eVB Number in Germany: A Step by Step Expat Guide
An eVB number is the 7-character electronic proof of car insurance that the Zulassungsstelle checks before it issues your license plates. Below you will see how to get one as a foreigner, what to bring to the counter, and how long the code typically stays valid.
An eVB number (elektronische Versicherungsbestaetigung) is a 7-character code you need to register any vehicle in Germany. Get it instantly via email or SMS after comparing car insurance. Most providers issue it within minutes. Validity varies: typically 3-12 months depending on the insurer.
Key Takeaways
- You need an eVB number before you can get license plates in Germany
- The code arrives via email or SMS within minutes after buying insurance
- Valid 3-12 months depending on provider (90 days is just one option)
- No Schufa credit check required, even for newcomers
Key German Terms You Will Hear
Tip for Newcomers
The eVB number is the first thing you need before going to the Zulassungsstelle. Without it, they will send you home. Get your car insurance sorted online, grab the code from your email, and then book your appointment. The whole insurance part takes less than 15 minutes if you do it digitally.
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Enter your vehicle details below. After choosing a provider, your eVB number arrives by email or SMS.
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What Exactly is an eVB Number?
The eVB number (elektronische Versicherungsbestaetigung) is a 7-character alphanumeric code that proves you have valid car liability insurance in Germany. Think of it as a digital receipt from your insurer that says, Yes, this person is covered.
Germany introduced this system in 2008, replacing the old paper insurance slips (Doppelkarte). Today, the Zulassungsstelle checks your insurance status electronically using this code. No code, no license plates, no legal driving on public roads.
You need an eVB when you:
Key facts:
How to Get Your eVB Number: Step by Step
Compare Car Insurance
Use the comparison tool above. Enter your vehicle type, how many kilometers you drive per year, and what coverage you want (Haftpflicht only, or Teilkasko/Vollkasko as well). You will see quotes from multiple providers side by side.
Pick a Provider and Sign Up
Choose the offer that fits your budget and coverage needs. The application is fully digital for most providers. You fill in your personal details, confirm, and the contract is done. No paper forms, no postal mail.
Receive Your eVB Number
Within minutes of completing the contract, your 7-character eVB code lands in your inbox or arrives as an SMS. Check your spam folder if you do not see it right away. You can also find it in the insurer online customer portal.
Head to the Zulassungsstelle
Bring your eVB number to the vehicle registration office along with the rest of your documents (see the checklist below). The clerk enters your code, verifies your insurance electronically, and you walk out with license plates.
What to Bring to the Zulassungsstelle
Having your eVB number is just one part of the puzzle. The Zulassungsstelle needs several documents to register your vehicle. Missing even one means another trip, so check this list before you go.
Always required:
- Your eVB number (the 7-character code)
- ID or passport
- Anmeldung (proof of address registration)
- Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (vehicle title document)
- SEPA direct debit form for vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer)
Depending on your situation:
- HU/AU report (vehicle inspection, if used car)
- COC document (Certificate of Conformity, for EU imports)
- Power of attorney (if someone else registers for you)
- Old license plates (if re-registering a used car)
Tip: Many Zulassungsstellen now require an appointment. Check your local office website beforehand to avoid waiting in vain. In larger cities like Berlin, Munich, or Hamburg, walk-in service may not be available.
What Determines Your Car Insurance Cost?
Your car insurance premium in Germany depends on several factors. Understanding these helps you find the best deal and avoid surprises when comparing providers.
Vehicle-related factors:
- Vehicle type (compact cars cost less than SUVs)
- Engine power (kW/PS directly affects premium)
- Vehicle age (newer vehicles cost more to insure)
- Security features (alarm, immobilizer reduce cost)
- Annual mileage (less driving = lower premium)
Driver-related factors:
- Age and driving experience
- Schadenfreiheitsklasse (SF-Klasse) - no-claims bonus
- Postal code (city driving costs more)
- Occupation and age of other drivers
- Parking location (garage vs street)
Typical costs in 2026: Liability insurance (Haftpflicht) starts from around EUR3-5/month (~EUR40-60/year minimum). Comprehensive coverage (Vollkasko) typically runs EUR100-150/month depending on vehicle value and your driving history. Most newcomers pay EUR250-400 annually for full coverage. Providers like Allianz, HUK-COBURG, AXA, DEVK, and CosmosDirekt all offer competitive rates. Compare to find the best deal for your situation.
Note for newcomers: Without German driving history, you typically start at SF-Klasse 0 or 1/2, which means higher premiums at first. Each accident-free year in Germany improves your class and reduces your premium. Some insurers accept proof of claims-free years from your home country - ask your provider if this applies to you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many first-timers make avoidable errors at the Zulassungsstelle. Knowing these pitfalls saves you time and a second trip.
Forgetting the eVB number
Some people show up without their eVB code. Without it, they will turn you away. Check your email twice before leaving home.
Missing Anmeldung
You must have a registered German address before you can register a car. If you have not done your Anmeldung yet, do that first at your local Buergeramt.
No appointment
In cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich, you generally cannot walk in anymore. Book online beforehand or check your local office website.
Wrong SEPA form
The SEPA direct debit for vehicle tax must be in your name. Some people bring a joint account form when they need an individual one.
eVB Number for Expats and Foreigners
If you recently moved to Germany and want to register a car, the process works exactly the same for you. Your nationality does not affect how you get the eVB number or how much the insurance costs. Here is what expats should keep in mind:
No Schufa credit check needed
Car insurance in Germany does not require a credit check. You can get coverage even if you just arrived and have no German financial history.
