Municipal Leaders Advocate for Unique Vehicle Registration Plates

A collective of mayors from various German states is rallying for the introduction of unique vehicle registration plates for their municipalities. This initiative aims to enhance regional identity and promote local marketing without incurring additional costs.

Over 70 mayors have signed joint letters addressed to the respective ministries in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Hesse, advocating for their cities to be assigned distinct vehicle registration codes. Notable supporters include municipalities such as Winnenden in Baden-Württemberg, Herzogenaurach in Bavaria, Rheine in North Rhine-Westphalia, and Bad Vilbel in Hesse.

The mayors believe that having unique registration plates would serve as a valuable tool in strengthening the identity of their communities. In a letter from a group of 17 mayors in Baden-Württemberg to the state's Minister of Transport, they expressed that municipal registration plates could significantly enhance visibility for their towns and foster a sense of belonging among residents.

This push for localized vehicle registration is rooted in a proposal made last year by Ralf Bochert, a professor specializing in economics and destination management at Heilbronn University. Bochert suggested that around 320 cities across Germany, particularly those with populations exceeding 20,000 and currently lacking their own registration identifiers, could benefit from this initiative. As per his estimates, more than 100 cities nationwide are currently interested in acquiring their own vehicle registration codes.

For this change to occur, a state must first submit a request to the Federal Ministry of Transport to amend the vehicle registration regulations. Subsequently, this change would require approval from the Bundesrat, the federal council. If approved, the process to introduce new registration plates would resemble that of reinstating previously discontinued codes. For instance, if Baden-Württemberg applies for additional codes SFI and HBG for Sindelfingen and Herrenberg, a review will be conducted to ensure these codes are not already in use or deemed inappropriate before they can be published in the Federal Gazette and made available for issuance.

In recent years, certain states, particularly Bavaria, have begun to reintroduce previously discontinued registration codes. An example includes the city of Bad Aibling, which has been allowed to use the code 'AIB', as opposed to the more general 'RO' for the expanded Rosenheim district, which has been in use since 1972. Vehicle owners in these areas can now select their preferred local identifiers. Additionally, entirely new codes, such as 'MUC' for Munich, have also been approved for use, providing residents with more choices in their vehicle registration.