E-license plate after the electric conversion: requirements, application and advantages (2026)
After a successful electric conversion, one final, often underestimated stage remains: the E-license plate. According to KBA (2025) around 1.65 million purely electric cars were registered in Germany at the start of 2025 — a strongly rising trend, also driven by conversions. The "E" at the end of the number plate is far more than just a letter. It unlocks tangible advantages: free parking, use of bus lanes and full vehicle-tax exemption until 2035.
This guide explains step by step how to apply for the E-license plate after your electric conversion, which requirements your vehicle must meet and which privileges await you. If you are still at the beginning of your project, you will find in our complete guide to electric car conversion all the basics.
TL;DR: Every purely electrically converted vehicle can, after a passed TÜV individual approval receive an E-license plate. The costs are around 30 euros for the plates plus re-registration fees. The advantages: vehicle-tax exemption until 2035 (ADAC/Bundestag, 2025), free parking in many cities and access to bus lanes depending on the municipality.
What is an E-license plate?
The E-license plate is a special number plate that secures municipal privileges for electric vehicles in Germany. According to KBA (2025) around 1.65 million cars already bore the "E" on their plate at the start of 2025. The legal basis is the Elektromobilitätsgesetz (EmoG), which since 2015 has permitted this plate for purely battery-electric vehicles, fuel-cell vehicles and certain plug-in hybrids.
Technically, the E-license plate works like a normal number plate. The only visible difference: the appended "E". But this letter has legal effect. It entitles the owner to make use of municipal special provisions under §3 EmoG — such as reserved parking spaces or the use of bus lanes.
The EmoG came into force on 12 June 2015 and was originally limited until 2026. The Bundestag has since extended its period of validity. For converted vehicles the same law applies as for factory electric cars: as long as the drive is purely electric and the vehicle has been correctly registered, nothing stands in the way of the E-license plate.
Does a converted electric car get an E-license plate?
Yes — provided the vehicle meets the legal criteria. According to §2 EmoG a vehicle must be classified as a "pure battery electric vehicle" to receive the E-license plate. This applies regardless of whether the electric drive was installed at the factory or created by a subsequent conversion.
The decisive point is the entry in the vehicle papers. After a passed TÜV individual approval the drive type in the vehicle registration (registration certificate Part I) is changed from "petrol" or "diesel" to "electric". As soon as it says "electric" there, you are entitled to the E-license plate.
Important: hybrid conversions — that is, vehicles in which both a combustion and an electric motor remain installed — only count as eligible if they meet the strict plug-in hybrid criteria of the EmoG. For most converters this is irrelevant, because in a typical electric conversion the combustion engine is completely removed. The solution is therefore a purely electric drive.
Which requirements must the converted vehicle meet?
Three conditions must be met simultaneously for your converted vehicle to receive the E-license plate. According to §2 Abs. 1 EmoG the vehicle must be a pure battery electric vehicle, have a valid operating licence and be entered as "electric" in the registration certificate. Sounds simple — but requires preparation.
Purely electric drive
Your vehicle may be driven exclusively by an electric motor. The combustion engine must be completely removed. If a combustion engine remains in the vehicle — even if it is no longer connected — the classification as a "pure battery electric vehicle" can fail. Remove it cleanly, document it cleanly.
Bestandene TÜV-Einzelabnahme
The individual approval under §21 StVZO is mandatory for every electric conversion in Germany. The TÜV inspector assesses electrical safety, battery installation, mechanical integration and — for vehicles first registered after 17 June 2003 — electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Professionally executed conversions usually pass the approval at the first appointment. All the details of the process are explained in our guide to the TÜV individual approval.
Entry as "electric" in the vehicle registration
After a passed TÜV approval you take the inspection report to the registration office. There the drive type in field P.3 of registration certificate Part I is changed to "electric". Only with this entry are you entitled to apply for the E-license plate. Without the change in the vehicle registration there is no "E" — no matter how cleanly your conversion is done.
How do you apply for the E-license plate after the electric conversion?
The application is made at your local registration office and usually takes under an hour. According to ADAC most registration offices do not require an appointment for a re-registration, but an appointment speeds up the process considerably. Here is how to proceed.
Step 1: pass the TÜV individual approval
Nothing works without the inspection report. Make sure all conditions are met and that you hold the original inspection report in your hands. The TÜV report confirms that your vehicle receives the operating licence as an electric vehicle.
