TÜV Checklist Germany: Prepare Your Car for the Hauptuntersuchung

A careful home review can uncover obvious defects, missing documents or unsafe symptoms before the appointment. It cannot guarantee a new inspection sticker. The examiner uses prescribed methods and equipment to assess road safety, environmental compatibility and compliance with applicable construction and operating rules. Hidden faults, measured brake imbalance or structural problems may only become visible during the official test.

Quick answer

Before the HU, confirm the due date and appointment details, collect the registration certificate and documents for modifications, then check lights, tyres, visibility, seat belts, horn, warning indicators, number plates, leaks and legally required equipment. Do not perform unsafe tests under the vehicle or on public roads. If brakes, steering, tyres or warning systems show a safety-critical problem, arrange qualified diagnosis before driving to the inspection.

Important: This checklist helps you present a maintained and complete vehicle. It is not a promise that the car will receive a sticker, and cosmetic preparation cannot conceal a safety defect.

HU, AU and “TÜV”: what is actually being checked?

Under Annex VIII of the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations, the HU examines road safety, environmental compatibility and compliance with applicable requirements. For combustion vehicles, the emissions-related examination of the engine management and exhaust-cleaning system is integrated into the HU or documented through an permitted preceding procedure. Battery-electric vehicles still require the HU even though they have no combustion-engine exhaust test.

The inspection is independent. Once it has begun, it is not simply paused so that workshop repairs can be performed and the same examination continued as though nothing happened. Defects are documented and classified under the statutory process. Our related articles on HU intervals in Germany and what happens when the HU expires cover timing and overdue consequences; this guide focuses only on preparation.

Documents to prepare

Do not describe every previous report as universally mandatory for an ordinary appointment. It remains valuable vehicle history, and German law requires the owner to retain the HU report at least until the next HU. For a reinspection, bring the report so the recorded defects and deadline can be verified.

15-point preparation checklist

1. Confirm due date, vehicle and inspection type

Check the month and year using the inspection sticker, Registration Certificate Part I or last report. Confirm that the booking is for the correct vehicle and whether any additional inspection, modification acceptance or commercial-vehicle requirement applies. If the HU is already overdue, do not assume that booking an appointment erases the legal consequences.

2. Check number plates and vehicle identity

Ensure both number plates are present, securely mounted, clean and legible. The rear inspection sticker must not be covered or deliberately altered. Do not grind, repaint or modify identification markings. If a VIN area appears damaged, corroded or unreadable, obtain qualified advice rather than trying to recreate it.

3. Test lights and reflectors

With another person or a safe reflection, test dipped and main beam, position lights, indicators, hazard lights, brake lights, rear lights, reversing lights, fog lights where fitted and number-plate illumination. Inspect lenses and reflectors for damage, moisture or insecure mounting. A working bulb does not resolve an incorrectly aligned, loose or unsuitable lamp.

4. Inspect tyres and wheels

German law requires at least 1.6 mm main-tread depth for passenger-car tyres, but legality is not the only concern. Check several points for cuts, bulges, cracking, exposed structure, foreign objects and uneven wear. Confirm suitable size, load and speed specifications and inspect wheel bolts and rims visually. Use the vehicle manufacturer's cold-pressure value for the current load.

Modified wheel-and-tyre combinations may require supporting approval or acceptance documents. A bulge, exposed structure or rapid pressure loss can make driving unsafe; do not wait for the HU to diagnose it.

5. Observe brake behaviour safely

Notice warning lights, grinding, pulling, vibration, a soft or sinking pedal, unusual travel and changed parking-brake behaviour. Do not attempt emergency braking on a public road or crawl under an unsupported vehicle. The official inspection measures brake function and balance with appropriate equipment, so a normal-feeling pedal is not proof that the system will meet requirements.

6. Check steering and suspension symptoms

Look for a steering warning, excessive free play, unusual knocking, pulling, poor self-centering or instability. Check whether the car sits unusually low on one corner and whether visible springs appear damaged from a safe position. Joints, bearings, dampers and structural attachment points require professional equipment and should not be judged through an improvised home test.

7. Check windscreen, wipers, washer and mirrors

Visibility must not be impaired by significant damage, persistent streaking or missing equipment. Check the windscreen and required windows, wiper blades, washer jets and fluid delivery. Confirm interior and exterior mirrors are present, secure and usable. Do not assume every small glass chip has the same outcome; location, size, construction and effect on visibility matter.

