Buying a car in Austria and bringing it to Germany: Pickerl, deregistration and registration

Before buying a car in Austria, compare its identity with the documents, establish authority to sell, and have its history and current condition checked. Only then agree on price and handover. Before payment, you must know which original documents you will receive, how the car will reach Germany and which evidence your registration authority requires.

This process covers an ordinary used car with Austrian registration which you buy as a private individual resident in Germany and intend to register there. A valid Pickerl alone answers neither the purchase decision nor every question about German registration. The ADAC guidance on buying abroad in the EU and the documents for registering an EU used vehicle help you prepare.

Contents: Pickerl · Checks before payment · Documents and transfer · Deregistration · NoVA · Checklist · Registration in Germany · FAQ

Does the Pickerl replace a pre-purchase inspection?

No. The Austrian Pickerl belongs to the periodic inspection under section 57a. A pre-purchase inspection also investigates value-related wear and previous damage. ÖAMTC and TÜV NORD explain the distinction. The pre-purchase inspection is a recommendation for your decision, not a general legal obligation when buying.

Request the complete inspection report: do the vehicle identity, date and mileage match the service records and offer? Is there understandable evidence that documented defects have been repaired? A sticker does not replace this check. Equally, a complete maintenance history does not prove the current condition; an unremarkable database report leaves unrecorded damage unresolved.

Do not plan the journey around the Austrian Pickerl tolerance period. The Austrian government portal recommends travelling abroad before the punched month expires, because tolerance periods are often not recognised abroad. Nor can automatic recognition for German registration be inferred from this.

What should be checked before the contract and payment?

Compare the vehicle identification number, or VIN, on the car with the registration documents, purchase contract and inspection reports. Ask to see the seller's identity document. If names differ, establish authority to sell and any required power of attorney or financing release. An Austrian advert does not prove an exclusively Austrian vehicle history.

Record known accident damage, promised characteristics and documents to be supplied in writing. Also establish whether you are buying privately or from a dealer and which law governs the contract. Your German residence does not automatically apply all German warranty conditions to a purchase abroad. ADAC provides guidance.

Bodywork, underbody and powertrain

Arrange a viewing with underbody access, preferably on a lift. Have structural areas, visible repairs, corrosion, fluid leaks and wear affecting suspension, brakes and powertrain examined. Photographs and an understandable report should show where a finding is located and what needs further clarification. The actual car matters, not a blanket suspicion based on its origin. TÜV NORD's inspection scopes show why a documents-only check is insufficient.

Test drive, diagnostics and remaining limitations

Agree on a test drive, permitted use and insurance before the appointment. If possible, include a cold start, driving behaviour and diagnostics. A fault code is not yet a repair quotation; an empty fault memory does not prove the absence of defects. Missing lift access, an unavailable test drive or inaccessible components belong in the report as limitations, not positive inspection results. Our inspection scope also describes such limits.

Our recommendation: pause payment and collection if identity, authority to sell, essential original documents or a serious technical finding remain unresolved. First resolve the specific uncertainty. Agree that payment will take place against the agreed handover of the vehicle and documents.

Which documents are needed for transfer?

For Austrian temporary transfer plates, the government portal lists official photo identification, proof of acquisition such as a purchase contract, and the Typenschein type-approval document. A current inspection report is required if the periodic inspection is already due and the report is not stored in the database. A representative additionally needs a power of attorney, and proof of insurance is needed unless insurance is taken out when applying.

For the whole process, also secure both parts of the Austrian registration certificate, available approval documents and, where applicable, a COC, the EU certificate of conformity. Ask to see the documents beforehand and agree on handover of the originals. A collection of phone photographs is not sufficient for German registration. Discuss missing documents with your registration authority in advance.

How long are Austrian temporary transfer plates valid?

They are issued for at least three and at most 21 days. Insurance is required for the period of use. The responsible office is a registration office in the area where you are currently staying in Austria; your usual residence does not have to be there. oesterreich.gv.at describes the procedure.

Before departure, have recognition of the plates and the insurance territory confirmed for the entire route to Germany. Do not continue using the seller's plates and previous insurance after sale or deregistration without checking. If there is no reliably established basis for driving, plan transport on a trailer or transport vehicle. ADAC provides guidance on transfer.

How is Austrian deregistration completed?

Agree who will handle deregistration and when you will receive the confirmed originals. Austrian deregistration requires, in particular, both parts of the registration certificate, approval evidence and plates, together with identification and a power of attorney for a representative. Deregistration is recorded in the registration documents; a credit-card-format registration certificate is punched and returned.

An important special rule applies to Germany: under Article 15 of the German-Austrian treaty, registration in the other contracting country means the vehicle is treated as deregistered in the previous country. The procedure provides for the registration certificate and plates to be taken against a receipt and forwarded. The Austrian government portal explicitly confirms this exception.

