The GDV expresses clear criticism of the federal government’s planned plan to provide mopeds and e-scooters with permanent license plates in the future without an approval process. “This proposal seems like a quick fix, the effects of which on owners, insurers and road safety have hardly been sufficiently considered,” says GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen.
In particular, insurers fear that this change could result in a significant number of mopeds and e-scooters being on the roads without insurance cover. The existing system currently offers a clear security mechanism with annually changing insurance codes. “On March 1st of each year, insured vehicles receive a new license plate in a changing color. This means that public order offices and the police can immediately recognize when a vehicle no longer has insurance coverage,” says Asmussen.
The federal government’s plans, however, envisage equipping mopeds and e-scooters with permanent license plates without having to go through the usual registration process for motor vehicles. If a vehicle is no longer insured, the last insurer should ensure that the owner removes the license plate from the vehicle and returns it to the insurer. “Insurers are not authorities and do not want to be called in for police or regulatory tasks. This additional burden on insurers and authorities contradicts the stated goal of reducing bureaucracy,” says Asmussen.
A functioning system should not be abolished
If the federal government wants to forego the annual license plate change, it must offer an equivalent solution. “It makes no sense to abolish a functioning system. In Germany we have so far been very successful in preventing vehicles from being driven without insurance. We shouldn’t jeopardize that,” says Asmussen.
Driving an uninsured motor vehicle is a criminal offense in Germany that can be punished with the revocation of your driving license, a fine or up to one year in prison. In the event of an accident without insurance coverage, the driver also bears the full costs.
The elimination of the annual license plate change is part of a planned change to the Vehicle Registration Ordinance as part of the proposed law on the Bureaucracy Relief Act IV. This change is scheduled to come into force from March 2026.