8. Test seat belts, seats and doors

Pull each accessible belt out, inspect for obvious cuts or fraying, allow it to retract and confirm the buckle engages and releases. Check that seats and backrests lock securely, head restraints are present where required, and doors, bonnet and tailgate latch correctly. Do not dismantle belt pretensioners, airbags or seat electronics.

9. Test the horn and dashboard indicators

Check the horn briefly in an appropriate location. When the ignition is switched on, observe whether system indicators perform their normal self-check and then behave as described in the handbook. ABS, airbag, brake, steering, emissions or other persistent warnings need diagnosis. Clearing a fault code without repairing the cause is not preparation.

10. Look for fluid leaks—not just levels

Check the ground where the vehicle was parked and visible areas for fresh leakage. Fluid levels should be maintained according to the handbook, but the HU is not a routine oil-change service. Safety, environmental impact, secure systems and detectable defects are the concern. Never open a hot cooling system or handle brake fluid casually. A repeated loss requires diagnosis.

11. Inspect exhaust and emissions-related symptoms

For combustion vehicles, note an unusually loud exhaust, loose components, visible damage, strong fumes, persistent engine-management warning or unusual smoke. Do not work beneath an unsupported car and never run the engine in an enclosed space. A recently cleared warning or warm engine does not repair an emissions fault.

12. Inspect body condition and corrosion

Look for sharp external edges, insecure bumpers, loose trim, damage near lights or plates, and serious corrosion in accessible areas. Cosmetic surface marks do not have the same significance as corrosion affecting load-bearing structures, suspension mounting or occupant safety. Do not cover active rust with fresh coating immediately before the inspection; qualified assessment is more useful.

13. Confirm mandatory and fitted equipment

Check warning triangle, high-visibility vest and first-aid material for presence and serviceable condition. Ensure fitted towing equipment, roof systems, ramps or other accessories are securely installed and comply with applicable documentation. Remove loose cargo from the passenger area and boot so it cannot obstruct the inspection or become hazardous.

14. Review modifications and software-dependent functions

Non-standard suspension, wheel spacers, lighting, exhaust components, tow bars and performance changes can require approval, acceptance or entry in the vehicle documents. Bring the evidence that applies to the specific component. Do not rely on a seller's statement that a modification is “TÜV approved.” The actual documentation and installed configuration must correspond.

Modern vehicles can also report faults in electronic safety systems. Do not install unofficial software changes or deactivate warnings to prepare for the HU.

15. Check EV and hybrid-specific visible items

Electric and hybrid vehicles undergo the HU like other vehicles. From a safe position, look for warning messages, damaged charging inlets, visibly damaged cables supplied with the vehicle, loose underbody covers or signs of impact. Do not touch orange cables, open high-voltage enclosures or attempt insulation measurements. High-voltage assessment belongs to trained personnel and the official process.

What can you check yourself?

A pre-inspection workshop check can be useful when symptoms exist or the owner cannot perform basic checks. It is optional and does not replace the independent HU.

What happens after the inspection?

The official report records findings and their classification. The outcome is more precise than simply “pass” or “fail.”

If a vehicle with major or dangerous defects returns after the one-month deadline, or the report is not presented, the rules require a new HU rather than the limited reinspection. Fees vary by vehicle, inspection scope, provider and region, so this guide does not publish a false universal price.

Day-of-appointment checklist

Checklist for fleets and company cars

Assign one responsible person per vehicle and track due month, booking, driver, report, defect deadline and reinspection status. Store the report with the vehicle record and do not close the task merely because the first appointment occurred. A major defect remains open until repaired and accepted at reinspection.

Drivers should have a simple reporting route for warning lights, tyre damage, glass damage and braking symptoms. Separate routine preparation from authorization for repairs so an urgent safety defect is not delayed by administrative ambiguity.

Common preparation mistakes

Conclusion

Good HU preparation is factual and safety-led. Collect the correct documents, identify obvious defects, arrange professional assessment for safety symptoms and understand the report that follows. The checklist cannot guarantee a sticker, but it can prevent missing paperwork and reduce avoidable surprises without encouraging unsafe DIY work.

Keep the report until at least the next HU, record every repair and monitor any advisory information about developing wear or corrosion. A maintained vehicle is prepared throughout its service life—not only on the morning of the inspection.