E-Kennzeichen for electric vehicles

KFZ-Zulassungsstelle (vehicle registration office) · Marking under § 11 FZV

Online / in personi-Kfz: €12.80

The E-Kennzeichen (electric vehicle plate) is an ordinary official licence plate with the letter “E” after the identification number. It marks electrically powered vehicles within the meaning of § 2 Nr. 1 of the Electric Mobility Act (Elektromobilitätsgesetz, EmoG) – purely battery-electric vehicles, externally chargeable hybrid electric vehicles (plug-in hybrids) and fuel-cell vehicles – and is the precondition for towns and municipalities being able to grant you the benefits provided for in the EmoG. The legal basis for the marking is § 11 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung, FZV).

Important for 2026: The motor vehicle tax exemption for purely electric vehicles has been extended. Under § 3d Abs. 1 of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (Kraftfahrzeugsteuergesetz, KraftStG), in the version applicable since 1 January 2026 – introduced by the Eighth Act Amending the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 342) – the exemption applies to vehicles with first registration from 18 May 2011 to 31 December 2030, for ten years from the day of first registration, at most until 31 December 2035. The cut-off date of 31 December 2025, still often cited, is therefore out of date. The exemption covers purely electric vehicles only – not plug-in hybrids, even though these may also carry the E-Kennzeichen.

Equally important: The Electric Mobility Act ceases to apply, under § 8 Abs. 2 EmoG, with effect from the end of 31 December 2026. This removes, at the end of the year, the legal basis for free parking, bus lane access and exceptions from access restrictions, unless the legislature extends the period of validity; the consolidated text on gesetze-im-internet.de (last amended by Art. 2 Abs. 34 of the Act of 20 December 2022) does not yet reflect any extension. The E-Kennzeichen itself is unaffected, because § 11 FZV applies independently – and the tax exemption under § 3d KraftStG is likewise tied not to the licence plate but to the type of drive.

Last updated12 October 2026

Legal basis§ 11 FZV · § 2 Nr. 1, § 3 EmoG · § 3d, § 9 Abs. 2 KraftStG

VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de

Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta

Independent information page: we are not the Kfz-Zulassungsstelle, not an authority and not a paid advice service — we do not submit applications for you. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in plain terms; the competent body is always binding. Local-authority privileges and the cost of plate embossing vary by municipality and provider. All information without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document official procedures and check the information against the official source — that is information, not legal or tax advice.

At a glance

Fee

€30.00 · €12.80 online

Processing time

Usually at the appointment itself

Method

In person or internet-based (i-Kfz)

Eligible

Purely electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, fuel cell

Motor vehicle tax

Purely electric cars only: 10 years, at most until 31 December 2035

Time limit

EmoG ceases to apply on 31 December 2026

Required documents

Registration certificate Part II or CoC certificate

For a brand-new vehicle, you present the manufacturer’s EC certificate of conformity (CoC); for a used vehicle, the original registration certificate Part II (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II, formerly Fahrzeugbrief). Both documents show the drive-type code that matters for the E-Kennzeichen: the vehicle must be designated as a purely electric vehicle, as an externally chargeable hybrid electric vehicle or as a fuel-cell vehicle. Copies and scans are not accepted; if the registration certificate Part II has been lost, it must be newly issued before registration, which can take several weeks.

Proof of eligibility for plug-in hybrids

An externally chargeable hybrid electric vehicle receives the E-Kennzeichen only if it meets one of the two requirements of § 3 Abs. 2 EmoG: no more than 50 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre driven or a purely electric range of at least 40 kilometres. Both values are entered in the CoC certificate or in the registration certificate, so the vehicle registration authority can check them directly. It is enough for one of the two values to be met – the range is expressly an alternative, not an additional condition.

eVB number (electronic insurance confirmation)

The seven-character eVB number proves to the vehicle registration authority that motor vehicle liability insurance exists for the vehicle. You receive it free of charge from your insurer, usually within a few minutes by email or SMS; it is valid for several months and cannot be reused for another vehicle. Without a valid eVB number, no vehicle is registered – not even an electric one.

SEPA direct debit mandate for the motor vehicle tax

During the registration process, the vehicle registration authority also records the details for the motor vehicle tax and forwards them to the competent Hauptzollamt (main customs office). For this you need a SEPA direct debit mandate with an IBAN; without this mandate, the vehicle is not registered. This also applies to purely electric vehicles that are exempt under § 3d KraftStG, because the exemption is time-limited and the reduced tax is charged after it ends.

