Buying a car in Germany for export

I am an American citizen and non-resident of Germany. I would like to fly to Germany, purchase a used Mercedes from a private seller, and then export the car to Lebanon by driving it there.
Is it still possible for non-residents to get temporary export registration/tags? I read on some website that the law had changed and non-residents cannot buy cars in the EU anymore.
If it is possible, is there anything I should know before attempting to do this? Can someone provide me details of this process?
Any information would be -greatly- appreciated!

Thank you.

I don't know about now, but I know at least a couple people a few years ago who visited from the US and bought cars to bring back with them. I don't know the details, though, so I can't help you there.

My friend bought a new BMW last summer during the World Cup so he could drive around, then shipped it back. I'm sure BMW made the process easier though, than a private seller would. Bit of a drive though isn't it?

Yes, I've done it to take a car to Spain before, don't remember anything special about me already being an EU citizen, your passport being noted down and giving an address for temporary/transit insurance is part of the process. You would have to look into whether a non EU passport is a problem. One thing I was made aware of it that some cars especially for import / export may not have their TUV etc and I dont beleive without it you will be able to get your red numbers plates.

My experience is that you go to the local traffic office with the vendor fill out various papers, get insurance from a week to a month (a month cost 200-odd euro). You get the cars papers handed to you with a special document with your details (can't recall the names) and you are away, insured and with red number plates which will expire after the period of up to a month which you selected. Whole process took an hour or two and a local counter made up the plates. I did all this with the vendor (an English speaking dealer) - just make sure you know what's going on especially if you have paid for the car and he still has the paperwork!!!

I'm sure you'll need to assistance of the vendor so if you don't (as I don't) speak German best find an English speaking vendor, a dealer or get a local friend/colleague to help out. Also figure out the times the local traffic offices are open via the seller, I think some close certain days and perhas only open mornings

Good luck. There are bargains to be made, even paying import duties into Spain I saved a lot on an ML.

You need an Ausfuhrkennzeichen ...

As the man says, you need special plates "Ausfuhrkennzeichen".
The German Auto club www.ADAC.de has lots of info on this - but only in German.
You must have "halbpflichtversicherung" - the appropriate insurance.
The best place to buy a used Merc. in Germany is probably Hamburg.
I cannot see why a foreign resident should have any problems as long
as the rules in Germany are complied with!
Very cosmopolitan and a big new and used car export centre (via ships).
The local authority has a dept. which deals with these things - Strassenverkehrsamt
or similar. (Try German Google - Strassenverkehrsamt hamburg., for the address(es))
You might even find they have an English speaking employee if you visit...
You will also need to check if you are OK travelling through Turkey and Syria -
you might need visas (certainly for Syria).
Turkey has rules over temp. imports of cars.
Hamburg is good for consulates, so another reason to buy there.
I'm pretty sure you are OK travelling thru Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria,
but you need to check.
I've seen the German Customs being very fussy about a car with "Ausfuhrkennzeichen"
leaving the country - but now with open borders (Schengen) you should not have any probs.
until crossing between Hungary and Rumania.
Stick to the rules in Germany and you are OK - else you can get badly bitten!
Germany is a good place to buy used cars -make sure it has a recent TÜV and AU
(2 yearly test and yearly exhaust check).
The TÜV and AU are Germanically thorough...

Thank you for all the great information.
If anyone has any more to add, please do. The more sources I get on this the better!

Having looked at the map it looks like you will need to drive 'thru Syria.
If you are a US citizen I suspect this could be difficult.
Have you examined the possibility of having a car shipped to Lebanon?

Buying a used car from a private seller would be pretty foolish financially. If you buy from a German trader the price includes 19% VAT which you can reclaim on export of the vehicle from Germany. A trader may charge a little more, but some of his price is likely to include a guarantee insurance which adds to the price. If you can negotiate this out of the deal you'll save money, and get a vehicle that is professionally prepared for sale and will probably have been serviced too. Export is no big deal, but can be a lot of paperwork. You'll need to register the car on export plates and obtain temporary insurance to drive it on local roads. I don't know much about car imports into Lebanon, but you will be responsible for any import duties and taxes that may apply there. If your monetary source is US$ bear in mind the current exchange rate is far from in your favo(u)r for buying in Europe.

Only insure half of the liability?

Hamburg is full of Auto traders who specialise in this business.
Probably many are Lebanese as well...
Many specialise in personal exports.
"halbpflichtversicherung" is probably the minimum needed (yes, it does mean half liability)
Beware, beware and take expert advice!
"Steuerberater" is the name of the profession in Germany that deals with
tax etc. areas.
If I was an American who wanted to buy a car in Germany and to export it
to the Lebanon I would 100% employ a Steuerberater to help me. (see Gelbe Seiten in Google.de)
(I'm an EU citizen and want to get my (formerly leased thru' my friends son) Opel
Zafira tested (TUV, AU) and registered in my name (including insurance) - it's a nightmare -
you need local assistance)
Try Google "Autohandler Export Mercedes Hamburg"

Should have suggested Google.de - Seiten aus Deutschland - pages from Geramny

Registered my German car for the first time in my own name in the
central registration office(Zulassung)in Hamburg's Suederstrasse.
I noticed a number of sections dealing with exports -
they are pretty helpful there but you would need to speak German.

