Since 1 January 1997 a car in Germany can carry an H on its number plate, for historisch, historic. It must have first been on the road at least 30 years ago. It must be largely in its original condition and well preserved. The car tax is then a flat 191.73 euros a year.
On 1 January 2025, 790,439 vehicles carried the H. The most common classic model was the Volkswagen Golf, followed by the Mercedes-Benz W123 and W124. According to the ADAC, about 54 percent of the cars that qualify carry the H, and the share is falling.