Public test phase for the digital vehicle registration document begins

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Affairs (BMDV) has announced another success on the rocky road to administrative digitization. From April 28, interested parties will be able to test the digital vehicle registration document on their smartphone and leave the classic paper version at home. The solution will then be available in trial operation via the i-Kfz app, which the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) and Bundesdruckerei have jointly developed on behalf of the BMDV. The application is part of the internet-based vehicle registration system, which citizens have been able to use to register, deregister and re-register their vehicle online since fall 2023.

According to the ministry, a total of around 2,500 places are available for testing the digital vehicle registration certificate. These will be allocated in the order of registration. Registration is possible via the KBA website using a private email address for linking to the Apple and Google app stores. A vehicle registration document for a private car registered to the user, an ID card with eID function and associated PIN or an electronic residence permit for authentication and a compatible smartphone are required.

The volunteers can "gain initial experience with the i-Kfz app and provide feedback on the functionalities" before the planned nationwide launch, explains the BMDV. The feedback is intended to help "further develop the application in line with requirements". Once finalized, the app for iOS and Android is expected to be available for all citizens to download from the respective app stores in the second half of 2025.

Desperate search for papers should come to an end

With the digital version of the vehicle registration certificate, the obligation to carry the paper form in Germany will no longer apply, the department emphasizes. In addition, several vehicle registration documents can be stored in the app at the same time. The digital version can also be shared with any number of drivers of the vehicle –, even for a limited period of time –. This means that interested parties who are not themselves vehicle owners can also take part in the pilot project. In this case, users only need the i-vehicle app, but must know a vehicle owner who is also taking part in the test.

In the future, other vehicle and owner-related documents such as the driving license will be added to the app. The German government launched the legal basis for the introduction of these digital certificates in February. However, the procedure depends not only on the national framework conditions, but also in particular on the adoption and implementation of the fourth EU driving license directive. Representatives of the EU legislative bodies agreed in principle on the final draft version of this directive at the end of March. According to this, a standardized digital driving license should be available to all EU citizens by the end of 2030 at the latest. According to the plan, it will be stored in the future digital wallet for the European Digital Identity (EUDI).

"Whether in your drawer, in your jacket pocket or in your car, the frequent search for your vehicle license will soon be a thing of the past", says a delighted Volker Wissing (non-party), Federal Minister of Transport. "In the future, the document will always be digitally available on your smartphone in the i-Kfz app."

(mma)