SFS breaks down vehicle registration procedures Published April 28, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Amie Stallcup 52nd Security Forces Squadron SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- In order to register a vehicle on base there are a number of things a drive must have in order. Obtaining a registration The person registering a privately owned vehicle must have their name on the title, registration and insurance card. Personnel registering a second vehicle may need a POV waiver. Personnel who shipped a vehicle to Germany need their U.S. Armed Forces Europe driver's license, the double white card proof of insurance, an AE Form 190-1AA -- the application for motor vehicle registration and allied transactions and U.S. title or registration. Personnel who shipped a vehicle must also bring their DD Form 788 which is the shipping form, or if shipped privately, the AE Form 550-175A -- the customs form or current NATO registration. Get inspected The driver must also have their vehicle inspected on base. During the inspection you need to have a warning triangle and first aid kit. Anyone selling or purchasing a USAREUR registered vehicle must meet specific inspection requirements to facilitate their transaction. The buyer may have the POV inspected and receive a one-year POV registration or they can accept the seller's inspection and receive a POV registration with the seller's expiration date. If the transfer occurs within 60 days of the seller's POV registration expiration date, the POV must be inspected. If a POV being transferred is 10 or more years old, it must pass a safety inspection within 30 days of the transfer. If the buyer is from a different community than the seller, the buyer must obtain plates from his or her duty station. POVs less than 24 months old before registration are exempt from the initial mechanical inspection for two years. Registrants of new POVs still must show a first-aid kit and warning triangle to the vehicle registration clerk. A copy of the manufacture's certificate of origin or manufacture statement of origin must be presented to the vehicle registration clerk for chassis confirmation. POVs less than six years old must be inspected every two years. POVs more than six years old must be inspected annually. Inspection stamps from other military installations on the AE Form 190-1AA and AE Form 190-1O are accepted at all vehicle registration offices. Once these requirements have been fulfilled, temporary plates can be issued. The registration fee can be paid with a check or a money order payable to "USAREUR Registration Fund." Recreational vehicles Accompanied personnel may register three POVs and two recreational vehicles. Unaccompanied personnel may register two POVs and one recreational vehicle. Recreational vehicles are used periodically or primarily for recreations such as motorcycles, trikes, quads and motor homes. Insurance Insurance companies and German Law require registrants to provide proof of third party insurance when changing license plates. Therefore, customers are required to provide new insurance confirmation cards, regardless of the type of transactions when changing plates. Re-registration Personnel who need to re-register a POV may have it inspected up to 75 days before the registration's expiration. It is recommended to do the inspection early, since many personnel who wait until the last minute have to register their vehicles non-operational due to an safety inspection failure. There is no 30 day grace period to the registration expiration date. The vehicle's registration and ESSO gas card are cancelled on the registration expiration date. Personnel can renew their registrations up to 30 days after expiration without having to change their license plates or register non-operational. This doesn't extend the fuel card expiration date. ESSO fuel cards have to be renewed when there is a change to the vehicle registration. This can be done with customer service in the PowerZone or shoppette. Personnel who are deploying or are deployed can extend their vehicle registrations for up to six months with a memorandum for USAREUR vehicle registry by obtaining one from vehicle registration. The memorandum must be signed by the squadron commander and faxed by the member to HQUSAREUR/Registry of Motor Vehicles at 386-7225. Drivers should renew their vehicle registrations as early as possible. The fee for renewing a registration is $30, those who renew up to 30 days late will be assessed a $15 late fee. Those who are more than 30 days late must register their vehicle non-operational at a cost of $30. To re-register the vehicle as operational is another $30. Get your stickers German cities have established environmental protection zones, called Ümweltzone. Vehicles not certified as meeting acceptable emission standards with a decal are prohibited in these zones. The emissions decal should be placed on the lower passenger side of the windshield. Failure to display the decal in a protection zone can result in a 40 euro fine. USAREUR drivers can get the decals at their vehicle registration office. Drivers must fill out a USAREUR vehicle registration form to obtain a decal. The first decal is free; however, additional stickers for the same vehicle cost $5. To reduce waiting times fill out the application in advance and those with two or more vehicles should only get a decal for the vehicle most likely to travel in the protection zone. For more information on these zones, visit www.umwelt-plakette.de/int_england.php. Learn more Vehicle registration, located in building 222, is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and closed German and American Holidays. The office closes at noon for inventory the last duty day of the month. For more information about registration renewal, go to www.rmv.hqusareur.army.mil/190-1/ss190-1.htm#P03-11 or call vehicle registration at 452-6227.