Identity card or passport of the vehicle holder

The future vehicle holder identifies themselves with a valid original identity card or passport; expired documents are not accepted. Anyone identifying themselves with a passport also presents a current Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate), because the passport does not show an address and the vehicle registration authority’s local jurisdiction is based on your place of residence. For internet-based registration under § 27 FZV, you instead need the identity card with the online identification function activated and the associated PIN.

Proof of the periodic roadworthiness test (used vehicles only)

When registering a used vehicle, the vehicle registration authority requires proof of a valid periodic roadworthiness test (Hauptuntersuchung, HU — commonly called ‘TÜV’), usually the HU report from the testing organisation. If the deadline has expired, the test must be carried out before the appointment; for electric vehicles this also includes checking the high-voltage system. For brand-new cars, this proof is not required, because the first periodic roadworthiness test is not due until 36 months after first registration.

Previous licence plates (only for a later change)

If you later switch an already-registered vehicle to an E-Kennzeichen, bring the previous plates with you: they are de-stamped and withdrawn. You also need registration certificate Part I (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I, formerly Fahrzeugschein) and Part II, because the new licence plate is entered there. Budget for the fee for changing the type of licence plate as well as the cost of two new plates – for this process, the E-Kennzeichen is not free of charge.

Power of attorney for representation, company documents for business registration

If you arrange for someone to represent you, the authorised person needs a power of attorney signed by you, your identity document or a copy of it, and their own valid identity document. If the vehicle is registered to a company, an extract from the commercial register or the trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung) and proof of authority to represent the company are also required. If one of these documents is missing, the authority aborts the process and you need a new appointment.

Step by step

Check whether your vehicle is an electrically powered vehicle

§ 11 Abs. 1 FZV in conjunction with § 2 Nr. 1 EmoG governs this: purely battery-electric vehicles, externally chargeable hybrid electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles are eligible. For plug-in hybrids, § 3 Abs. 2 EmoG additionally applies – no more than 50 grams of CO₂ per kilometre driven or at least 40 kilometres of purely electric range; one of the two conditions is enough. The 40-kilometre threshold has applied since 1 January 2018: up to the end of 31 December 2017, 30 kilometres was sufficient under § 5 Abs. 2 EmoG, and vehicles that met that requirement remain eligible for privileges afterwards too, under § 5 Abs. 3 EmoG. Check the values entered in your CoC certificate before booking an appointment.

Choose new registration or a later change of licence plate type

If you apply for the E-Kennzeichen together with the new registration, no separate fee is charged for it – you pay only the normal registration fee. If, however, your vehicle is already registered and carries an ordinary licence plate, this is a change of licence plate type: under Nr. 221.1 of the Fee Schedule for Measures in Road Traffic (Gebührenordnung für Maßnahmen im Straßenverkehr, GebOSt), the registration fee of €30.00 is charged again, plus the cost of two new plates. If you are moving house anyway or taking over the vehicle, it makes sense to combine the licence plate change with the Ummeldung (change of address) or the change of holder and pay the fee only once.

Choose and, if necessary, reserve a licence plate

The E-Kennzeichen consists of the district code, the identification number and the letter “E” immediately after it. Anlage 4 FZV Abschnitt 5a Nr. 6 limits the number of characters more tightly here than for ordinary licence plates – depending on the plate format, only six characters are available without the letter code. If you want to reserve a personalised licence plate (Wunschkennzeichen), therefore check beforehand in your vehicle registration authority’s reservation portal whether the desired combination can actually be embossed with the “E” added. Reservations that exceed this limit cannot be implemented at the counter.

Book an appointment or complete registration online

The competent body is the vehicle registration authority of your place of residence or company seat; most offices allocate appointments exclusively through their online appointment portal, with several weeks’ lead time in metropolitan areas. Alternatively, first registration is possible fully internet-based under § 27 FZV (i-Kfz). For this you need the identity card with the online identification function activated, the associated PIN, and a card reader or an NFC-capable smartphone with the AusweisApp. Internet-based registration, at €12.80 under Nr. 221.1.1 GebOSt, is significantly cheaper than going to the counter; registration therefore does not necessarily require an in-person appointment.

Have the plates embossed and register the vehicle

You have the plates stamped by a plate maker — usually right next to the registration office, or, for internet-based registration, at a business of your choice. Under § 11 Abs. 2 Satz 2 FZV, the letter “E” must be carried as an official addition immediately after the identification number; under Anlage 4 Abschnitt 5a Nr. 6 FZV, without a space and in the same typeface and size as the other characters. A subsequently glued-on, painted-on or differently designed “E” is not a valid licence plate. After stamping, the authority seals the plates, enters the licence plate in the registration certificates and hands you Part I.

