Different rules may apply to the registration of special vehicles compared to normal road-legal vehicles in Germany. While the latter are generally the responsibility of the almost 700 main and branch offices of the motor vehicle registration authorities, there are special police registration authorities in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony and Thuringia, for example. Depending on the federal state, however, the regular registration offices may also be responsible for the registration of special police vehicles.
A special Bundeswehr registration office as part of the "Zentrum Kraftfahrwesen der Bundeswehr" (ZKfWBw) in Mönchengladbach handles the registration of military vehicles of the Bundeswehr. There are also various branch offices spread across the country. Before a special Bundeswehr Y license plate is issued, an inspection of the special vehicle is carried out by officially recognized experts. For extra-wide or very heavy vehicles, the Bundeswehr is also authorized to deviate from the legal requirements. This means that special vehicles can also be approved.
Registration of former special vehicles
Special rules may also apply to the registration of former special vehicles that later find themselves in private hands. These include, for example, former emergency ambulances (NEF). Modifications required for registration include the functionality of the special signaling system, the interior equipment with special switches and any lettering and reflector foil that may need to be removed. The modifications must be approved by both the TÜV and the responsible registration office before the vehicle can be registered as a regular passenger car.
Vehicles that are "specially designed for military or police purposes as well as for fire protection and disaster control purposes" automatically lose their associated operating license after being taken out of service. This can only be regained for private individuals by means of a special permit in accordance with § 70 StVZO. Examples of this type of vehicle are tanks or special protection vehicles.