Your driving history may count
Some German insurers accept proof of claims-free years from your home country. Ask your previous insurer for an official letter confirming your accident-free driving record. Not every German insurer accepts this, but it is worth asking because it can lower your premium.
SF-Klasse starts at 0 or 1/2
Without German driving history, you start with a low Schadenfreiheitsklasse (SF-Klasse), which means higher premiums at first. Each accident-free year in Germany improves your class and brings down the price. Read more about how this works in our car insurance comparison guide.
Anmeldung is required first
You must have a registered address (Anmeldung) before you can register a car. If you have not done this yet, visit your local Buergeramt first.
Foreign driving licenses
EU driving licenses work directly in Germany. Non-EU licenses require an official German translation (ADAC offers this service) or you may need to pass a German driving test. Check with your car insurance provider for specific requirements.
Your First 30 Days in Germany: An eVB Timeline
Most expat eVB problems are not about the code itself. They are about timing it correctly around your Anmeldung, your appointment slot at the Zulassungsstelle and the actual delivery of your vehicle.
1-3
Anmeldung first
Book a Bürgeramt slot the moment you have a signed rental contract or a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Without the Anmeldebescheinigung in hand, most German insurers will reject your application during the address check. In some cities the next free Bürgeramt appointment is weeks out, so this step decides everything that follows.
4-7
Book the Zulassungsstelle appointment
In Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg the registration office is often booked 2 to 4 weeks ahead. Reserve a slot before you even buy the car. Smaller towns sometimes still allow walk-ins, but do not bet your delivery date on that. Note the appointment date because it sets the window for everything else.
8-21
Compare insurance, request the eVB
Use the comparison tool above to find a policy that matches your situation as a newcomer. Confirm the contract once you know your appointment date, request the eVB and store it in two places (email and notes app). Six months of validity is the common case, so even an early code easily reaches the appointment day.
22-30
Registration day at the Zulassungsstelle
Show up 10 minutes early with the eVB code, ID or passport, Anmeldung, Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II, SEPA form and HU/AU certificate if the vehicle is used. The clerk types in the eVB, the system answers within seconds, the desired Wünschkennzeichen gets approved and you leave with the plates. From here you only need the workshop to physically mount them.
Reality check: almost nobody hits this timeline on the first try. Mismatched documents, a missing Steueridentifikationsnummer or a different name spelling on the Anmeldung versus the passport are common. Build in a buffer week between “ready to register” and the actual purchase, and you will save yourself a second trip.
Edge Cases the Counter Will Hit You With
These are the situations the standard German guides skip because they assume a native German applicant. If you are an expat, you will probably run into at least one of them.
Name on passport differs from name on Anmeldung
Eastern European, Turkish and Arabic naming systems sometimes get split or merged on the Anmeldebescheinigung. If the insurer checks against the residence record and the names do not match exactly, the policy might be flagged. Bring a printout of the original Anmeldung and ask the insurer to use the spelling that the Bürgeramt actually wrote.
No Steueridentifikationsnummer yet
The SEPA form for the Kfz-Steuer asks for your tax ID. New arrivals often only receive it by post a couple of weeks after the Anmeldung. The Zulassungsstelle can still register the car, but the Hauptzollamt will ask for the tax ID later. Keep the post-arrival letter from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern handy and provide the number as soon as it arrives.
Non-EU driving license without a Beglaubigte Übersetzung
The eVB does not require a German license, but the insurer will eventually ask. For non-EU licenses an official translation, for example from a sworn translator or from ADAC, smooths out the contract. Within six months of arrival you can drive on the original license. After that you usually need a German Fahrerlaubnis or a recognition decision from the Führerscheinstelle.
Schadenfreiheitsklasse from your home country
Some insurers accept written confirmation of damage-free years from foreign insurers, which lifts you out of the punishing SF-Klasse 0 bracket. The document has to be in German or English on company letterhead and signed by the prior insurer. Not every German insurer accepts it, so it pays to ask before signing.
Temporary address before you have a permanent flat
Living in an Airbnb or short-term sublet means you cannot do the Anmeldung, and without that you cannot register a car in your own name. If a partner or employer can hold the registration, that is a workaround. Otherwise you will need to delay the purchase until the permanent rental contract is in place.
Legal Basis & Background
Compulsory motor liability insurance in Germany is regulated by the Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (PflVG). The Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV), in particular § 23 FZV, defines the proof of insurance that the Zulassungsbehörde requires before issuing license plates. The eVB system was introduced in 2008 to replace the old paper Doppelkarte.
Day-to-day, four German bodies sit behind the process:
- BaFin (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) supervises insurance companies and intermediaries.
- GDV (Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft) operates the central eVB database insurers and registration offices use to exchange the code.
- KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt) is the federal motor transport authority responsible for vehicle data and the central registry.
- ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) is the main consumer body for driver and vehicle topics in Germany.
This page does not link out to external sites. For binding legal information, refer to the printed laws and the official documents the relevant authority issues directly.
eVB Number Validity
eVB Number Validity
eVB validity varies by insurer: typically 3-6 months, with some providers offering up to 12-18 months. The 90-day period is just one common option among many. Check your policy documents for exact validity.
After you register your vehicle, the eVB expires. You only need a new one if you switch insurance providers or re-register a vehicle.
Lost Your eVB Number?
Lost Your eVB Number?
No problem. Your insurer can resend it via email or SMS right away. Most providers also store it in your online customer portal, so you can look it up yourself anytime.
Keep the email or SMS from your insurer saved somewhere safe. Screenshot it, bookmark it, or write it down. You will need the code at the Zulassungsstelle.
eVB Number FAQ
Common questions about the electronic insurance confirmation for vehicle registration in Germany
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