The real work isn't taking the car out of Germany, simply hop in the car and start driving, it's getting registered in the new country that is the hassle. I've had several friends who've moved here and registered their cars (British and German). As well I had a friend who is returning to Finland in a year so he bought a new car and "exported it to Spain for 6 months before retuning to Finland. By doing this he's saving at least 15.000€ on a 20.000 car. I didn't get all the details but baisicly he will pay the Spanish VAT and keep his Finish plates and return to Finland and not have to pay the Finish car tax.

I've been driving on my German plates for the past year and have no intention of moving my car over to Spanish plates as I need "free" parking in downtown Madrid. Parking isn't expensive but is limited to 2 hours and tickets are an insane 90€.

Tim Hortons Man:-
The Spanish police on Mallorca have been having a campaign to sort out Germans who import
German registered cars there and do not register them locally after the (I think the 6 month EU) limit.
Beware! If you have an accident or come to the notice of the Police for other reasons - you
will be in trouble.
If you leave Germany without deregistering yourself and getting export plates for your vehicle
you could have problems if you come back.
Remember in D as an EU foreigner who has been here for more than 3 months you need to
be registered as living at a particular address and to have a "Bescheinigung" - letter
certifying you live there and that your passport no. is such and such.
This links to your German vehicle registration and car tax.
Don't underestimate German bureaucracy.
I thought this "Bescheingung" thing was a bit of a farce, but without it I could not have registered
my German car (change of ownership) yesterday.

As a note you don't need export plates to leave Germany and register you vehicle in a foreign country. The main reason for export plates if you want to buy a car without pay any tax on it. That's what my Finnish friend did, by getting export tax he was able to export his Van tax free. Upon arrival in Spain he will have to pay Spanish VAT and duty (under 20%), in 7 months when he returns he will be able to import his car duty free. Surprisingly he won't have to register his car in Spain.

I've had a couple of friends register there cars here (British and German) and the process is a hassle but fairly straight forward. As far as I know their cars weren't de registared before leaving. Your Drivers Licence, while that's another story, I've so many stories on what one is supposed to do that I'm not really sure. From what I understand EU law say a DL from one country is supposed to be valid in any EU country regardless of residency, in other words when you move you can keep you old DL. If your British in Spain than it's best to get a Spanish DL and plates as the cops tend to target the British regardless of EU or Spanish law. I've heard more than a few stories of Brits being pulled over and given big fines. The Spanish really don't like the British. I thought at first it was just the fact that Maria (a British friend who has since moved back) was black but it turns out to be the the British in general they don't like.

Generally the trick to avoiding trouble when you not totally legal (ie driving longer than 6 months on a foreign DL etc) is to stay under the radar. I've been pulled over enough times over the years to know unless something is really out of order the cops really only want their money. I've gotten caught twice talking on the phone while driving (second time here in Spain freaked me out enough that I finally got smart and bought a hands free set) and several speeding tickets over the years, first time was in Germany and I was driving on my expired Ontario DL (had lost my Germany one and was waiting for the replacement) and second time in Spain. Both times the main concern of the police was that I paid the fine.

Unfortunately our car is owned by the bank so until it's paid for it stays in German plates. Should be a problem for a year or two. Also we always registered the cars in my Wife's name as she has a German Passport.

I should add that having lived in Spain for the past two years I won't ever complain about German bureaucracy again, while it's adjustment for Americans not used to dealing with so much bureaucracy it is very efficient compared to Spain. and I'm told Spain is nothing compared to France! It took me almost a year to the day to get myself registered and then it only happened when we finally hired a firm to expedite it.

Im getting a vw from Berlin in a few weeks, been driven to the UK to me by the owner.
Xmas eve i went to the DVLA here at home, it isnt so simple for me, cos the VW wont be in the UK for long, im back in Germany in 3 months...

They said, it can come to the UK for a year no probs (i got her to get a 2nd opnion), as long as its legal 'as is' in Germany, i register it in my name, with ins the no probs...

I was gonna change the headlights etc, get MOT, import it, but if all goes to plan, im perm in Germany in 8 months with the car, so seems daft too.

Had a query today about the basis for me quoting on Toytown that
you can take any EU registered car to another EU country for 6 months in any one period of 12
months without paying taxes, re-registering etc.
This has been an EU wide rule since 1998 - details on the EU website. europa.org or similar.

Someone suggested taking a German registered vehicle out of Germany permanently
without informing the "Zulassungsamt"/ getting export plates - sounds like a bad idea to me.
If you come back to Germany I'd bet you would have problems when you register your
address at the "Anmeldungsamt".
Disappeared car means lost PKW Steuer - look at the SORN system in the UK!

hi sorry what is PKW Steuer? im trying to trace an old german motorhome taht was exported to england and registered there and need to find out if you can find out if its been stolen, written off etc before it was exported. sm

Road tax. PKW is short for Personen Kraft Wagen which means car as opposed to LKW which Last Kraft Wagen, which means Commercial vehicle. Steuer is tax (spit!)

i have nice visual image !!! makes me laugh!!