Vehicle tax
Annual motor vehicle tax, which is automatically assessed upon registration and collected via SEPA direct debit.
Wo wohnen Sie?
Damit wir Vehicle tax mit dem zuständigen Hauptzollamt in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.
Oder Großstadt wählen:
Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für Vehicle tax.
Quick answer
- 1
Documents you need
Certificate of Registration, Part I · SEPA Direct Debit Mandate
- 2
Responsible authority
The authority of your main residence
- 3
How to do it
Apply directly online
- 4
Costs
Kostenlos über ELSTER
How to proceed
- 1
Register a vehicle
The vehicle tax is automatically reported to Customs by the registration office.
- 2
Issue a SEPA Direct Debit Mandate
During the approval process, the mandate is filed with the main customs offices.
- 3
Received a tax assessment
The Main Customs Office sends the tax assessment notice by mail.
Responsible authority
The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →
The essentials before applying
Who is eligible?
All owners of registered motor vehicles in Germany.
Income limit
Processing time
Nationwide: approx. approx. 2 weeks
Success rate
approx. 99.0 % (estimate)
Most common mistakes
- •Tax exemption (e.g., for electric cars) not applied for
- •Bank account information not updated upon change of ownership
Common reasons for rejection
- •SEPA direct debit mandate is missing or invalid
Alternatives
- Check related services in the application assistant
- Use social counselling before applying
If rejected
File a written objection within 30 days – with reasons why the decision is wrong and any missing evidence.
Questions & Answers
Are electric cars exempt from vehicle tax?▼
Yes, pure electric vehicles are exempt from vehicle tax for 10 years if they are first registered by the end of 2025 (as of 2024).
Freshness & source
- Maintenance
- Continuously reviewed & updated
- Source
- ELSTER – Finanzverwaltung
- Data quality
- 100 %