How do I insure a microcar or moped car in Germany?
In short
How do I insure a microcar or moped car in Germany? Up to 45 km/h (class L6e) you need no official number plate, just an insurance plate as for a moped. It proves your motor liability cover, runs from 1 March to the end of February and costs from about EUR 42 a year. You may drive from 15 with licence AM or with licence B. Faster L7e models are registered like a car.
Guide values for class L6e moped cars with an insurance plate, from published premiums.
Example
Typical range
Liability with insurance plate, entry tariff
from about EUR 42 a year
Liability, basic to extended cover
about EUR 45 to 90 a year
Partial cover on top
about EUR 40 to 80 a year
Comprehensive cover on top, new vehicles
about EUR 100 to 200 a year
Guide values, 2026.
Driver age, place of residence and scope change the premium.
L7e vehicles with an official plate use their own car tariffs; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Student, 16, new moped car for EUR 12,000
How the annual premium adds up with the guide values above.
Vehicle
class L6e, 45 km/h
Licence
class AM
Liability with insurance plate
about EUR 45 to 90
Partial cover for theft, fire, hail
about EUR 40 to 80
Together about EUR 85 to 170 a year. A new plate is due on 1 March.
L6e or L7e: what you bought decides everything
Microcar, moped car and 45 km/h car usually mean the same thing: a light four-wheeled vehicle of class L6e. Under Section 3(3) of the German Vehicle Registration Ordinance it needs no registration, and under Section 4(3) it needs a valid insurance plate. Heavy quadricycles of class L7e reach up to 90 km/h. They are not on the list of exempt vehicles and must be registered like a car.
The class is shown in the operating permit or the certificate of conformity. Check it before you take out insurance.
Feature
L6e, moped car
L7e, heavy quadricycle
Top speed
45 km/h
up to 90 km/h
Power
up to 4 kW (L6e-A) or 6 kW (L6e-B)
up to 15 kW
Plate
insurance plate
official plate after registration
Insurance
moped tariff, year from 1 March
car policy with an eVB number for registration
Licence
AM from 15 or B
B
Motorways and expressways
not allowed
only with a design speed above 60 km/h
How to insure a moped car up to 45 km/h
You take out motor liability insurance and receive the insurance plate online or at a branch. You need the vehicle's operating permit, not a registration office. The plate itself is the proof that liability cover exists.
The insurance year runs from 1 March to the end of February. If you buy in summer, you usually pay only for the rest of the year. On 1 March you need a new plate in a new colour, otherwise you are driving uninsured.
Licence and age
Class AM is enough for L6e vehicles. Under Section 10 of the German Driving Licence Ordinance it is available from 15, and until your 16th birthday it is valid only within Germany. Holders of class B may also drive class AM vehicles under Section 6(3).
An L7e vehicle falls under class B, issued from 18 or from 17 with accompanied driving. A 15-year-old may not drive it, even if it looks similar.
What liability cover does not pay
Motor liability pays for damage you cause to others. It does not pay for your own vehicle or your own injuries. Partial cover protects against theft, fire and hail, and some insurers also offer comprehensive cover for your own accidents.
Occupants are less protected in a moped car than in a normal car. Airbags, stability control and emergency braking are usually missing, partly because of the weight limit. For young drivers, personal accident insurance is worth considering.
No no-claims class, no discount for the first car
Moped car policies usually have no no-claims classes. An accident does not make the policy more expensive as it would for a car, but claim-free years also do not count later for your first own car.
Individual insurers have their own rules. If the later discount matters to you, ask before you sign. A second car discount is usually not available either.
When partial cover is worth it
New moped cars cost about EUR 9,000 to 17,000. For a new or financed vehicle, partial cover for about EUR 40 to 80 extra a year almost always makes sense, because a single theft or hail claim costs more than many years of premiums.
For an old moped car worth only a few thousand euros, liability alone is often enough. Comprehensive cover for about EUR 100 to 200 extra pays off mainly in the first years.
Step by step
Check the operating permit to see whether the vehicle is L6e or L7e.
For L6e take out liability with an insurance plate, for L7e get an eVB number and register.
Decide on partial or comprehensive cover based on value and financing.
Fit the plate and carry the operating permit in the vehicle.
Get the new plate for 1 March.
Checklist
Vehicle class L6e or L7e confirmed
Right licence: AM or B, for L7e only B
Insurance plate for the current insurance year
Partial cover for a new or financed vehicle
Accident insurance considered for young drivers
Common mistakes
Driving an L7e vehicle with an insurance plate or with licence AM
Missing the plate change on 1 March
Expecting a discount for the first car although the policy has no no-claims class
Assuming liability cover pays for your own injuries
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does a microcar need a TÜV inspection?
According to an insurer, a class L6e moped car with an insurance plate needs no main inspection.
For a registered L7e vehicle, ask the registration office about inspection intervals.
Is there vehicle tax on a moped car?
According to an insurer, moped cars with an insurance plate are exempt from vehicle tax.
May I drive a moped car on the motorway?
No.
Motorways and expressways are only open to vehicles with a design speed above 60 km/h.
Can I insure my moped car in the middle of the year?
Yes.
You can start at any time and usually pay pro rata until the end of February.
Is there a no-claims class for moped cars?
Usually not.
Claim-free years in a moped car therefore normally bring no discount for your first car.
Who may drive a moped car?
Anyone with class AM from 15, or with class B.
Until the 16th birthday, class AM is valid only in Germany.
