Motorcycle tax
The low and rider-friendly vehicle tax ensures that motorcycling is very common in Germany. If you like to ride a motorcycle, you have a big advantage: motorcycles are quite cheap to operate in terms of insurance and tax costs.
Calculate the amount of tax levies for your motorcycle easily and quickly here.
General information about motorcycle taxes
Motorcycles are very popular in Germany. At last count, more than 4 million motorcycles were registered. One reason for this is that their low curb weight allows them to achieve much higher acceleration rates than most passenger cars, making for a special driving experience. They are also significantly more tax efficient than other vehicles.
Motor vehicle tax for motorcycles is generally very inexpensive in Germany.
The KFZ tax due for motorcycles is not calculated according to CO2 emissions, but according to the cubic centimeters of engine capacity. Neither you have to worry about pollutant classes nor emission keys in relation to the motor vehicle tax. This is almost always the case with all other types of vehicles in Germany. By the way, the regulation, which has been in effect and unchanged since 1955, currently charges 1.84 per year per 25 cc of engine displacement.
The amount of the motorcycle tax has remained unchanged since 1955.
With a motorcycle it is often sensible to choose only a seasonal license plate, since many do not use their motorcycle in the winter months. In this case, the motorcycle tax is calculated according to the actual number of days used. This way you can save further taxes.
When using a vintage license plate, the same conditions apply to motorcycles as to passenger cars: If the motorcycle is 30 years or older and in unaltered original condition, motor vehicle taxes in the amount of 46.02 Euros per year are due. This means that only from an engine capacity of more than 625 ccm the historical license plate is more favorable than the normal license plate.
Calculation of the motor vehicle tax for motorcycles
The calculation of the vehicle tax for motorcycles can be determined quickly and easily. Based on the fixed tax rate of 1,84 Euro per year and per 25 ccm, the following formula results:
- Formula for calculating the vehicle tax for motorcycles:
cubic capacity in ccm / 25
annual tax = result x 1,84
The following table shows the amount of taxes for the most common engine sizes:
The calculation of the vehicle tax for a seasonal license plate can also be easily determined. For this purpose, only the annual tax rate must be calculated down to the actual months:
Example: For your motorcycle with 1.300 ccm a tax of 95,68 € is charged annually. This results in a monthly contribution of 7,98€. If the machine is registered for six months a year, this results in a motor vehicle tax of 47,88€. The corresponding formula is as follows:
Annual tax rate / 12
Proportional tax = result x number of registered months
In certain cases, motorcycles do not have to be taxed at all, namely if they are exempt from the registration procedure according to § 3 of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act. According to Section 3 (2) of the FZV, these include, among others, light motorcycles. According to this, motorcycles are not subject to vehicle taxes if they have an engine capacity of 125cc or less. So-called mopeds only reach a maximum speed of 45 km/h due to their design. Thus, they also meet the requirements specified in the paragraph to be able to benefit from the tax exemption.
Under certain circumstances, a motorcycle is even completely exempt from any tax! Motorcycles resp. all two-wheelers with less than 125 ccm are tax-free.
The most important facts about the motor vehicle tax for motorcycles
Motorcycles are very favorable from the tax point of view. The motor vehicle tax is not based on CO2 emissions, but on the cubic centimeters of engine displacement. For motorcycles, additional taxes can be saved if a seasonal license plate is chosen. For light motorcycles no tax has to be paid at all.
Frequently asked questions about the motor vehicle tax for motorcycles
The amount of tax for motorcycles depends entirely on the size of the engine displacement. In principle, the tax rate is 1,84€ per 25 cc per year. With our motorcycle tax calculator you can calculate your individual motorcycle tax very quickly and uncomplicatedly.
In order for a motorcycle to be completely exempt from tax, it must meet the requirements listed under Section 3 of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act. This means that motorcycles up to 125 cc and mopeds with a maximum speed of 45 km/h are exempt.
A motorcycle can be given a vintage license plate if it is more than 30 years old and largely in its original condition. The vehicle tax for a vintage motorcycle is 46.02 € per year. Conversely, the motorcycle tax for classic cars is only cheaper than the general motorcycle tax if the engine capacity is more than 625ccm.