Overview

• More than 70 mayors from Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse signed coordinated letters to their respective transport ministries.
• The initiative builds on a 2024 proposal by Professor Ralf Bochert that up to 320 mid-sized towns could receive unique Kfz codes, with over 100 municipalities currently expressing interest.
• Several towns have already proposed specific abbreviations, including VAT for Vaterstetten, ZIR for Zirndorf and WKB for Waldkraiburg.
• Bavaria’s transport minister Christian Bernreiter has expressed openness and plans to involve municipal associations, while Baden-Württemberg’s ministry refers the matter to the federal level and doubts a Bundesrat push will succeed.
• Any new municipal codes would require an amendment to the federal Fahrzeugzulassungsverordnung and subsequent approval by the Bundesrat before implementation.