Berlin under pressure: Rental car fraud changes to the surrounding area!

Berlin under pressure: Rental car fraud changes to the surrounding area!

In the past few months, the rental car industry in Berlin and Brandenburg has become a real star thunderstorm. With an increase of over a third of the rental car registrations in Brandenburg, not only the market, but also the legal situation has shifted significantly. While the number of reported rental cars in Berlin has dropped dramatically - between May 2024 and May 2025, the number halved on only 2200 vehicles - many of the so -called rental cars are now registered in the adjacent counties. The Tagesspiegel reports that numerous vehicles with advertising from Uber and Bolt mainly bear Brandenburg license plates. These include the license plates from Teltow-Fläming (TF), Dahme-Spreewald district (LDS) or Oberhavel (OHV).

The trend towards emigration does not seem to be accidental. According to the rbb, numerous rental car companies have shifted their location to Brandenburg to escape strict controls in the capital. This did not happen without reason, because the Berlin traffic authority has pulled over 2000 vehicles out of circulation in the past few months, which conveyed and illegally worked on platforms such as Uber and Bolt. At the same time, the district council warned of possible criminal structures that gain a foothold in the industry.

illegal practices and tax evasion

The problem is enough than it seems at first glance. A worrying system of "company burials" has appeared in the Berlin rental car industry, which presumably serves for tax evasion and social fraud. At least 61 companies should be involved in these machinations, many of them large rental car companies. After a short time, these companies usually disappear from the scene when they are transferred to a holding company in Bulgaria. Florian Köbler, head of the German tax union, addresses that sales are often obscured, which makes the persecution of those responsible extremely difficult.

professional drivers, who are mostly busy with such companies, often work under non -legal circumstances, which leads to the evasion of social security contributions and wage taxes. Tino Schopf, a traffic politician from Berlin, has been calling for better regulation of the rental car market for years and has shown both tax evasion and undeclared work in the sector. With the total damage that is estimated to be a double -digit million range, it can be seen that not only pays, but also the trust of the citizens are at stake.

coordinated measures required

The Brandenburg authorities now seem to be aware of the situation and plan to discuss the problem in order to tackle the problem in the rental car industry. The Berliner Labo offers support to prevent tax violations and social service fraud. But the situation remains tense: a data comparison between Berlin and Brandenburg to check companies and people is currently not legally possible.

The current procedure is a step in the right direction, but the rental car industry urgently needs extensive and sustainable solutions. This is the only way to completely remove the dark side and protect consumers and honest operators. The legal framework must be readjusted to ensure a fair and regulated business.