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Berlin Local Reference INFOrmation
Information on the paperwork and process involved whether buying a car from a dealership or a secondhand car through a classified advertisement. The documents are required and where they must be sent.
Below is information on buying a new car from a dealer in Germany, and buying and selling a used car privately. Buying a New CarBuying from a dealer has the advantage that the dealer will usually help with registering the car and finding suitable insurance. In November 2008 the German Government tried to introduce a tax-free incentive to encourage the purchase of new vehicles: new vehicles bought in 2009 and 2010, irrespective of their emissions, would be exempt from car tax (Kfz-Steuer) for a one to two year period. However, this met with opposition from the governments of the individual states, environmental groups and some car manufacturers. A compromise was sought and reached in the form of the incentive only being offered to low emission vehicles bought before 30 July 2009. Scrappage incentiveIn early 2009 the German government introduced new regulations encouraging the scrapping of older vehicles and the purchase of new, environmentally friendly ones. Owners of vehicles older than nine years are offered a "scrappage incentive" of €2,500 to offset against the purchase of a new vehicle or a ex-demonstration vehicles less than one year old. The vehicle owner is required to produce proof (Verwertungsnachweis) that their vehicle has been scrapped as well as documentary proof of intent to purchase a new vehicle. Once the Federal Office for Economics and Export Control (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle, BAFA)) has received this documentation it transfers the incentive sum to the vehicle owner. There is no specified time limit the new owner need keep the vehicle. The aim of the scrappage incentive is to stimulate the new car market in Germany and to increase the number of environmentally friendly vehicles on the road.
In line with Germany's general environmental and energy saving awareness there are many state-of-the-art cars on the market which use alternative energy such as hybrid, natural gas, liquid gas (LPG), plant oil, fuel cells or ethanol. However, it is always wise to check the availability of the alternative fuel supply in the area before buying. Most car dealers in Germany specialise in selling cars from one particular manufacturer. Occasionally they will offer ex-demonstration vehicles (Vorfuehrwagen) or ex-demonstration vehicles (Jahreswagen), bought by employees at a discount but resold after a year. Some car dealers also sell used cars (Gebrauchtwagen). Dealer discounts on new car prices are not as common as in other parts of the EU but special offers can be found. In addition to buying outright, cars can be leased or bought on hire-purchase through schemes offered by the dealers. Generally, dealers ask for a deposit of around 15 to 20 percent at the time of purchase before the financing scheme payments commence. If buying a right-hand drive car which has to be specially ordered, then the deposit is payable at the time of ordering. To purchase a new car in Germany from a dealer the following documents are required from the buyer:
To find a local dealer follow the link to Händlersuche: Buying and Selling a Used CarThere are some car magazines listing used cars for sale privately, many of which also have a website (for example, Auto-News). In Berlin there is regular monthly magazine called Zweite Hand Autohandel ("second hand cars") with a clear overview of car brands, models and prices. In North Rhine Westphalia there is a monthly second hand car magazine called Top-Automobile. In addition, ZH Autonet magazine covers Berlin and surrounding areas and is published on the first Friday of the month. Allrad Foto is a specialist publication for four-wheel drive vehicles with private and commercial picture classifieds and is published monthly on the last Friday of the month. Oldtimer Inserat and Oldtimer Anzeiger are two specialist bi-monthly magazines especially for vintage cars and spare parts covering all of Germany. Dealers sometimes sell used cars (Gebrauchtwagen):
When buying a used car there are several things to take into account:
The sellerThe seller should provide the following:
The buyerThe buyer must then register the vehicle at the local vehicle licensing department (KfZ-Zulassungsstelle). New number plates will be issued to the buyer.
The following documents are required:
From 1 March 2008 the vehicle owner does not receive a copy of the documents (Doppelkarte) for the purpose of registering the vehicle due to data protection regulations between insurance companies, vehicle registration offices and the German driver vehicle licensing agency (Kraftfaht-Bundesamt) as well as for environmental issues to save paper. Instead, the owner receives an insurance confirmation number from the insurer (VB-Nummer) which is stored in a central database for other agencies for the purpose of confirming insurance. Some vehicle insurers allow a copy of the "Doppelkarte" document to be printed online. Consumer rights & informationPrivate individuals who buy used cars from a professional dealer have the right to claim for body defects within six months of purchase as decreed by Germany's Federal Court (Bundesgerichtshof).
Purchase AssistanceADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e. V.) is the national German car club which offers many vehicle services:
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