Step 2: gather the documents
For the trip to the registration office you need these documents:
- TÜV inspection report of the passed individual approval
- Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I (Fahrzeugschein)
- Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (Fahrzeugbrief)
- Identity card or passport
- eVB-Nummer (electronic insurance confirmation) — your Insurance must be informed about the conversion
- SEPA-Lastschriftmandat for the vehicle tax (if not already on file)
- Previous plates for stamping or exchange
Step 3: re-registration at the registration office
The registration office changes the drive type in your papers to "electric" and enters the new technical data — kerb weight, power, top speed. At the same time you apply for the E-license plate. The authority checks whether all requirements under the EmoG are met.
Schritt 4: Neue Kennzeichenschilder anfertigen lassen
With the notice from the registration office you go to the plate maker. The plates with the "E" suffix are produced. Note: the E-license plate is slightly longer than a standard plate — 520 mm instead of 460 mm. Check in advance whether your plate holder fits. On many classic cars the holder has to be adapted or replaced.
Step 5: attach the plates and drive off
As soon as the new plates are fitted and stamped by the registration office, you are officially on the road with an E-license plate. From this moment all the privileges of the EmoG apply in your municipality. The vehicle-tax exemption takes effect automatically — the main customs office is informed by the registration office.
What does the E-license plate cost?
The pure cost for the E-license plates is around 20 to 35 euros at the plate maker. Added to this are the registration office fees for the re-registration, which according to ADAC are between 12 and 30 euros depending on the federal state. In total you are looking at around 30 to 65 euros.
Here are the typical cost items at a glance:
| Cost item | Betrag (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Number plates (pair, with "E") | 20–35 |
| Umschreibungsgebühr Zulassungsstelle | 12–30 |
| Neuer Fahrzeugschein (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I) | im Gebührensatz enthalten |
| Total | ca. 30–65 |
Compared with the total costs of an electric conversion — which according to our cost guide are between 12,000 and over 50,000 euros — the E-license plate is a bargain. The actual costs lie in the TÜV individual approval (500–2,000 euros) and the possible EMC test (5,000–8,000 euros), which, however, are incurred before the plate application.
What advantages does the E-license plate bring?
The E-license plate offers four central advantages that have a noticeable financial effect. According to ADAC/Bundestag (December 2025) purely electric vehicles are fully exempt from vehicle tax until 31 December 2035. In addition there are municipal privileges that make everyday life easier depending on where you live.
Vehicle-tax exemption until 2035
Electric vehicles pay no vehicle tax — this also applies to converted vehicles. The exemption was extended by the Bundestag in December 2025 until the end of 2035. Depending on the displacement and CO2 value of the former combustion engine, you save 150 to 500 euros a year. With a large diesel SUV it can even be over 500 euros. The exemption begins on the day of re-registration to "electric".
Free parking
Many towns and municipalities offer EVs free parking in public parking spaces. Numerous municipalities in Germany have introduced parking privileges for electric cars. The rules vary greatly: some cities allow completely free parking, others limit it to charging spaces or certain zones. Check the local ordinance of your city.
Use of bus lanes
Some cities allow EVs to share bus lanes. Especially in rush-hour traffic this is a massive time advantage. However, so far only a few municipalities use this option — including isolated pilot projects in Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Leipzig. The decision rests with the respective city. What comes is determined by §3 EmoG: municipalities may, but do not have to.
Access to low-emission zones and city centres
Low-emission zones increasingly bar older combustion cars from city centres. A converted classic with an E-license plate, by contrast, has free passage. Whoever converts their VW Beetle or Porsche 911 to electric thereby keeps access to inner-city areas that would long have been off-limits to the former combustion engine. For everyday drivers this is a very practical advantage — and for classic-car owners often even the main reason for the conversion.
Advantages at a glance
| Advantage | Details | Ersparnis / Nutzen |
|---|---|---|
| Kfz-Steuerbefreiung | Bis 31.12.2035 (Bundestag, Dez 2025) | 150–500 €/Jahr |
| Free parking | In zahlreichen Kommunen | Abhängig vom Standort |
| Busspurnutzung | Individual cities, under §3 EmoG | Zeitersparnis im Berufsverkehr |
| Low-emission zones | Unrestricted access | Everyday usability of the vehicle |
E-license plate and H-plate — what happens with the conversion?