Clarify motor vehicle tax and local-authority benefits

The tax is not assessed by the vehicle registration authority but by the competent Hauptzollamt; the exemption under § 3d KraftStG for purely electric vehicles is taken into account automatically and does not need to be applied for separately. Then check on your city’s or municipality’s portal which privileges under § 3 Abs. 4 EmoG have actually been ordered locally – they apply only where the local authority has granted them through signage, by-law or general order. Note that the EmoG ceases to apply, under § 8 Abs. 2, with effect from the end of 31 December 2026.

Fees & costs

Service	Amount
Registration with the E-Kennzeichen in person (new registration)	€30.00 — GebOSt Nr. 221.1, no extra fee for the “E”
Internet-based registration (i-Kfz, § 27 FZV)	€12.80 — GebOSt Nr. 221.1.1
Later change of licence plate type	€30.00 — GebOSt Nr. 221.1, plus new plates
Plate embossing (two plates)	Depends on the licence plate maker — a private-sector service, not regulated by the GebOSt
Personalised licence plate (optional)	Additional fee under the GebOSt — see Reserving a personalised licence plate
Motor vehicle tax: purely electric vehicle	Exempt — 10 years from first registration, at most until 31 December 2035 (§ 3d Abs. 1 KraftStG, first registration 18 May 2011 to 31 December 2030)
Motor vehicle tax after the exemption ends	Weight-based taxation, reduced by 50% (§ 9 Abs. 2 KraftStG)
Motor vehicle tax: plug-in hybrid with E-Kennzeichen	No exemption under § 3d KraftStG — regular taxation by cubic capacity and CO₂
Means of payment	Depends on the competent authority — usually EC card in person, online payment for i-Kfz

For the E-Kennzeichen itself, the vehicle registration authority charges no separate fee: the letter “E” is an official addition to the licence plate, not a stand-alone administrative act. What is paid for is the registration, and the Fee Schedule for Measures in Road Traffic applies uniformly across Germany for that: €30.00 under Nr. 221.1 at the counter, €12.80 under Nr. 221.1.1 for internet-based registration. The frequently cited range of “€26 to €30” is below the current nationwide rate. The statement “no extra fee” also applies only to new registration – anyone switching an already-registered vehicle pays the registration fee again, because the change of licence plate type is charged under the same fee number. In both cases, the cost of two new plates is added, which the licence plate maker, as a private business, calculates freely.

For the motor vehicle tax (Kraftfahrzeugsteuer, Kfz-Steuer), the type of drive is decisive, not the licence plate. Under § 3d Abs. 1 KraftStG, purely electric vehicles are exempt for ten years from the day of first registration if first registration falls between 18 May 2011 and 31 December 2030, but at most until 31 December 2035. After the exemption ends, the tax is assessed not by cubic capacity and carbon dioxide emissions but by the permissible gross vehicle weight – and is then reduced by 50% under § 9 Abs. 2 KraftStG. From the rate of €11.25 per 200 kilograms or part thereof, a vehicle with a permissible gross weight of 2,000 kilograms works out at €112.50 a year, or around €56 after halving. The amount is set in binding form by the Hauptzollamt; you can estimate it with our motor vehicle tax calculator.

Important notes

The Electric Mobility Act expires on 31 December 2026. § 8 Abs. 2 EmoG expressly provides: “This Act ceases to apply with effect from the end of 31 December 2026.” This removes the legal basis for all local-authority privileges, unless the legislature extends the period of validity; the consolidated text of the Act on gesetze-im-internet.de shows Art. 2 Abs. 34 of the Act of 20 December 2022 as the last amendment and contains no extension. Anyone basing a parking permit, an annual subscription or a purchase on these benefits should check the current status with their own local authority beforehand.

The Act provides for exactly four privileges. § 3 Abs. 4 EmoG lists them conclusively: parking on public roads and ways, use of public roads and ways designated for special purposes (such as bus lanes), permitting exceptions from access restrictions and through-traffic bans, and charging – including reducing or waiving – parking fees. Anything promised beyond this is not an EmoG privilege. Whether a local authority makes use of this is its own decision; there is no nationwide entitlement.

