Baujahr

Baujahr is a German term that literally means "year of construction" and denotes the calendar year in which an object was completed or became usable. The term is applied across many domains, including motor vehicles, machinery, ships, aircraft, and buildings, and it commonly appears on technical specifications, registration documents, and inventories in German-speaking contexts.

In the automotive world, Baujahr identifies the production year of a vehicle. This may differ from the Erstzulassung (first registration) date or the Modelljahr (model year). Production can span more than one calendar year for a given model, and changes to design or equipment may be aligned with the Baujahr rather than the registration date. The Baujahr is often relevant for valuation, insurance, taxation, and historic-vehicle status.

Beyond automobiles, Baujahr is used for ships, aircraft, and buildings to indicate construction year. It helps assess age, depreciation, and compliance with historical or regulatory standards. In catalogs, auctions, and databases, Baujahr serves as a standard attribute to identify and compare items across time, alongside other dates such as renovation years or use-specific classifications. The concept provides a concise reference point for the age and historical context of an object within German-speaking markets.