Verimi facilitates digital vehicle registration with the Verimi ID Wallet and Verimi Ident processes.

Whether car, van or motorcycle: Since September 2023, vehicle registration is possible completely digitally! This applies to both natural persons – i.e. citizens – and legal entities – e.g. companies and associations. Anyone who registers their vehicle digitally can then use it immediately in road traffic – without seals and stickers on the license plate! The provisional digital registration certificate alone allows the vehicle to be driven on public roads for ten days. The seals, plaques and vehicle documents are sent to the owner by mail during this period.

There are around 20 million registration processes in Germany every year, and for millions of citizens and companies, registering, deregistering, changing and re-registering vehicles will become much easier and less expensive:

• Easier, because citizens can now use their Verimi ID Wallet or Verimi’s certified identification procedures to identify themselves and then digitally sign the registration authorization, in addition to the less-used online ID function of the German ID card for digital registration with Verimi partners.
• Cheaper because government registration fees for digital registration have been significantly reduced. The online process relieves the authorities and, in addition, the digital process saves citizens unnecessary waiting times, travel and forms at the Verimi partners.

Many car dealerships, insurance companies, registration services and online platforms are working with Verimi to launch the new Internet-based vehicle registration with the official digital registration certificate in the fall. The instant digital vehicle registration is thereby directly integrated into the online services of Verimi partners or it is used on site, for example in car dealerships or by insurance agents, to provide a fast and convenient solution for customers with instant start.

We answer the most important questions about how Verimi supports digital vehicle registration with its partners:

To what extent does Verimi support the new internet-based vehicle registration?

With the new version of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance (in German: FZV), the Federal Motor Transport Authority (in German: KBA) provides so-called major customers with a central interface to apply for vehicle registrations digitally on behalf of customers. This so-called central key account interface (in German: GKS) is used primarily by car dealerships, insurers, registration services and online platforms as key accounts. The key accounts then apply for vehicle registrations completely digitally on behalf of third parties, i.e. citizens, companies or associations. GKS itself forwards the applications via the KBA to the relevant registration office. There, the registration is usually checked fully automatically and the provisional registration notice is immediately made available for download.

Verimi supports major clients in establishing the identity of future vehicle owners as well as in digitally issuing the legally binding authorization for registration.

What is Verimi’s role in digital vehicle registration?

As a certified provider, Verimi provides the procedures for simple online identification and digital signing for Internet-based vehicle registration (digital vehicle registration) for major customers of the KBA. The registration documents are digitally signed with a qualified electronic signature (QES) at Verimi. In order to be able to sign digitally, citizens must first identify themselves, either online on the Internet or on site at the service partner.

How can I identify myself with Verimi for digital vehicle registration?

 Verimi offers a wide range of identification methods to enable all citizens to access digital vehicle registration with major customers as easily as possible. These procedures are fully integrated into the user experience at the respective vehicle registration services of the Verimi partners. The Verimi partner decides which of these procedures it wants to offer to its customers:

• Verimi Wallet-Ident: simply use the already verified digital identity stored in the Verimi ID Wallet. Just one click, already done! This is the fastest and easiest method.
• Verimi Photo-Ident: Quickly photograph the ID or passport, take a selfie, done. This is done quickly if the ID is at hand.
• Verimi Bank-Ident: Just log into the online banking with Verimi, done. Particularly convenient, because payment data is required anyway during registration. No ID required.
• Verimi eID-Ident: If you have your ID at hand, your eID PIN and a smartphone with the Verimi app, you can quickly identify yourself with the online ID function.
• Verimi Video-Ident: Confirm identity in a video phone call with an agent. ID or passport is required, as well as time and a quiet environment for the personal video call.
• Verimi Local-Ident: If you are on site at a car dealership, insurance agent or registration service, you can use the local Verimi procedure. This is also open to company representatives. Customers either bring their physical ID with them or simply identify themselves on site with their Verimi ID wallet.

Why do I have to sign documents for digital registration?

 The registration documents and the registration authorization are digitally signed, in order to authorize the key account customer in a legally binding manner to apply for registration on behalf of the future vehicle owner via the key account interface of the KBA. The necessary digital signature is issued via Verimi on the basis of the verified digital identity of so-called trust service providers approved accordingly in Europe for the respective signatory. Verimi is an eIDAS certified provider for the identity establishment component of a trust service and cooperates with leading trust service providers in Europe for the issuance of the qualified electronic signatures (QES) required for the registration authorization.

How can legal entities, such as companies, register their vehicles?

If legal entities are to be the vehicle owners, then the process valid for natural persons is supplemented by the identification of the legal entity as well as the verification of the representative authority of the acting natural person. Verimi acts as an eIDAS-certified provider for the identification of legal entities within the framework of a trust service.

Legal entities can perform digital vehicle registration with Verimi in the on-site process at Verimi partners using Verimi Local-Ident. “Corporate accounts with Elster certificate” are not required in the Verimi solution.

What are the advantages of digital vehicle registration for citizens?

The new version of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance (in German FZV), which has been in force since September 2023, offers many advantages:

• The registration fees in the digital process have become significantly cheaper because the public administration is relieved.
• Registration is easier and more convenient for citizens because it can be carried out directly at major customers, saving paper forms, time and travel.
• Access is now possible for all citizens because, for the first time, procedures relevant to everyday life are also accepted to confirm the identity of the holder in the digital process.

In particular, the wide selection of Verimi procedures relevant to everyday life for verifying identity in conjunction with the qualified electronic signature (QES) opens up access to online registration with Verimi partners to all citizens. Until now, digital registration could only take place on the portals of the more than 400 decentralized registration offices and authorities, where the rather little-used online ID card function (eID) or Elster certificates are the access requirement.

What are the advantages of digital vehicle registration for legal entities – i.e., companies, for example?

With the new version of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance in digital vehicle registration stage 4 now in force, it is possible for the first time for legal entities, i.e. primarily companies, to use a digital registration process at all. This means a considerable reduction in the workload.

At the same time, the simple identification of legal entities as well as the verification of the representative authority of the acting person becomes possible with selected Verimi partners. Digital company accounts based on the Elster certificate are not required for digital vehicle registration with Verimi partners.