Answer

Do I need TÜV (HU) before registering a used car?

Yes — you need a valid HU (Hauptuntersuchung, commonly called TÜV) certificate to register any used car in Germany. The Zulassungsstelle checks the HU sticker on the plate or the paper report; if it has expired, the car must pass a fresh HU at TÜV, DEKRA or GTÜ before registration. HU costs about €90–140 and is valid for two years.

Does a new car need HU?

No. New cars are HU-exempt for the first 3 years after Erstzulassung. The next HU is due at year 3, then every 2 years.

What does the HU actually check?

Brakes and brake lines, steering and suspension, tyres and rims, lighting and electrics, body and chassis corrosion, exhaust and emissions (the AU is part of the HU), plus safety equipment. Defects are graded: minor (fix at leisure), significant (fix and re-present within a month), dangerous (the car may not be driven).

HU on an imported car

A foreign inspection certificate is not accepted — an imported car needs a German HU before it gets German plates, and if it has no COC, the § 21 StVZO Vollabnahme replaces and includes that inspection. Budget for headlight adjustment on right-hand-drive cars and for rear fog lamp position on US imports; both are classic import defects.

How we handle the inspection for owners abroad

We take the car to TÜV, DEKRA or GTÜ, send you the report with photos, and quote any required repairs before they are done. If the HU has expired and the car is already deregistered, the trip runs on short-term plates so the car never moves on public roads uninsured.

What an expired HU costs you

Two months or more overdue triggers a deeper inspection and a higher fee; from four months there is a fine and a point in Flensburg, and the Zulassungsstelle will not register the car at all. Buying a used car with a few weeks of HU left is normal — buying one with expired HU means pricing in €90–140 plus unknown repairs.

HU intervals and typical costs

Vehicle	First HU	Interval	Typical cost
New passenger car	After 3 years	Every 2 years	€90 – €140
Used passenger car	On schedule from the sticker	Every 2 years	€90 – €140
Motorcycle	After 2 years	Every 2 years	€60 – €90
Re-test after defects	Within 1 month	—	30–50 % of the fee
§ 21 Vollabnahme (no COC)	Before registration	—	€400 – €900

FAQ

What if the car fails HU?

You get a defects list and 1 month to fix and re-test — otherwise a full HU is required again. Fees for re-testing are usually 30–50 % of the original.

Is TÜV the same as HU?

HU is the legal inspection; TÜV is one of the organisations that performs it, alongside DEKRA, GTÜ and KÜS. Any of them issues a valid certificate at a similar price.

Can I register a car with only a few weeks of HU left?

Yes — the Zulassungsstelle only requires that the HU is currently valid. The next inspection then falls due on the original schedule.

Does a deregistered car need a new HU before it comes back?

Only if the HU expired in the meantime. A car standing on a valid HU can be re-registered without inspection.

Last updated: July 2026