Low-emission zones have nothing to do with the E-Kennzeichen. Access to low-emission zones is governed by the 35th Federal Immission Control Ordinance and the emissions sticker it regulates, not by the EmoG. Electric vehicles are privileged there because of their emissions classification – not because they carry an E-Kennzeichen. An “exemption from low-emission zones” therefore does not follow from the E-Kennzeichen.

The licence plate and the tax exemption are two separate things. The exemption under § 3d KraftStG is tied to the type of drive, not to the licence plate: a purely electric vehicle is exempt even with an ordinary licence plate. Conversely, a plug-in hybrid may carry the E licence plate under § 11 FZV, but is taxed as normal according to engine displacement and carbon dioxide emissions. Fuel-cell vehicles, on the other hand, are electric vehicles within the meaning of § 9 Abs. 2 KraftStG and are therefore just as fully exempt from motor vehicle tax as purely battery-electric vehicles.

A change of holder or deregistration does not extend the remaining period in your favour. Under § 3d Abs. 2 KraftStG, the remaining exemption continues with the new holder – so when buying a used vehicle, you receive only the remaining period, not another ten years. And under § 3d Abs. 3 KraftStG, neither vehicle deregistration (Außerbetriebsetzung, commonly called Abmeldung) nor periods outside the operating period of a seasonal licence plate (Saisonkennzeichen) extend the exemption period.

Converted vehicles can also be exempt. § 3d Abs. 4 KraftStG extends the tax exemption to vehicles subsequently converted into electric vehicles, if the conversion is carried out between 18 May 2016 and 31 December 2030. The conversion must be approved by the competent body and entered in the vehicle documents. This is particularly relevant for conversions of older vehicles, which would otherwise receive no tax benefit at all.

Vehicles with foreign registration are expressly included. For electrically powered vehicles registered abroad, the marking under § 11 Abs. 4 FZV is provided by a sticker under Anlage 3 FZV, issued among others by vehicle registration authorities and the bodies recognised for the exhaust emission inspection (Abgasuntersuchung, AU). Under § 11 Abs. 5 FZV, markings and stickers issued abroad are treated the same as German ones. For cross-border commuters, this means that a foreign E-Kennzeichen entitles you to the same local-authority benefits in Germany.

The E-Kennzeichen is optional – but a precondition for the benefits. You can choose an ordinary licence plate at any time; in that case, however, you cannot make use of local-authority privileges, because on-the-spot checks rely solely on the marking. Conversely, the E-Kennzeichen can be combined with other licence plate types, for example with a seasonal licence plate; § 3d Abs. 3 KraftStG expressly presupposes this combination. A later change in either direction is possible but each time costs the registration fee again.

Common mistakes

Relying on the outdated cut-off date of 31 December 2025

Many overviews still cite the old version of § 3d KraftStG, under which only first registrations up to 31 December 2025 were privileged. Anyone who therefore assumes that a registration in 2026 no longer brings any tax benefit is giving up up to ten years of tax exemption: since 1 January 2026, the extended first-registration period up to 31 December 2030 has applied. The consequence is purely financial – but substantial when calculated over ten years.

Expecting a tax exemption for the plug-in hybrid

The E-Kennzeichen on a plug-in hybrid is often misunderstood as evidence of a tax exemption. In fact, § 3d KraftStG covers only purely electric vehicles; the plug-in hybrid is taxed in the regular way. The consequence: the Hauptzollamt sets the tax by official notice (Bescheid) and collects it via the SEPA mandate given – an unexpected burden if you had firmly budgeted for zero euros.

Assuming the later change is free of charge

The statement “no extra fee” applies only to new registration. If an already-registered vehicle is switched to an E-Kennzeichen, this is a change of licence plate type and costs €30.00 again under Nr. 221.1 GebOSt, plus two new plates. Anyone who turns up to the appointment without this budget cannot complete the process and has to book a new appointment.

Reserving a personalised licence plate that is too long

Anlage 4 FZV Abschnitt 5a Nr. 6 limits the number of characters on the E-Kennzeichen more tightly than on ordinary licence plates, because the letter code takes up extra space. If a combination that is too long is reserved, it cannot be allocated or embossed at the counter. The reservation fee is then lost, and you have to choose a new combination.

Gluing on the “E” yourself or altering the plate

The letter code must be stamped and, under Anlage 4 Abschnitt 5a Nr. 6 FZV, executed without a space and in the same typeface as the other characters. A glued-on, painted-on or subsequently altered “E” does not make the licence plate compliant. The consequences are objections at the roadworthiness test and at traffic checks, as well as re-stamping at your own expense.

