Vehicle Registration, Licence Plates and Custom Plates in Austria (2026)

If you live in Austria and use a vehicle, you will eventually need to deal with Austrian licence plates. This guide explains where to handle registration, what plates cost, what to do when you move and how Wunschkennzeichen work in 2026.

Who handles vehicle registration and licence plates?

The practical place for registration is the insurers’ registration office (Zulassungsstelle, VVO). This is also where you receive your licence plates, usually at an office serving the district where you live.

Official decisions are made by the vehicle registration authority (Zulassungsbehörde). This is usually the district administrative authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or the municipal authority, and in some areas the provincial police headquarters (Landespolizeidirektion). In Vienna, the responsible authority is the police transport office (Verkehrsamt).

Many procedures can be handled by an authorised representative. Written authorisation (Vollmacht) is required.

How long can you drive with foreign plates?

If your main residence (Hauptwohnsitz) is in Austria, you may generally use a vehicle with foreign plates in Austria for one month. The period starts when you first bring the vehicle into the country. Temporarily taking the vehicle out of Austria does not interrupt the period.

A further one-month extension is possible if you can credibly prove that registering the vehicle domestically could not be completed on time. No further extension is possible.

If your main residence is outside Austria, you may use the vehicle with foreign plates in Austria for up to one year.

After the deadline, the foreign registration certificate and licence plates must be surrendered, and the vehicle must be registered in Austria. Breaching these rules can result in high fines. Austrian compulsory motor insurance is required for registration.

How much do Austrian licence plates cost?

The plate fee is paid when the vehicle is registered:

• Passenger car and lorry: 23 euros
• Motorcycle: 13 euros
• Moped: 8,50 euros
• Trailer: 11,50 euros
• Tractor unit: 11,50 euros

Passenger cars require a plate at the front and rear. Motorcycles and trailers require a plate only at the rear. Every Austrian licence plate starts with the authority abbreviation and the provincial coat of arms, for example Vienna: W, Graz: G and Linz: L.

What happens when you move?

The required steps depend on whether the authority abbreviation at the beginning of the plate changes.

1. The abbreviation does not change: For example, when moving within Vienna from the 3rd district to the 10th district, you do not need to do anything. The existing registration certificate remains valid.
2. The abbreviation changes, but the same authority remains responsible: For example, moving from Wiener Neustadt, WN, to St. Pölten, P. The change must be reported within one week. You will have to pay for a new plate and new inspection sticker. Failing to report the change can result in an administrative fine.
3. Both the abbreviation and the responsible authority change: For example, moving from Baden to Vienna. The vehicle must be deregistered and registered again at the new place of residence at the same time as the address change. The cost is equivalent to a new vehicle registration.

If you receive a new plate and use a digital vignette, you must re-register it with ASFINAG. The fee is 18 euros.

Temporary surrender of plates

If you do not use your vehicle for a period, for example during winter or while working abroad for several months, you can place the licence plates in temporary custody (Hinterlegung) for up to one year. Both surrendering and collecting the plates are free of charge.

If the plates remain in custody for at least 45 days, you do not have to pay motor vehicle tax or the motor-related insurance tax for that period. The day of surrender and the day of collection do not count towards the 45 days.

If the one-year period expires and you do not request another temporary deposit, the vehicle registration ends. A vehicle without plates may not be parked in a public place.

Wunschkennzeichen: rules and fees

A Wunschkennzeichen has 3–6 freely selected characters after the authority abbreviation and coat of arms. The combination must begin with a letter and end with a number. The letters and numbers form separate blocks.

You apply for approval at the authority responsible for your main residence and order the plate at the insurers’ registration office. Production takes approximately four working days.

• Approval or another Wunschkennzeichen: 235 euros
• Extension for a further 15 years: 214 euros
• Licence plate: 23 euros
• Inspection sticker, only when changing the plate: 2,30 euros
• Card-format registration certificate: 31,10 euros

A Wunschkennzeichen is valid for 15 years. You may apply for an extension no earlier than six months before it expires. An unused reservation ends after five years. The right cannot be transferred to another person. If you move to an address where a different authority is responsible, you cannot take the Wunschkennzeichen with you.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if my licence plate is lost or stolen?

Report it to the police immediately and no later than within one week. Along with the report, you may use a temporary, self-made plate for up to one week. Apply for the new plate at the insurers’ registration office.

Do old plates without the EU symbol have to be replaced?

No. Since 1 November 2002, only plates with the EU symbol have been produced, but replacing an older plate is not compulsory. When changing vehicles, however, you will receive a plate with the EU symbol.

Do I lose my Wunschkennzeichen when I deregister the vehicle?

No. If you deregister the vehicle within the 15-year validity period, your right to use the Wunschkennzeichen remains.

Is a red plate compulsory for a bicycle carrier?

No. You can either use the red additional plate or move the rear licence plate onto the carrier. However, one of these options is required if the carrier covers the licence plate.

Practical steps

1. Identify the responsible Zulassungsstelle, VVO based on your place of residence.
2. Check whether you must register the vehicle in Austria within the applicable one-month or one-year period.
3. Prepare valid Austrian compulsory motor insurance before registration.
4. Bring a written Vollmacht if someone else will handle the procedure for you.
5. After moving, check whether the authority abbreviation or the responsible authority has changed.
6. If you will not use the vehicle, consider placing the plates in Hinterlegung for up to one year.
7. If you want a Wunschkennzeichen, apply for approval first and then order the plate at the insurers’ registration office.
8. Report lost or stolen plates to the police immediately and no later than within one week.