Take your license plate with you: this is how you keep your license plates

Whether you can take your license plate with you depends on whether you are moving, getting a new car, or changing the owner of your vehicle. It is easy in some cases, but unfortunately not possible in others.

So you can take your license plate with you

If you have a license plate made with your initials or date of birth, there is a great desire to keep it. The following rules apply if you want to take your number plates with you.

• Moving: If you move outside of your previous city or district, taking the license plate is usually not a problem. You have to re-register the car, but you no longer need a new license plate today. Note that the car must be registered at the time of moving.
• New vehicle: If you buy a new car, you can take your license plate with you in most cases. But there are a few things you need to consider.
• If you want to deregister the old car in one go and register the new one, you can indicate that you want to take the license plate with you. If you first de-register your old car, you have the option of having your license plate reserved.
• However, if you have moved and are registered with your old license plate in another city or another district, you will have to obtain a new license plate with the respective city code when buying a car.
• Change of holder: Even if you change the holder, it is not easy to take your number plates with you. This is only possible if the old and the new keeper are registered in the same approval district. In addition, the license plate must match the city code, otherwise you will need to have new number plates made.
• Since there may be differences between the responsible approval bodies, we recommend that you inform yourself there beforehand. Most of them are now easily online. This also tells you which documents you need in each case.