Australia
You live and work in Australia; the vehicle stays in Germany.
German vehicle registration for Australia
German Car Registration for Australian Residents
Keep your own car in Europe while living in Australia.
Yes, you can buy a car in Europe as an Australian — without moving here. You choose the vehicle; GermanCarRegistration assists eligible Australian residents with German registration, insurance coordination and secure indoor vehicle storage.
Already own the vehicle or still looking? Send us the details and we can review your case.
Last updated: August 2026 · This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
- German registration for eligible Australian residents
- Registration using the customer's own identity / foreign address where applicable
- German plates
- Insurance coordination
- TÜV and vehicle documentation support
- Secure indoor vehicle storage in Germany
- Vehicle collection available for an additional charge
- Support before or after buying the vehicle
- Assistance communicating with the seller if requested
Australia → Germany → Europe
Fly in. Drive. Store it. Repeat.
- 01
Buy
- 02
Vehicle review
- 03
German registration
- 04
Insurance
- 05
TÜV / documents
- 06
German plates
- 07
Secure indoor storage
- 08
Fly to Europe
- 09
Pick up your car
- 10
Drive
- 11
Return to storage
- 12
Fly back to Australia
Your European garage
You live in Australia but spend part of the year in Europe. Instead of renting a different vehicle every time you arrive, you want your own Porsche, Ferrari or other car ready for your European trips. GermanCarRegistration can assist eligible Australian residents with the German registration process, insurance coordination, vehicle documentation and secure indoor storage between visits.
Fly to Europe
Tell us your arrival date before you board.
Your car is ready
Registered, insured and stored indoors near Berlin.
Drive Europe
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France — on German plates.
Return to storage
The vehicle goes back into the insured indoor hall.
Fly home
Correspondence keeps reaching you digitally in Australia.
Can an Australian register a car in their own name in Germany?
For eligible cases, the customer can remain the registered vehicle holder (Halter) using their actual Australian address, with GermanCarRegistration acting as the authorised German correspondence recipient where applicable.
Owner (Eigentümer) and registered keeper (Halter) are two distinct legal roles in Germany and should not be treated as interchangeable. Which role sits with whom is confirmed for the individual case before submission.
To provide this service, GermanCarRegistration does not need to:
- purchase the vehicle
- become the owner of the vehicle
- place the vehicle into an unrelated company
- use a trust ownership structure
The customer remains responsible for and in control of their vehicle. Registration eligibility remains case dependent.
No invented German residence, no artificial ownership structure. The registration has to reflect the real situation of the vehicle and its owner.
How to buy a car in Europe as an Australian
You are not required to buy from a particular dealer. You find your own vehicle — typical platforms include mobile.de and AutoScout24, alongside marque dealers and specialist collector-car traders.
On request, we can assist during the buying process by:
- reviewing a selected vehicle
- reviewing available registration documentation
- checking likely registration considerations
- communicating with the vehicle seller
- requesting relevant documentation
- helping coordinate next steps
GermanCarRegistration is not a vehicle dealership or an investment adviser. We do not recommend particular vehicles as investments and receive no commission on the car you choose.
Before buying a high-value vehicle
Send us:
- The listing
- Make and model
- Model year
- VIN
- Country of current registration
- Available vehicle documents
- CoC availability
- Modification information
- Current vehicle location
Please do not send passports, vehicle documents or insurance records through WhatsApp — we provide a secure upload link after the initial review.
Storage
Secure vehicle storage while you are in Australia
- Indoor vehicle storage
- Inside an insured building
- No additional storage charge during the active registration period
- Continued storage after registration for €250 per month
The practical benefit is simple: you fly home while the vehicle stays safely stored in Germany. When you return to Europe, you collect it and continue your trip. Services not listed above — such as maintenance, detailing or regular driving — are not part of the standard storage arrangement unless separately confirmed for your case.
Your car does not need to already be with us
If the vehicle is somewhere else, we can help arrange collection or transport. This can apply to vehicles purchased elsewhere in Germany, vehicles located elsewhere in Europe, and imported vehicles depending on the circumstances. Transport is individually quoted — we do not publish flat transport prices, because route, vehicle and timing decide the cost.
