Many car owners would like to have the title of classic car for their vehicle. However, certain requirements are required for this. But the most important requirement is still: the car must be at least 30 years old.
There has been a special classic car registration in Germany since 1997. By definition, a classic car must have first come onto the market at least 30 years ago. In addition, the vehicle must be used for the “maintenance of motor vehicle technical cultural assets”. So-called youngtimers, however, have not existed since 2007. Until then, vehicles that were more than 20 years old could be registered as such. Youngtimers that were registered before 2007, however, continue to retain their status.
Requirements for an H license plate
You can see whether a vehicle has a special classic car approval by looking at the license plate. The letter “H” follows the identification number. For such a license plate, a vehicle must be in good and original condition. The car may have been professionally restored and may show signs of wear, but no visible technical defects. Conversions are also permitted if they are contemporary, professionally carried out and approved. As soon as these requirements are met, a recognized expert (e.g. TÜV or DEKRA) can confirm that classification as a classic car is permissible.
Save taxes with H license plates?
An H license plate is not worthwhile for every model. The tax office currently taxes classic cars at a flat rate of 191.73 euros per year. However, many small-volume engines with exhaust gas purification run more cheaply under conventional displacement taxation and are also allowed to enter environmental zones with a green sticker, according to current legislation. In individual cases this should be recalculated.
Register classic cars regularly or with seasonal license plates
In principle, it is possible to register a classic car regularly. A current HU certificate is sufficient for this. A popular variant is also registration using a seasonal license plate. Because many classic cars are only driven on the road in the nice, warm months. Due to this partial use, it makes sense to only register the vehicle for the months in which it is used. Since 2017, the combination with an H license plate has even been permitted. The legislature requires a minimum of two months, and a maximum of eleven months is possible. In order to calculate how much tax is due, the annual tax must first be determined. You then divide this by 12 and multiply the result by the number of months in which the classic car is registered.
Classic car insurance
Classic cars require different insurance coverage than typical commercial vehicles. As a rule, these are significantly cheaper than conventional car insurance. The reason for this is the lower risk of damage. Classic cars are usually well cared for by their owners and are rarely driven. However, it is important to avoid being underinsured. The age, condition and value of the vehicle are decisive for the insurance premium. In addition, there is no classification into a no-claims class. This means that there is no downgrade in the event of damage.
Editorial team finanzen.net