You’re at the Zulassungsstelle and they hand you two documents - a small pale-green folded card and a large A4 sheet - in an envelope. The clerk says “Das sind Ihre Fahrzeugpapiere” and closes the window. If you grew up in Ukraine, you’re used to one single vehicle registration document. Here you’ve got two, both full of abbreviations: HSN, TSN, FIN, Halter, Erstzulassung.
Let’s decode them - what each document is, what every field means, and when you actually need a translation.
Two documents, not one¶
In Ukraine, there’s one document - the vehicle registration certificate (техпаспорт). In Germany, there are two.
Fahrzeugschein (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I) - the small pale-green folded card, DIN-A7 format (roughly 10×15 cm). Must be in the vehicle at all times. When police stop you - this is what you show. Getting caught without it: €10 fine.
Since 2023, there’s also a digital Fahrzeugschein via the official i-Kfz app (requires German eID card with active eID function) - legally equivalent to the paper version.
Fahrzeugbrief (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II) - the large white A4 sheet. Keep it at home in a safe place. Never in the car. If your car gets stolen and the Fahrzeugbrief is in it too, your insurance claim gets complicated and any thief can more easily sell the car.
When buying or selling a car, the Fahrzeugbrief passes from seller to buyer. The buyer then brings it to the Zulassungsstelle for re-registration.
Simple rule: Fahrzeugschein = always in the car. Fahrzeugbrief = at home.
Fahrzeugschein: every field explained¶
There are two types of fields on the card: letter fields (EU-standard - identical in Poland, France, Spain, etc.) and numeric fields in brackets (Germany-specific only).
Letter fields (EU standard)¶
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| A | Registration plate (Kennzeichen), e.g., M-AB 1234 |
| B | Date of first registration (Erstzulassung) - the vehicle’s age |
| C.1 | Name and address of the Halter (registered keeper) |
| C.4a | Date of registration in current keeper’s name |
| D.1 | Make (Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota…) |
| D.2 | Type or model (Golf, X5, Corolla…) |
| E | VIN number (17 characters, = Fahrgestellnummer) |
| F.1 | Maximum permitted total mass (kg) |
| G | Mass in running order (kg) - may be a range depending on trim level |
| J | Vehicle category: M1 = passenger car, N1 = light van ≤3.5t |
| O.1 | Permissible braked trailer mass (kg) |
| O.2 | Permissible unbraked trailer mass (kg) |
| P.1 | Engine displacement in cm³ |
| P.2 | Engine power in kW - to convert to horsepower, multiply by 1.36 |
| P.3 | Fuel type: B = petrol, D = diesel, E = electric, LPG = LPG gas |
| R | Body color |
| S.1 | Number of seats including driver |
| V.5 | Emissions class (Euro 4, Euro 5, Euro 6) |
| V.9 | Umweltplakette code: 4 = green sticker (required for low-emission zones) |
Field P.2 catches everyone off guard. Ukrainian driving licenses and insurance policies list power in horsepower (к.с.). The German Fahrzeugschein uses kW. So “110 kW” = 110 × 1.36 = 150 hp. That’s the number you give when getting a German insurance quote.
Numeric fields in brackets (Germany-specific)¶
These fields don’t exist in the French or Polish equivalents - purely German.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| (2) | HSN - Herstellerschlüsselnummer, 4-digit manufacturer code from KBA |
| (3) | TSN - Typschlüsselnummer, 3-digit model code |
| (5) | Date of next HU (Hauptuntersuchung - roadworthiness inspection) |
| (14.1) | ESN - emissions class code |
| (15.1/2/3) | Tyre specifications per axle |
HSN and TSN together uniquely identify your car in the KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt) database. Think of KBA as Germany’s national vehicle registry - like Ukraine’s МРЕВ but centralized. HSN 0603 + TSN ABC, for example, identifies a specific VW Golf variant with a specific engine.
Where you’ll need them: - Getting insurance quotes - every German insurer asks for HSN/TSN first thing - Ordering spare parts online - filtering by HSN/TSN guarantees the right part for your exact car variant, not just the model - Checking Typklasse (the insurance risk class for your specific model) on the GDV website
Field (5) = next HU date - Germany’s mandatory roadworthiness inspection (Hauptuntersuchung). Think of it as Ukraine’s техогляд but significantly stricter and uniformly enforced. Done by TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ, or KÜS every 24 months for passenger cars. If it’s overdue, you’re technically not legally permitted to drive, and police can pull you over for an expired HU sticker.
The round colored sticker on the rear license plate is the HU sticker. The number around the rim = the month when the next HU is due. The color indicates the year (colors rotate in a 6-year cycle).
Fahrzeugbrief: what to check¶
The Fahrzeugbrief is simpler than the Fahrzeugschein - but what’s in it matters a lot, especially when buying a used car.
