If the owner data of a motor vehicle changes, for example due to a change of residence or place of business, sale, donation, etc., you are obliged to have the owner and vehicle data updated at the registration authority. In the event of a move or change of owner within Germany, you can keep the previous license plate (in the case of a registered vehicle). However, you can also apply for a license plate from the new registration district.
You cannot have a license plate that you took over when you moved or changed owners in another registration district reassigned to you after a decommissioning.
You can obtain further information from your local registration authority under "Further links".
When a license plate is assigned as part of the registration process, you are usually assigned a combination of letters and numbers over which you have no control. However, if you would like a specific letter and number combination (e.g. your initials or year of birth), you can apply for a special license plate for a fee.
Transfers and re-registrations can also be carried out via the Internet. You can access the Internet-based processes on the portal of your registration authority. You can also obtain further information there.
You can also find information about the online procedures of the registration authorities under "Further links".