DEDocumented route
Registering a new food trailer in Germany
Germany imposes no pre-shipment, pre-import or border approval requirement. The control point is after arrival, and the bar falls on the sale rather than on the import. An importer who is not the manufacturer may apply for approval in their own right.
Documented route
The route exists and is documented. It is a step in the delivery, not a barrier to entry.
Requirements
What the authority requires
| Requirement | Evidence | Read |
|---|---|---|
| National individual approval under Article 45 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, granted by the competent Land authority and not by the KBA. | verified | 2026-09-04 |
| Evidenced by a Gutachten from an amtlich anerkannter Sachverstaendiger or a designated Technical Service, at the applicant's expense, under section 13 EG-FGV; or under section 21 StVZO where the vehicle does not belong to an approved type. | verified | 2026-09-04 |
| The importer may apply in their own right. Section 21 StVZO vests the application in the Verfuegungsberechtigter, and Article 44(2) names the importer alongside the owner and the manufacturer. | verified | 2026-09-04 |
| Article 16 binds the importer directly: no making available until the vehicle is brought into conformity, the importer's name and contact address on the vehicle, and instructions in German. | verified | 2026-09-04 |
| There is no EU-wide individual approval fallback for this product. The KBA restricts Article 44 EU individual approval to complete M1 and N1 and special-purpose vehicles, so a category O trailer can only ever hold a Germany-valid approval. | verified | 2026-09-04 |
| Since 7 July 2026 the German Article 45 procedure requires compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/2144, General Safety Regulation II, for categories O1 to O4. The exact O-category requirement list is not yet established. | verified | 2026-09-04 |
Sources
- Section 21 StVZO
- Section 13 EG-FGV
- Regulation (EU) 2018/858, Article 44
- DEKRA, import vehicle registration
Primary sources only. Where a summary here and the source differ, the source is right.
For your order
How we handle it
Approval is per unit and per model, and the July 2026 General Safety Regulation II change means evidence written before then understates the current requirement set.
Confirmed for your configuration
- The current General Safety Regulation requirement set for your category
- Assessment cost and elapsed time for your configuration
- The assessing station for your region