I saw a post a while ago about German Export plates, I've searched & searched & can't find it now. I've also come across an informative website by two Australians about it, but it doesn't give the information I need.

I think the post I saw was by Chris Scott on a thread somewhere ... I'm looking for information about the current situation of German plates. I believe that the 5 day plates still exist (which won't help me) but I seem to remember that there's a one year plate option ... (I need at least 6 months on export plates to drive south through West Africa and then sell)

Chris, if it was you, please could you help me out or anyone else in the know on here!

Thanks

Greetings from Germany,

just checked and yes there are export plates available up to one year.

You need liability insurance and the vehicle general inspection (+ maybe emmission test) has to be valid for that time frame.

and you need to pay the taxes for the vehicle. Without german (or europeen) bank account you need to go to customs and pay it there.

Since I am German I don't have experience doing it myself, but I can have a closer look to the procedure if you like (for example talking to an insurance company how to get the liability for a foreigner).

Cheers
Martin

Martin thank you for this. The vehicle has a valid TUV and I've discovered I can get a 90 day export plate it seems.

However the two issues that concern me:

1. Insurance - I can have it insured via France where it will come to for 2 months before continuing onto West Africa. German insurance seems expensive & possibly unnecessary when I have a policy that can cover it in France.

2. This export tax - I've been searching on it & can't find anything about it. Will it also apply if it's just being driven to France too initially? (can provide address & utility receipts for my home address in France)

Any information you have I'd be very grateful, your German is far better than mine!!!

Hi,

export plate can be valid from 15 days to 365 days. TUV has to be valid for the whole time you choose.

Tax: it is no export tax. Its just normal vehicle tax everyone pays. Shouldn't be too much. Depends on engine displacement and emmisions. My 2009 Yamaha XT660Z is about 50€ a year. With access to a german bank account you just need to state that bank account (with collection authorisation if it is not yours) when you register that vehicle.
If not, you get a document, which states the ammount of the tax and you need to go to customs (which might be at a different place) and pay it there, then back to the registration.

Just read that you life in France: You might be able to use your frensh bank account now.

insurance: the insurance company will give you a code/number (called "eVB") and they tranfer your data to the registration office and you just need to tell them this eVB. I have no clue if this would be possible with a frensh company. BUT... with the german liability insurance you get a "green card" on which all the countries are listed, where this insurance is valid. This is normally all of Europe and even often some countries beyond. For example my liability ins. for my motorcycle is valid in Russia and Morocco too. I don't need to buy extra insurance there . Which countries are covered might vary from one insurance company to another.
The ADAC (like AAA or AA) will sell insurance for export plates. They say for 29 days it will cost 55€. It looks like you can walk in one of their office and get the insurance there. We have one in town and I can ask if you like.

When you go to the registration office, they might want to see your bike there for the registration (checking VIN). It's not allowed to drive the bike without any number plate on it. If you can't put it on a trailer, there are some possibilities. the easiest way would be, if the former owner gives you the motorcycle with the plate and registered to him and you just ride it to the registration office (you need to demount it plate and take it into the office to remove a stamp on it). But the former owner need to trust you for that. Often he will sell you the bike without number plate.
Buying from a dealer, he might give you a "red numberplate" which you can use to ride to the registration office.
Only if you buy a new motorcycle the registration office might not need to see the bike.

hope that helps
Martin

Fantastic, thank you SO much!!!

Only difference being is that it's a van - a Mercedes 209 Sprinter with a flat bed just like this one that I'm buying from an English friend near Essen Mercedes-Benz 209 CDI Sprinter Doka als Van/Kleinbus in Eggenstein

French insurance also covers me for Morocco, so I'll buy insurance in Mauritania then the ECOWAS brown card from Mali. Just need to check a few things for its transit of 2 months in France.

Thanks again, great information

Hey Martin. This reply is incredible! Just what I was looking for. I'm hoping to obtain german export plates on a motorcycle this summer and drive it to Italy. Are german export plates temporarily valid in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy or will I need to fill out further paperwork to travel through these countries in route to my destination? Thanks again for the help!

Hi Nick,

Welcome to Horizons Unlimited.

Yes german exportplates are valid for the countries you mentioned, and many other countries. You can find all info by using a searchmachine like yandex.com or google.com and search for ¨exportkennzeichen¨ or ¨ausfuhrkennzeichen¨.
But one thing was not mentioned in the other (older) posts in this thread: when you export a vehicle (car, motorcycle or whatever) after the validity of the export plates you or a new buyer have to import it to another country and that´s where things get very expensive.

Best regards,

Rögnvaldur

Twice I bought new cars from Germany on export plates and then imported them to the UK. Although it didn’t help me at the time I remember the import taxes into the UK were substantially less if the vehicle was over six months ago. This might be similar in other countries.

__________________
"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)