Rotes Kennzeichen
Umbrella term for Germany's red recurring-use plates – depending on the leading digits 05 (inspection), 06 (dealer) or 07 (historic vehicles).
What is a rotes Kennzeichen?
‘Rotes Kennzeichen’ (red plate) is the umbrella term for Germany's red ‘recurring-use’ plates. They are not tied to a single, permanently registered vehicle but allow – within narrowly defined purposes – changing vehicles to be moved on the same plate. They are recognised by their red lettering and by a number whose leading digits reveal the type.
The three types
The leading digits determine the purpose and the eligible users:
| Plate | Purpose | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| 05 | inspection drives only, by assessors; tax-free | testing organisations |
| 06 | dealer plate: test, transfer and workshop drives in the trade | car businesses, dealers, workshops |
| 07 | historic-vehicle plate: events plus test, transfer, repair and maintenance drives | owners of historic vehicles |
Common rules
All red plates share the same principles: everyday use is excluded, the permitted trips are exhaustively defined by law and a logbook (Fahrtennachweisheft) must be kept. The legal basis is the Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung (FZV); for the historic 07 plate § 43 FZV applies. Exceeding the permitted purposes risks a fine and the withdrawal of the holder's ‘reliability’ – and thus of the plate itself.
Costs, tax and history
The types differ clearly on tax: the 05 is tax-free, while the 07 carries the same flat historic-vehicle rate as the H-Kennzeichen – 191.73 euros per year for cars, 46.02 euros for motorcycles, in each case per plate and not per vehicle. For the 06 dealer plate the federal states set their own, usually much higher rates. On top come one-off registration and plate fees and liability insurance. The logbook (Fahrtennachweisheft) must be carried on every trip and filled in without gaps; it serves the registration office as proof that only permitted trips take place. The vehicles entered on a 07 plate have no periodic technical inspection on a fixed cycle, but must be roadworthy and safe at all times. Historically the red historic plate was formerly governed by § 17 FZV (old version); since the FZV reform of 2023 it is set out in § 43 FZV.
Relevance for rallying
For classic motorsport only the red 07er plate is relevant: it expressly allows participation in historic-vehicle events including the drive to and from – which covers regularity and classic rallies. The 06 is reserved for the trade, the 05 for pure inspection drives. Details, costs and the exact permitted trips are in the entry on the 07er plate.
Regional note
Red plates in this form are a German arrangement. Other countries – such as Switzerland with its dealer and collective plates – have their own systems. For cross-border rallies the respective national rules apply.
Glossary from A to Z
Related terms
H-Kennzeichen
Germany's official historic-vehicle plate with an ‘H’ for cars 30+ years old – full everyday use, flat vehicle tax, free access to low-emission zones.
07er-Kennzeichen
Germany's red classic-car plate (rotes 07-Kennzeichen): one transferable plate for several historic vehicles, usable only for events plus test, transfer and workshop drives – never for everyday use.
Interchangeable plate
A Swiss licence plate used alternately on several vehicles – only one of which may be driven at a time. For veteran vehicles, more than two are allowed.