What’s in it: - Your name and address as Halter (same as in the Fahrzeugschein) - VIN number (must match the Fahrzeugschein and the physical VIN plate on the car) - Previous keeper data - only the last two, no names (just dates and total count) - Total number of previous keepers - Date of first registration (Erstzulassung)
What to check when buying a used car:
Always check three things before handing over any money:
-
VIN matches - VIN in Fahrzeugbrief = VIN in Fahrzeugschein = VIN on the metal plate in the engine bay (and often on the door pillar). If there’s a mismatch - don’t buy. It means either the car is stolen or the VIN has been tampered with.
-
Seller = Halter in the document - if they’re selling but someone else’s name is on the document, ask for a clear explanation and written documentation. It might be a legitimate ownership transfer, it might be fraud.
-
No “Sicherungsübereignung” note - if present, the car is pledged as collateral for a bank loan. The bank is the legal owner. The seller can’t legally sell without the bank’s explicit permission, even though they can physically hand you the keys.
Replacing a lost Fahrzeugbrief: around €70, minimum 6 weeks wait, plus an eidesstattliche Versicherung (statutory declaration that the document is genuinely lost - not handed over as security or sold along with the car). Keep it somewhere safe.
When do you actually need a translation?¶
Scenario 1: Driving a Ukrainian car in Germany
Under §46 FZV (Fahrzeugzulassungsverordnung), a Ukrainian vehicle can legally drive in Germany for up to 1 year from the date of border crossing. Technically, a translation of the Ukrainian vehicle registration document is required under EU Directive 1999/37/EG, since Ukrainian documents don’t conform to the European format.
The easiest option: ADAC (Germany’s main automobile club) does informal translations of foreign vehicle registration documents for around €20-40 at their service centers. It’s not a certified translation, but it’s sufficient for a routine police stop.
Scenario 2: Registering a Ukrainian car in Germany
Full registration - German plates, German Zulassungsbescheinigung - requires a certified translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) of the Ukrainian vehicle registration document from a sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer). Cost: €50-150 depending on document length.
Find a sworn translator for the Ukrainian-German language pair via justiz-dolmetscher.de (Germany’s official court translator registry). ChatsControl can translate the document in minutes - then you get it certified by the sworn translator.
The full registration process for Ukrainian cars in Germany - customs, TÜV, Zulassungsstelle, and all the real costs - is covered in detail in the vehicle registration translation article.
Scenario 3: Driving a German car to Ukraine
Ukrainian traffic police might not know how to read a German Fahrzeugschein. In practice, it rarely causes issues at the border, but if you’re spending extended time in Ukraine, having a printed translation of the key fields or a certified translation is reasonable.
Scenario 4: German vehicle documents for Ukrainian institutions
If you’re submitting German vehicle documents to a Ukrainian notary, court, or other institution - for inheritance proceedings, asset division, legal disputes - you’ll need a certified Ukrainian translation of the German documents. German institutions (Ausländerbehörde, Finanzamt, etc.) accept German documents as-is.
FAQ¶
What are HSN and TSN in the Fahrzeugschein?¶
HSN (Herstellerschlüsselnummer) is a 4-digit manufacturer code assigned by the KBA (Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority). TSN (Typschlüsselnummer) is a 3-digit model code. Together they uniquely identify your vehicle in the KBA database. You need them for insurance quotes and when ordering spare parts. They’re in fields (2) and (3) of the Fahrzeugschein.
Where should I keep the Fahrzeugbrief?¶
At home in a secure place - never in the car. If your car is stolen with the Fahrzeugbrief inside, your insurance claim gets complicated. Replacing it costs around €70, takes 6+ weeks, and requires a statutory declaration (eidesstattliche Versicherung) confirming the document is genuinely lost.
Do I need to translate the Fahrzeugschein if I bought a car in Germany?¶
No. When you buy a car in Germany, the Fahrzeugschein is issued in your name in German - nothing needs translating. Translation is only needed if you’re bringing a Ukrainian car to Germany and registering it here - then you need a certified translation of the Ukrainian vehicle registration document into German.
What’s the difference between Fahrzeugschein and Fahrzeugbrief?¶
Fahrzeugschein (Teil I) - small green card, always in the car, proves the vehicle is permitted for road use. Fahrzeugbrief (Teil II) - large white A4 sheet, kept at home, proves registration and is handed over when selling. The rule: Fahrzeugschein = in the car, Fahrzeugbrief = at home.
What is Halter and how is it different from the owner?¶
Halter is the registered keeper - the person who registered the car and pays Kfz-Steuer (vehicle tax). Not necessarily the legal owner (Eigentümer). If the car is financed, the bank is often the legal owner (Sicherungsübereignung) while you’re the Halter. The Halter is responsible for the vehicle’s roadworthiness and receives traffic fines from speed cameras.
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