function (or an eAT residence permit) and digital vehicle documents. Newcomers with only a passport, and most non-residents, are effectively locked out and need in-person registration or a service.

What's the difference between i-Kfz and in-person registration?

i-Kfz is a self-service online flow that immediately activates the car once identity and payment are verified. In-person registration at the Zulassungsstelle requires an appointment but accepts any legal ID and any vehicle documents, digital or paper.

What exactly do you need to use i-Kfz?

A German ID card or eAT residence permit with the online function switched on and its PIN, a card reader or the AusweisApp on a compatible phone, vehicle documents issued after 2015 (they carry the concealed security codes), a German registration address, and a Giropay or SEPA payment method. Missing any one of these ends the flow.

Which processes are covered online?

Since Stufe 4: first registration, re-registration, keeper change, address change, plate change and deregistration for private individuals. Imports, § 21 cases, company vehicles with special approvals and anything needing a physical document check still belong at the counter.

Why most expats and non-residents cannot use it

The blocker is identity, not technology: the portal only authenticates a German eID or eAT. A passport, a foreign eID or a video-ident cannot be substituted, and no representative can authenticate on your behalf, because the eID is personal. Newly arrived residents whose eAT has not been activated are in the same position.

What the realistic alternative is

Registration through a keeper with a German address, handled at the counter with your signed Vollmacht — about 5 business days end to end, €500 setup plus €99 per month billed annually. It reaches the same result the portal would, using the route the law actually opens to non-residents.

i-Kfz vs counter vs service

Route	Identity required	Works for non-residents	Typical time
i-Kfz online	German eID / eAT with PIN	No	Minutes to same day
Zulassungsstelle in person	Any legal ID + German-address keeper	Only with a keeper	1–6 weeks for a slot
Keeper service with Vollmacht	Passport copy + signed Vollmacht	Yes	≈ 5 business days

FAQ

Can a service use i-Kfz on my behalf?

Not currently. i-Kfz requires the applicant's own eID authentication. That's why non-residents still need a keeper-based service.

My vehicle documents are from before 2015 — can I still use i-Kfz?

No. Older papers lack the concealed security codes the portal verifies, so the process has to run at the counter.

Can I at least deregister online?

Yes, if you hold a German eID and the documents carry the security codes. Otherwise deregistration takes about 15 minutes at the counter and can be done for you with a Vollmacht.

Is i-Kfz cheaper?

Marginally. The official fees are in the same €26–37 band; the saving is the trip and the appointment wait, not the money.

Last updated: July 2026