TÜV costs for the car - this should be taken into account during the main inspection

The New cars it is three years, for all other cars two years - this is the frequency in which the general inspection, or HU for short, has to be carried out on a car. This main inspection is carried out by one of the responsible monitoring organizations DEKRA, TÜV & Co. This compulsory event for vehicle owners serves to check and ensure the road safety of the respective vehicle. But what costs do car owners have to expect if they want to receive a TÜV sticker? The following article provides the answer and also shows the consequences if the deadline for the HU is not met.

Costs for the TÜV - The changes since 2019

So-called tailpipe measurement is now mandatory for all vehicles in the course of exhaust emission testing. Therefore, the costs associated with the HU rose slightly in 2019. Up to this point, vehicles built after 2006 did not have to undergo tail pipe measurements. Although these vehicles also had to be tested for emissions in the course of the HU, this was only done using the on-board diagnostic system. The exhaust gases in the exhaust are now checked using a measuring probe in the now mandatory tailpipe measurement so that any manipulations or defects can be detected. Due to this increased effort, the test fees for the exhaust gas and the main inspection today average 109 euros.

The costs differ slightly from each other for the individual examination facilities:

- KÜS 110 to 115 euros
- Dekra 106 to 113 euros
- GTÜ 105 to 112 euros
- TÜV Süd 110 euros
- TÜV Nord 110 euros

In addition, it is also possible that the exhaust gas analysis is not carried out together with the HU. The right contact persons are then also the well-known test organizations, such as KÜS, DEKRA or TÜV, but also certified workshops. However, it is then mandatory that the date for the main examination must follow within the next two months after the successfully passed AU. At the main inspection, the certificate of the AU that has already taken place can simply be presented. However, if the specified period between the AU and the HU is exceeded, the emission test is automatically declared invalid and must then be carried out again with the HU.

Follow-up: the cost

If the inspection organization does not issue a TÜV badge at the HU due to significant defects, the vehicle owner must have the identified defects rectified within one month and then present the vehicle again during the so-called follow-up inspection. On average, costs of between 15 and 20 euros are due for the follow-up examination. Depending on the federal state and the chosen test organization, the prices can vary a little. It is advisable to make an appointment for the necessary follow-up visit in good time. If the period of one month is exceeded here, it is necessary to have the HU carried out again in full. This means that the costs would also be incurred again. It is not possible to extend the one-month deadline for the follow-up.

The vehicle owner can freely decide with which organization he should have his vehicle checked. It is not absolutely necessary that this is done at the same test center that carried out the previous HU. If the vehicle cannot prove its traffic safety even during the inspection, it is possible to repeat the inspection within a period of another four weeks.

Single or change acceptance: The costs

If the vehicle is converted or adapted according to your own ideas and wishes, approval must be given for each individual change. Otherwise, the vehicle may lose its operating license and may no longer be moved on public roads. So that the changes can be approved, the vehicle owner has two different options: the individual or the change acceptance.

The cheaper and simpler variant is definitely the change acceptance. The prerequisite for this is that there is a test certificate, i.e. a parts certificate, or an EC type approval or an ABE, the general operating permit. The corresponding document must then be submitted to the respective test organization, i.e. TÜV, GTÜ, KÜS or DEKRA. The vehicle owner then receives the necessary document, which he must show at the registration office so that the changes can be properly recorded in the vehicle documents. The individual costs are decisive for the costs involved, on average between 30 and 50 euros.

The individual acceptance is also known as full acceptance or special acceptance. Officially correct is the designation assessment according to paragraph 21. Only an officially recognized expert is allowed to carry out this type of acceptance - this is usually done by TÜV, sometimes also by DEKRA. Such an assessment is necessary if a valid test certificate is not available. A corresponding report is then prepared by the expert - this can then be presented to the relevant registration office so that a new operating license can be issued for the entire vehicle. During the inspection, the entire vehicle is always checked for the applicable law, which is why the scope of the inspection and thus the invoice is significantly higher. On average, several hundred euros are due here.

Have the TÜV inspection carried out in the workshop

It is not absolutely necessary for the HU to be carried out by one of the official testing organizations. The HU and AU are also offered by accredited workshops. The advantage here is that small damage that is found can still be repaired before the actual acceptance is carried out by the officially recognized inspector. If the HU is carried out directly at the test organization, this can involve more time and costs if the car does not receive the TÜV sticker.

The consequences if the deadline for the TÜV is exceeded

If the deadline for the due HU appointment is not met, this will result in additional costs. If the overdue TÜV date is determined as part of a traffic control, there is a risk of a point in Flensburg and a fine. The amount of the fine depends on how long the period for the TÜV acceptance has already been exceeded.

However, additional costs are also incurred if the delay in the appointment is not discovered by the police. The test organizations are obliged to carry out an extended test if the TÜV appointment is carried out more than two months late. This increases the cost of the HU by around 20 percent.

In this way, TÜV costs can be saved

It makes sense to compare the costs of the examinations with the different organizations before the due HU. If damage to the vehicle is known or feared, the car should be checked in advance in a workshop. In this way it can be avoided that costs are incurred for a possible inspection of the car. In addition, some points of the HU, such as the condition of the windscreen or the tread depth of the tires, can also be checked independently before the TÜV appointment.