It was about time to get our license plates replaced for our Audi and Sonja's Vespa Alonzo (changing the address always means changing plates in Germany, except if you stay in the same city), so we opened another chapter in our book of horrors through German Road Traffic License Departments. Or so we thought...
In fact it turned out that in the Ortenau District you can prepare everything using the Internet. First you are able to reserve a plate. Then you provide all necessary information in a website template. And finally they even allow you to book appointments to finalize the process at the department.
We chose a 4:30 pm date which is pretty much the last one of the day and arrived just in time for our appointment (We were actually slightly early, but had to figure out the correct way of getting the old plates off our Audi).
We were immediately asked to a twin desk where two friendly and competent ladies took care of our needs. Within minutes the procedure had been finalized, we paid our fees, had some new licence plates made in a nearby facility, had all paper work finished and were done! Pinch us! We can't believe it.
A big thanks to the Offenburg Licence Department for rebuilding some trust into German bureaucracy! There is hope!
We yet have to get Roland's Vespa Bella through TÜV. But that's another department and another story to be told...
Changing plates if you change cities! Well maybe that's about the same as changing states in the U.S. Nice that you were able to do most of it online.
ReplyDelete"new licence plates made in a nearby facility"
They just don't have a pile of ready made plates? Can you pick your own number?
Richard, there is a limited choice of free numbers you can pick, but the first letters are always given by the district or city: LEV for Leverkusen; OG for Offenburg/Ortenau.
DeleteThe license plate business is indead outside of the licensing office, and we have to walk there to get plates made, and return to the office to get it stamped. No kidding.
Yes, how do you get the plates off? The plastic holder bracket looks impregnable.
ReplyDeleteRoland pondered about this as well in the beginning... but it is just two screws to remove to get to the plates.
DeleteHaving to change plates when changing cities....must be a leftover from the days when the cities were states solely unto themselves! After all, isn't the word for city: Stadt? This is just the history buff in me wondering....pay me no mind.
ReplyDeleteGlad that particular process worked out so smoothly for you. I hope the TUV for your two-wheeled vehicles is painless as well.
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Roland, it's all about the law of averages. You were bound to hit the upside sooner or later. Maybe your luck will hold and Bella and Rover can get their rubber rolling on the strasse und autobahn!
ReplyDeleteDavid, we hope so too. We talked to Mr Everything Goes at the Vespa dealership yesterday and he is in good hope although... the verdict of the TÜV is still out.
DeleteBob, you guessed correctly. We get a handwritten (!!!) piece of paper from the licensing office, have to leave to get the plates pressed and printed (!!!) and then have to go back to get some additional stamps and stickers to make the plates valid...
ReplyDeleteOhoh, best wishes for "TÜV"-procedure ... my first with Ellie, April 2013, was a nice story, without any problems. Hope the best for your Bella!
ReplyDeleteGreatz, Heike
With privately imported vehicles the TÜV seems to be different. They want piles of paperwork, that you wouldn't need for a bike purchased in Germany... Well, the dealership claims that they have a good working relationship with the authorities to make things go smoothly... we'll see.
DeleteHooray for a happy experience in a government office.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to fathom a new plate for every move to a different town. Job security for them perhaps?