Assuming free parking applies nationwide

The privileges under § 3 Abs. 4 EmoG apply only where the relevant local authority has actually ordered and signposted them – this differs from city to city, often only on certain streets or in certain zones. Anyone who parks without a ticket on a chargeable area, without the local authority having ordered an exemption, is simply parking illegally. The consequence is a warning fine or a regulatory fine, and in some cases towing.

Deregistering the vehicle to stretch out the exemption

The ten-year exemption runs by the calendar from the day of first registration. § 3d Abs. 3 KraftStG expressly clarifies that neither periods of vehicle deregistration nor periods outside the operating period of a seasonal licence plate extend the period. Anyone who takes the vehicle off the road for this purpose gains not a single day of exemption but still pays the fees for deregistration and re-registration.

Expecting a fresh ten-year period when buying a used vehicle

Under § 3d Abs. 2 KraftStG, the exemption continues unchanged on a change of holder – it does not start afresh. An electric car first registered in 2019 is therefore exempt only until 2029, regardless of when you buy it. Anyone who does not check the remaining period underestimates the vehicle’s ongoing costs.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a purely electric car exempt from motor vehicle tax?

Under § 3d Abs. 1 KraftStG, in the version applicable since 1 January 2026, the exemption is granted for vehicles first registered between 18 May 2011 and 31 December 2030, for ten years from the day of first registration, at most until 31 December 2035. The previously cited cut-off date of 31 December 2025 has been superseded by the Eighth Act Amending the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 342).

Does the tax exemption also apply to plug-in hybrids?

No. The exemption under § 3d KraftStG applies to electric vehicles within the meaning of § 9 Abs. 2 KraftStG — that is, vehicles whose drive is powered exclusively by electric motors fed from electrochemical energy stores (batteries) or from emission-free energy converters such as a fuel cell. Purely battery-electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles are therefore equally and fully exempt from motor vehicle tax. The E licence plate under § 11 FZV is, moreover, also available to externally rechargeable hybrid electric vehicles; however, a plug-in hybrid does not meet the definition in § 9 Abs. 2 KraftStG, since its drive is not exclusively electric, and despite the E licence plate it is taxed as normal according to engine displacement and carbon dioxide emissions.

What benefits does the E-Kennzeichen bring, and how much longer do they apply?

§ 3 Abs. 4 EmoG lists four privileges conclusively: parking on public roads and ways, use of special roads and ways such as bus lanes, exceptions from access restrictions or through-traffic bans, and the reduction or waiver of parking fees. Whether and to what extent they apply is for each local authority to decide; under § 8 Abs. 2 EmoG, the Electric Mobility Act ceases to apply with effect from the end of 31 December 2026.

What does the E-Kennzeichen cost?

For a new registration, no separate fee is charged for the letter “E”; you pay the registration fee of €30.00 under Nr. 221.1 GebOSt, or €12.80 for internet-based registration under Nr. 221.1.1. If you later switch an already-registered vehicle, this is a change of licence plate type and costs €30.00 again, plus the cost of two new plates.

Does a plug-in hybrid really need to be able to drive 40 kilometres electrically?

The range is not a mandatory requirement but one of two alternatives: under § 3 Abs. 2 EmoG, either emissions of no more than 50 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre driven or a purely electric range of at least 40 kilometres is sufficient. The 40-kilometre threshold has applied since 1 January 2018; up to the end of 31 December 2017, 30 kilometres was sufficient, and these vehicles remain eligible for privileges under § 5 Abs. 3 EmoG.

Can I switch an already-registered vehicle to an E-Kennzeichen?

Yes, the switch is possible at any time and is treated as a change of licence plate type. You bring the old plates as well as registration certificates Part I and Part II, pay €30.00 under Nr. 221.1 GebOSt, and have two new plates stamped; the statement that no extra fee is charged applies only to new registration.

Does a foreign E-Kennzeichen also apply in Germany?

Yes. Under § 11 Abs. 5 FZV, markings and stickers for electrically powered vehicles issued abroad are treated the same as German ones. For vehicles registered abroad, the marking under § 11 Abs. 4 FZV is provided by a sticker under Anlage 3 FZV, issued among others by vehicle registration authorities and the bodies recognised for the exhaust emission inspection.

Do I need an appointment at the vehicle registration office for the E-Kennzeichen?

Most vehicle registration authorities allocate appointments exclusively through their online appointment portal, with several weeks’ lead time in metropolitan areas. However, you can also complete first registration fully internet-based under § 27 FZV, if your identity card has the online identification function activated.