Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt -KBA-

What Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt -KBA- does

Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) is the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, a higher federal authority operating under the Federal Ministry for Transport (BMVI) and headquartered in Flensburg, Germany. As the sole central authority for motor vehicle affairs in Germany, KBA is responsible for vehicle registration, driver licensing, type approval, market surveillance, and professional driver qualification tracking. It maintains the only comprehensive national digital register systems in Germany, covering vehicles (ZFZR), driving licences (ZFER), driver fitness (FAER), professional driver qualifications (BQR), and tachograph cards (FKR).

The authority's technical platform spans multiple interconnected digital systems, including the i-Kfz mobile app (over 1 million digital vehicle registration documents issued by 2025), the public Recall Database, the electronic Certificate of Conformity (eCoC) service, the ZEVIS vehicle information system, and EUCARIS for cross-border EU data exchange. Testing and surveillance capabilities include the Harrislee Laboratory (HaL) and Test Center Leck (TeCeL) for emissions measurement, CO2 monitoring, and real-world fuel/energy consumption data monitoring. Recent product launches include the 'Kabea' AI chatbot (2026), eCoC service (2026), and i-Kfz corporate expansion (2026).

KBA operates as a government authority funded through the federal budget rather than commercial revenue. Most services are provided free of charge to citizens, with the only fee-bearing offering identified as WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier) applications for vehicle manufacturers. Customer segments include German citizens and vehicle owners (primary), vehicle manufacturers (primary, for type approval and WMI), driving schools, fleet operators and businesses, other federal and state government agencies, and state-recognized training centers for professional drivers. Distribution occurs through the kba-online.de portal, the i-Kfz mobile app, a dedicated Key Account Interface for enterprise customers, and the nationwide network of district vehicle registration offices.

Name

Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt -KBA-

Legal name

Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA)

Website

https://kba.de

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) is Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority. It operates the national central registers for vehicle registration, driver licensing, and type approval, and provides digital services such as the i-Kfz app to citizens, manufacturers, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Motor Transport Authority Services

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Emissions Testing (I/M Programs) & Smog Check Stations (TLAKANAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Telematics/ELD & Onboard Data Recorder Diagnostics / Compliance Checks (TLAKANAE)

Keywords

• Vehicle registration services
• Driver licensing authority
• Type approval services
• Automotive regulatory authority
• Vehicle register databases

Headquarters

HQ city

Flensburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt operates Germany's central federal registers and digital services for vehicle registration, driver licensing, and vehicle type approval. The authority manages the Central Vehicle Register (ZFZR), Register of Driver Fitness (FAER), Central Register of Driving Licences (ZFER), Register of Professional Drivers Qualification (BQR), and Register of Tachograph Cards (FKR), and delivers public digital services such as the i-Kfz mobile app, Recall Database, electronic Certificate of Conformity (eCoC) service, Defect Reporter, Online Register Information, and statistical/open data products.

Product overview

Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) is a German federal higher authority under the Federal Ministry for Transport, operating a comprehensive platform of interconnected registers and digital services for vehicle registration, driver licensing, and road traffic regulation. The core portfolio includes Central Vehicle Register (ZFZR), Register of Driver Fitness (FAER), Central Register of Driving Licences (ZFER), Register of Professional Drivers Qualification (BQR), and Register of Tachograph Cards (FKR). Key digital services include the i-Kfz App for mobile vehicle registration, Recall Database for defect tracking, eCoC for electronic Certificates of Conformity, and Online Register Information. The platform also supports EU-wide data exchange through EUCARIS and ZEVIS, and provides statistical products, Open Data access, and real-world emissions monitoring. All services are government-operated and primarily serve citizens, manufacturers, and other authorities rather than commercial developers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• i-Kfz app: Digital vehicle registration app allowing users to manage vehicle registration documents via smartphone
• Kabea

Products and services

• i-Kfz App (Digital Vehicle Registration)
• Recall Database (Rückruf-Datenbank)
• eCoC (Electronic Certificate of Conformity)
• Central Vehicle Register (ZFZR)
• Register of Driver Fitness (FAER)
• Central Register of Driving Licences (ZFER)
• Register of Professional Drivers Qualification (BQR)
• Register of Tachograph Cards (FKR)
• ZEVIS (Vehicle Information System)
• EUCARIS
• Online Register Information
• Defect Reporter (Mängelmelder)
• Real-world Data Monitoring
• CO2 Monitoring
• Statistics Products
• Open Data Portal
• Type Approval Service
• Market Surveillance Service
• Kabea Chatbot
• WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier) Application Service

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1 million digital vehicle registration documents issued
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Allianz für Cyber Sicherheit (ACS) - Alliance for Cyber SecuritycoreTechnology or IntegrationKBA is a member of the Alliance for Cyber Security (ACS), contributing to cybersecurity initiatives and receiving threat intelligence and best practices for protecting critical infrastructure and digital services.
• EUCARIScoreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean Cars and Driving Licence Information Service - EUCARIS enables the secure exchange of vehicle and driving licence information between EU member states for law enforcement and administrative purposes.
• Federal Ministry for Transport (BMVI)coreOthersKBA operates as a higher federal authority within the scope of the Federal Ministry for Transport, receiving policy direction and oversight.
• ZEVIS (Zentrales Fahrzeugregister-Informationssystem)coreTechnology or IntegrationCentral Vehicle Register Information System enabling data exchange between KBA and vehicle registration authorities across Germany.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority): Dutch vehicle authority responsible for registration, type approval, and driver licensing in the Netherlands — a direct peer with comparable regulatory mandate and digital services orientation.
• Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency): Sweden's transport authority overseeing vehicle registration, driver licensing, and type approval — operates a comparable digital-first model and is a fellow EUCARIS participant.
• Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS): France's national agency for secure identity and vehicle documents, including carte grise issuance and driving licence systems — a close functional peer operating a similar national digital registration platform.
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA): UK's government agency responsible for vehicle registration and driver licensing, the closest functional peer to KBA. Operates an analogous national register structure with similar citizen-facing digital services.
• Transport Canada: Canadian federal department responsible for transportation regulation including vehicle safety standards, driver licensing policy, and motor carrier compliance — comparable federal scope to KBA.
• Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT): Spain's national traffic authority under the Ministry of Interior, managing vehicle registration, driver licensing, and traffic enforcement — directly comparable in scope and function to KBA.

Others

• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection, and certification body that works alongside KBA on type approval, emissions testing, and market surveillance — a complementary technical service provider rather than a regulator.
• ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association): Industry body representing European vehicle manufacturers that interacts with KBA on type approval, CO2 monitoring, and regulatory matters — a key counterpart rather than a direct competitor.
• Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC): Germany's largest automobile association — not a regulator, but a closely related stakeholder that interacts with KBA on vehicle testing, breakdown data, and consumer-facing mobility services.

Broad incumbents

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): US federal agency for vehicle safety, type approval, and recall coordination. Functions overlap with KBA's market surveillance and recall database mandate, though NHTSA does not handle vehicle registration (handled at state level).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xxing.com/company/kraftfahrt-bundesamt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kraftfahrt-bundesamt--kba-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt -KBA-