An electric conversion means the loss of the H-plate. According to AutoServicePraxis the classic-car plate is tied to the largely original condition of the vehicle — and replacing the entire drivetrain contradicts this principle. Running both plates at the same time is not possible.
Why the H-plate is lost
The H-plate under §9 (1) FZV requires that a vehicle counts as an "automotive cultural asset". For this it must be at least 30 years old and be largely in its original condition. A new drive — whether electric or another combustion engine — constitutes such a significant change that the classic-car status lapses. This applies without exception.
What you gain, what you lose
| Aspect | H-plate (before) | E-license plate (after) |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle tax | Flat rate €191.73/year | €0 until 2035 |
| Low-emission zones | Exempt | Exempt |
| Parkprivilegien | Keine besonderen | Free parking in many cities |
| Busspurnutzung | Nein | Possible depending on municipality |
| Insurance | Cheap classic-car tariffs | Standard tariffs, partly with EV discount |
| Requirement | Originalzustand, mind. 30 Jahre | Purely electric drive |
Financially, the switch from the H- to the E-license plate is advantageous in most cases. Zero euros of vehicle tax beats the flat H-rate of €191.73 per year. Added to this are the parking privileges and the significantly lower operating costs of an electric drive. The only downside: cheap classic-car insurance tariffs are lost. So get comparison offers from several insurers beforehand. More on this in our guide to insurance after the electric conversion.
Tip: reversibility protects the collector value
Even if the H-plate is lost after the conversion, the long-term collector value of your vehicle is preserved — provided the conversion is designed to be reversible. If the original engine is stored properly and no irreversible changes are made to the bodywork, the vehicle can theoretically be returned to its original condition. Professional providers place great value on exactly this.
Frequently asked questions about the E-license plate after the electric conversion
Can every converted electric car get an E-license plate?
Yes, provided three requirements are met: the vehicle must be purely electrically driven, the TÜV individual approval under §21 StVZO must be passed, and the drive type must be entered as "electric" in the vehicle registration. These rules apply, according to §2 EmoG regardless of whether the electric drive was installed at the factory or fitted subsequently.
How long does the re-registration to an E-license plate take?
The pure trip to the registration office usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. Added to this is the time at the plate maker — usually 10 to 15 minutes. The actual waiting time lies in the TÜV individual approval beforehand: this process takes, according to TÜV SÜD four to twelve weeks in total, including documentation and any EMC test.
Is the E-license plate also available for plug-in hybrid conversions?
Theoretically yes, but the hurdles are high. According to §2 Abs. 2 EmoG plug-in hybrids must have a purely electric minimum range of 80 km or emit a maximum of 50 g CO2/km. In practice, hybrid conversions are technically extremely complex and are almost never carried out. The simple solution: remove the combustion engine completely and drive purely electric.
Does my converted classic keep the green environmental sticker?
Purely electric vehicles generally receive the green sticker (pollutant group 4) — including converted classics. The sticker is awarded on the basis of the current drive type, not on the basis of the original vehicle. After the re-registration to "electric" in the vehicle papers you automatically get the green sticker and thus free access to all German low-emission zones.
Do I have to inform my insurer when I apply for the E-license plate?
Yes, absolutely. The insurer must be informed of every change of drive — otherwise you risk your insurance cover. You also need a new eVB number for the re-registration at the registration office. Many insurers offer cheaper tariffs for electric vehicles. A comparison is worthwhile. All the details are explained in our insurance guide for electric conversions.
Conclusion: the E-license plate is part of the electric conversion
Applying for the E-license plate after the electric conversion is the simplest and cheapest step of the entire project — around 30 to 65 euros, one trip to the authorities, done. The advantages, on the other hand, add up over the years: vehicle-tax exemption until 2035, free parking in hundreds of municipalities, access to low-emission zones and possible bus-lane use.
Three points you should take away. First: the E-license plate is available to you after every successful electric conversion, as soon as "electric" is in the vehicle registration. Second: whoever has an H-plate exchanges it in the conversion for a financially better E-license plate — zero euros of tax beats the flat rate of €191.73. Third: inform your insurer in good time and get comparison offers.
The electric conversion itself is the real challenge. Once you have cleared this hurdle, the E-license plate is just the cherry on top. Start with the basics in our complete guide to electric car conversion or find out directly about the costs of an electric conversion.
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