Can I ship my Australian car to Europe?
Potentially, yes. An Australian vehicle must, however, be assessed individually before German registration. The areas that decide the outcome are:
- Customs / import procedure
- Import VAT
- Vehicle specification
- CoC / type approval
- TÜV requirements
- Modifications
- Documentation
- Transport
For a standard passenger vehicle imported into Germany from outside the EU, the commonly applicable reference rates are 10% customs duty and 19% German import VAT. The exact treatment depends on the vehicle, its classification, the customs value, origin rules and whether any relief applies. Import VAT is calculated on the relevant customs/import taxable base — not simply by adding 19% to the original Australian purchase price.
Authoritative sources: German Customs (Zoll) and the European Commission. This is general information, not customs or tax advice.
We can assist with the import process on request — but for most Australian owners who simply want a car to drive in Europe, buying an EU-specification vehicle already located in Europe is the simpler route.
Australian-spec and right-hand-drive vehicles
A right-hand-drive car is not automatically unregistrable in Germany. Australian vehicles can, however, differ from vehicles originally supplied for continental Europe. Before import or registration we assess CoC availability, European type approval, lighting, technical specification, emissions documentation, modifications and the applicable TÜV requirements. Each vehicle is reviewed individually.
Modified vehicles
A tuned vehicle is not automatically impossible — but modifications can materially affect German approval and TÜV requirements. Tell us before buying or shipping if the vehicle has:
- Aftermarket exhaust
- Suspension changes
- Non-standard wheels
- Engine tuning
- ECU tune
- Lighting modifications
- Body modifications
- Other performance modifications
Australian, US, UAE and other non-EU specification cars require individual review.
Does the car have to be physically with you in Germany?
In our current processing experience, many newer vehicles with complete European documentation can often be assessed and processed primarily through their documents. Physical presentation requirements depend on the individual vehicle. Official requirements follow the vehicle documentation, CoC or type approval, TÜV status, registration history, technical specification and the requirements of the competent authority.
Pricing for Australian clients
What is one-off, what is annual, and what can only be quoted per case.
| Item | Price | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| One-time setup | €500 | One-off |
| Correspondence service | €1,188 per year | Annual, 12 months paid upfront |
| Foreign paper processing | €400 | One-off, where applicable |
| Standard TÜV / inspection service | €200 | Where applicable |
| Storage during active registration | €0 | No storage charge while the registration is being processed |
| Storage after registration | €250 / month | Indoor, insured building |
| Transport / vehicle collection | Individually quoted | Case-specific |
| Insurance | Individually quoted | Issued by a German insurer |
| German vehicle tax | Vehicle-specific | Paid to the German authorities |
| Customs / import tax | Case-specific | Only for imports from outside the EU |
If the vehicle already has a foreign registration, converting it to German papers costs an additional €400 (quoted individually per case). Insurance premiums, German vehicle tax, customs and case-specific technical costs are additional and quoted per case.
Buying in Europe vs shipping your Australian car
| EU-spec vehicle bought in Europe | Vehicle shipped from Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation | German papers or CoC usually available | Australian documents; CoC often unavailable |
| Customs | Not applicable inside the EU | Customs clearance and import VAT apply |
| Technical approval | EU type approval normally accepted | Individual technical approval can be required |
| Modifications | Rarely an issue | Specification and modifications reviewed individually |
| Transport | Short European transfer | Sea freight from Australia, individually quoted |
| Typical complexity | Predictable | Multi-stage, several authorities involved |
Australian enquiries we receive
Australian enquiries we receive often involve high-value and enthusiast vehicles. Previous Australian enquiries have included vehicles such as a Porsche Spyder and a Ferrari GTC4Lusso. We publish no customer counts, testimonials or success statistics we cannot verify — what we can tell you is how your specific vehicle and situation are likely to be assessed.
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Australia FAQ
Your car. Europe. Ready when you are.
Send us the vehicle and your situation. We tell you honestly whether German registration is realistic for your case — and what it would cost.