What documents do you need?
A German company sale needs a few documents beyond what a private seller provides.
- Business registration
- A Gewerbeschein for a sole trader or small business, or a Handelsregisterauszug for a registered company (GmbH, UG, AG). It proves the business exists and who can sign for it.
- Invoice addressed to EV-Remarketing
- Issued by your company, with the car's details and — most importantly — the article stating the VAT status of the transaction.
- Zulassungsbescheinigung I and II
- Both parts of the registration, in the company's name. Part II (the Fahrzeugbrief) is the ownership document — if your bank or leasing company still holds it, request it early. It is the single most common cause of delay.
- Company IBAN
- Payment goes to the business account, not a personal one. The account holder name must match the company issuing the invoice.
- USt-IdNr. If your business has one
- Your VAT identification number. On a cross-border sale it belongs on the invoice.
→ The standard documents every seller needs
Your VAT status
We buy both VAT deductible and VAT non-deductible cars. What matters is that the invoice states the correct status — getting this wrong is the most common reason a business sale stalls.
- VAT deductible
- Your business claimed the input VAT (Vorsteuerabzug) when it bought the car. The sale is subject to VAT and the invoice must say so.
- VAT non-deductible
- The input VAT was not claimed. The sale may fall under the margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung) or be exempt, and the invoice must state which.
We cannot tell you which article applies to your company — your Steuerberater can. Ask before you issue the invoice, not after.
A missing or incorrect VAT article may delay or invalidate the transaction. We are a Danish company buying from Germany, so this is a cross-border sale — the wording is not the same as a domestic one.
Deregistration and licence plates
Company cars are deregistered the same way as private ones — online through the official i-Kfz service, or in person at your local Zulassungsstelle — after the contract is signed and before pickup. The driver cannot take the car until it is done.
One caveat for businesses: the online i-Kfz route relies on an electronic ID belonging to the registered keeper, which is not always possible for a company-registered car. If i-Kfz will not accept the registration, go to the Zulassungsstelle in person with the business registration and a signed authorisation.
Once deregistered, the licence plates are no longer valid and must be removed before the driver arrives. Keep them — return them to the registration office or retain them for another car.
You are welcome to remove the plates yourself — or we can take care of that as well.
→ Step by step: deregistering your car in Germany
Standard requirements still apply
- The car must be at least 6 months old and have at least 6,000 km on the odometer — an EU VAT rule, not our preference.
- All damage must be disclosed and photographed at submission.
- The car must be deregistered before pickup.
- Payment is transferred to your company IBAN before the car is collected.
→ The general company-owned car guide
- Business registration, both parts of the Zulassungsbescheinigung, and your company IBAN
- Invoice addressed to EV-Remarketing with the correct VAT article
- Plates off before the driver arrives — they are void once deregistered
