1. Why the certificate matters so much
The registration certificate Part II (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II, formerly Fahrzeugbrief) records who the vehicle is registered to. It is not proof of ownership in the legal sense, but it is the most important indication of it. Without Part II, the new owner cannot register the vehicle in their name.
For buyers it is also a warning sign: a car without the certificate may be stolen or still pledged to a bank. Reputable buyers, private and commercial alike, will therefore always ask for it. So it pays to sort this out before you offer your vehicle.
2. Where is the certificate?
Before you apply for a replacement, check whether the certificate really is lost. Common cases:
- It is held by a bank. With financed vehicles, the bank often keeps the certificate as security until the loan has been repaid. How to sell in that case is explained in our guide Selling a car with a loan.
- It is held by the leasing company. Then the vehicle does not belong to you, and a sale is not possible without the leasing company.
- It is still with the previous owner or dealer, for example after a purchase where the certificate was supposed to be sent on later.
- It has disappeared into a folder. Look through insurance documents, purchase agreements and loan paperwork, including older agreements that were paid off long ago.
3. Apply for a replacement
If the certificate really has been lost or stolen, apply to the registration authority (Zulassungsbehörde) for a new registration certificate Part II. For keepers in the Rems-Murr-Kreis, this is the registration authority of the Landratsamt Rems-Murr-Kreis; more on this in the guide Deregistering a car in the Rems-Murr-Kreis.
The process is usually as follows:
- At the authority, you make a statutory declaration (eidesstattliche Versicherung) about what happened to the certificate. In it, you declare that it has been lost and that you have not passed it on. False statements are a criminal offence.
- The authority checks whether anything stands in the way of issuing a new one, for example whether the vehicle has been reported stolen. As a rule, this includes an enquiry with the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt).
- The old certificate is declared invalid. If it turns up later, it must no longer be used and should be handed in to the authority.
- The authority then issues a new registration certificate Part II.
How long this takes and what fees apply varies. Ask your registration authority whether you need an appointment and exactly which documents are required.
4. What to bring
The following documents are usual. The authority may ask for more in individual cases:
- ID card or passport,
- registration certificate Part I,
- if the certificate was stolen, the police confirmation of your report,
- if available, the purchase agreement or other proof that you lawfully possess the vehicle,
- if another person submits the application, a power of attorney. The statutory declaration, however, is usually made by the keeper personally; the authority will tell you whether someone can act on your behalf.
5. And if Part I is missing?
The registration authority can also replace the registration certificate Part I, formerly the Fahrzeugschein. The process is similar. If both parts are missing, raise this directly with the authority.
6. Selling afterwards
With the new certificate, you sell your vehicle as normal. If you sell to us, we take care of the deregistration. If your case is still in progress, for example because the replacement has been applied for but has not arrived yet, give us a call. We will discuss together how to proceed.
You will find more tips on selling in the guides Documents for selling and What is my car worth?.