Coordinate the actual process with the authorities involved beforehand. For predictable collection, we recommend Austrian deregistration in advance and handover of the confirmed papers. This is an organisational recommendation, not an exclusion of the treaty procedure. Record who will surrender which documents and plates, and which confirmation seller and buyer will receive.

What role does NoVA play in the export price?

Austria's Normverbrauchsabgabe, or NoVA, is not a German import tax. A possible export refund does not automatically belong to you as the buyer. In a sale abroad, the person transferring the right to dispose of the car, usually the seller, is generally entitled to apply. Collecting the vehicle in Austria does not change this. The BMF NoVA refund rules are decisive.

For exports from 1 July 2026, no more than 48 months may pass between first registration anywhere in the world and Austrian deregistration. Earlier foreign registrations count; intervening deregistration does not restart the period. The export date determines whether the new rules apply, not the application date. Exports up to and including 30 June 2026 follow the previous rules. The BMF technical guidance explains this.

All other conditions must also be met: a previous NoVA charge, proven permanent export and Austrian deregistration, eligibility for registration at deregistration, provision of the VIN and a block in the approval database. Double relief under sections 12a and 12b is excluded. The application must be submitted within five years of delivery or movement of the deregistered vehicle abroad. A valuation report is required for a refund exceeding €5,000. This threshold concerns the refund, not the purchase price. Details: BMF.

Therefore agree on the binding export price in writing: has an expected refund already been included, who will apply, what export evidence will you provide and what happens if it is refused? Do not independently deduct an estimated NoVA amount from the price.

Your checklist before purchase and collection

Use these seven questions before paying or arranging collection. Marking evidence as reviewed does not mean its authenticity or validity has been checked. Even seven reviewed items do not confirm a defect-free vehicle.

How do you prepare for costs and registration in Germany?

Which taxes apply when buying a used car in the EU?

For VAT purposes, the car is used only if it has travelled more than 6,000 kilometres and is supplied more than six months after first registration. Exactly 6,000 kilometres or no more than six months is enough for classification as a new vehicle. The EU VAT rules are decisive, not “used car” in the advert.

For the EU used car described here, there are no customs charges and German VAT is not charged again simply because the car is moved to Germany. A private sale is not subject to VAT; a dealer's invoice follows the VAT regime applied, such as margin taxation. This does not imply an automatic net-price purchase. A vehicle that is new for tax purposes is instead taxed in Germany as the destination country. In that case, clarify declaration and payment with your tax office beforehand rather than addressing tax only after registration. Source: Your Europe.

What does the German registration authority need?

As a specific authority example, Berlin lists original foreign registration papers, purchase contract or invoice, proof of identity, eVB electronic insurance confirmation, a SEPA mandate for vehicle tax and technical vehicle data. A COC or manufacturer confirmation may be used for a type-approved vehicle.

The required evidence of a valid HU roadworthiness inspection must also be established; it may be unnecessary for young vehicles not yet subject to inspection. Without type approval, an assessment under section 21 StVZO must be considered. A missing COC does not automatically mean this is the only route. Before buying, have your own registration authority confirm its requirements using the vehicle data and Austrian inspection report. A Pickerl alone does not decide this.

How do you budget for the total cost?

Include the price agreed in writing, pre-purchase inspection, temporary transfer plates with insurance or transport, necessary documents, any HU inspection or approval, German registration and specifically identified repairs. Obtain quotations for unknown items; do not enter them as zero. Only this total can be meaningfully compared with a similar offer in Germany. For preparation: ADAC and registration documents.

Frequently asked questions

Is a valid Pickerl enough for the purchase decision?

No. Read the report and have wear, previous damage and current condition assessed separately. A periodic inspection does not replace this pre-purchase check. ÖAMTC, TÜV NORD.

How long are Austrian temporary transfer plates valid?

Three to 21 days. You need insurance cover for the period of use; before departure, establish validity of the plates and cover for the drive to Germany. Government information.

Does German registration replace Austrian deregistration?

Under the special procedure in Article 15 of the bilateral treaty, German registration means the vehicle is treated as deregistered in Austria. Agree on the process, including surrender and confirmation of documents and plates, beforehand. Alternatively, arrange Austrian deregistration before transfer. Treaty, Article 15, Austrian guidance.

Do I automatically receive a NoVA refund as a German buyer?

No. Entitlement, applicant and export price must be established. For exports from 1 July 2026, conditions include the 48-month limit between first registration worldwide and Austrian deregistration. BMF: conditions, new rules.

Have the vehicle inspected before buying

With CarAudit, you can also have a vehicle inspected before purchase in Austria. Confirm availability for the specific location and appointment before travelling. The possible inspection scope depends on access to the vehicle; the inspection does not replace statutory warranty rights and is not a guarantee that the car is free of defects.

View inspection scope and availability · What is inspected on the vehicle?