Answer
Can someone else register my car for me in Germany?
Yes. Any adult can register a car for you at the Zulassungsstelle if you provide a signed Vollmacht (power of attorney), a copy of your ID and the vehicle documents. This is how dealer registration works — and how remote registration services like GermanCarRegistration operate for clients who live abroad.
What must the Vollmacht contain?
Full name and address of the person granting it (Vollmachtgeber), full name and address of the representative (Bevollmächtigter), the specific vehicle (VIN), the scope (e.g. "Anmeldung, Ummeldung, Abmeldung"), a date and a wet signature. Most Zulassungsstellen provide a template.
Which tasks can the representative actually perform?
Everything the keeper could do at the counter, as long as the scope says so: first registration (Anmeldung), transfer to a new keeper (Umschreibung), address or plate changes, deregistration (Abmeldung), export plates and duplicate documents. Write the scope broadly but name the vehicle by VIN, so the office can match the authority to the file.
What does the representative bring to the appointment?
The original signed Vollmacht, a copy of your ID (some offices want it certified), their own ID, and the complete vehicle file — Teil I and Teil II, HU report, eVB number and the SEPA mandate. A missing ID copy is the single most common reason a representative is turned away.
When is notarisation or an apostille required?
Standard registration, ummeldung and abmeldung need no notary. Notarisation or an apostille becomes relevant when you are entered as keeper in your own name from abroad, or when a company grants the authority and the office wants proof of signing rights (Handelsregisterauszug).
How long is a Vollmacht valid?
There is no statutory expiry, but most Zulassungsstellen expect a recent date — in practice not older than about three months — and many treat it as single-transaction unless it says otherwise. You can revoke it in writing at any time; revocation takes effect once the representative is informed.
Documents checklist
- Full name and address of both parties
- Vehicle identified by VIN (and plate, if already registered)
- Scope: Anmeldung / Ummeldung / Abmeldung / Ausfuhr
- Recent date and place
- Hand-written signature of the Vollmachtgeber
- Attached copy of the Vollmachtgeber's ID
FAQ
Can I email a scanned Vollmacht?
A scan is fine for the service to prepare paperwork, but the Zulassungsstelle requires the original signed document at the counter.
Can a family member do it instead of a service?
Yes — any adult with the signed Vollmacht and the complete document set can register the car. The limitation is the keeper: the person entered as Halter still needs a German address.
Does the Vollmacht have to be in German?
It should be. Offices accept German-language authority documents without discussion; a foreign-language one may be refused or require a sworn translation. We send a bilingual template.
Can one Vollmacht cover several cars?
Better not. Offices prefer one authority per vehicle, identified by VIN, because it is filed with that vehicle's record.
Last updated: July 2026
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Need this handled for you?
We register cars in Germany for non-residents in about 5 business days — no address, no appointment, no travel.