The number of cars with H licence plates is increasing disproportionately in the new federal states. This is the result of an analysis of the registration figures from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). As of 1 January 2018, 71,462 cars with H registration plates were registered in the five federal states, an increase of 32.3 percent compared to the previous year. For Germany as a whole, the increase in the same period was 10.8 per cent.

Highly populated states such as North Rhine-Westphalia (107,876 classic cars), Bavaria (88,324) and Baden-Württemberg (76,351) continue to lead the rankings. Naturally, the fewest historic vehicles can be found in Bremen (2,883), which has a low population density.

The German capital has the highest percentage of cars with H licence plates in relation to all vehicles older than 30 years - this minimum age is the basic requirement for obtaining such a licence plate - (83.9 %), followed by Baden-Württemberg (77.2 %) and Hamburg (75.2 %). Hamburg also has the most classic cars in relation to the total car population (1.4 %). This comparison clearly shows that, despite good growth rates, there is still potential for further growth in the classic car population, particularly in the eastern German states. For example, the proportion of all cars with H licence plates in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is only 0.5 percent, in Saxony-Anhalt 0.6 %. However, these states also have the lowest proportion of vehicles older than 30 years.

Status 31.10.2018