New ‘MU’ License Plate for Munich Surroundings: What You Need to Know
Munich, January 19 – Residents in the Munich surrounding area now have an additional option for their vehicle registration plates: the new ‘MU’ license plate. Introduced on Monday, January 19, this new identifier stands for “Münchner Umland” (Munich Surroundings) and aims to provide a stronger regional identity while addressing the high volume of vehicles in the district. The announcement was made by the District Office, marking a significant change for local vehicle owners.
Why the New ‘MU’ Plate?
The primary reasons for introducing the ‘MU’ license plate are twofold. Firstly, it offers an “identity-forming option” for those living in the Munich hinterland, allowing them to visibly distinguish themselves from vehicles registered directly in the city of Munich. Secondly, the district faces a substantial number of registered vehicles, making the introduction of new combinations a practical necessity to ensure a sufficient supply of available license plates in the future.
Bavaria’s Minister of Transport, Christian Bernreiter, commented on the initiative during its announcement last summer: “We were happy to support the district here, because both the city and district of Munich have a very large vehicle fleet. Action was needed before no free license plates were available.”
How to Obtain the ‘MU’ License Plate
While the ‘M’ license plate will remain the standard for new registrations, vehicle owners now have the choice to specifically request an ‘MU’ plate. This can be done directly at the registration office. However, choosing the ‘MU’ plate incurs an additional fee of 10.20 Euros. For those who prefer to reserve their desired plate combination online in advance, the fee is slightly higher at 12.80 Euros. Reservations for the ‘MU’ plate have been available since today, January 19, via the website of the Munich District Office.
Converting ‘M’ to ‘MU’: What to Consider
Existing ‘M’ license plates remain valid, and there is no obligation to switch to the new ‘MU’ designation. However, for vehicle owners wishing to convert their current ‘M’ plate to an ‘MU’ plate, the process involves a temporary de-registration of the vehicle, followed by a re-registration. This procedure is necessary to formally change the license plate identifier, as confirmed by the District Office.
It is worth noting that the city of Munich already introduced ‘MUC’ as an additional option alongside ‘M’ in 2023, further diversifying the available license plate combinations in the region.
The introduction of the ‘MU’ license plate provides residents of the Munich surrounding area with a new choice, reflecting their regional affiliation and contributing to the efficient management of vehicle registrations in one of Germany’s most populous regions.
