TÜV Expired in Germany: Fines, Extra HU Costs and Next Steps

An overdue HU does not by itself automatically cancel registration or motor insurance. It also does not prove that the car is technically unsafe. However, it is a compliance violation, and the absence of a current inspection does not authorize anyone to drive a vehicle with safety defects. The right response is to confirm the deadline, assess whether the car can be moved safely, book the HU and document what happens next.

Quick answer: For an ordinary passenger car, the federal catalogue specifies standard amounts of €15 when the appointment is exceeded by more than two up to four months, €25 for more than four up to eight months and €60 for more than eight months. Vehicles subject to a separate safety inspection follow an earlier and higher schedule. After more than two months, the official fee rules add 20% of the normal HU fee for the required expanded examination.

HU, “TÜV” and the legal deadline

The legal examination is called the Hauptuntersuchung. TÜV organizations are among the recognized bodies authorized to perform it, but they are not the only providers. Under Annex VIII StVZO, the keeper must present the vehicle no later than the end of the month and year shown by the inspection sticker, vehicle documents and HU report.

The deadline is a month-end deadline, not a floating period starting from a workshop invoice. A sticker showing August 2026 means the HU must be completed by the end of August 2026. From September onward it is overdue. Booking an appointment does not generally change that calculation.

For the normal interval before a deadline, see German HU intervals by vehicle category. For preparation rather than consequences, use the 15-point HU checklist.

Is there a grace period?

No general grace period keeps an expired HU valid. Confusion arises because the standard fine table for ordinary vehicles begins only after the deadline has been exceeded by more than two months. That enforcement threshold is not an extension of the inspection period. A traffic authority can still identify the overdue status, order corrective action or act on other defects.

Vehicles that must undergo a separate Sicherheitsprüfung are treated differently: the standard fine schedule begins when their presentation date is exceeded by up to two months. Therefore, advice written only for ordinary cars must not be copied into heavy-vehicle or bus fleet procedures.

Standard fines for an overdue HU

The following amounts come from entries 186.1 and 186.2 of the federal Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung. They are standard catalogue amounts for the keeper's failure to present the vehicle. Administrative expenses, other offenses and case-specific measures are separate.

This table should be dated and checked before publication updates because regulations can change. It does not cover a separate violation involving an unsafe vehicle, ignoring a formal operating prohibition or failing to return for a required defect reinspection.

Why the HU costs more after two months

When the presentation date has been exceeded by more than two months, the Road Traffic Fees Regulations require the HU fee to be calculated as the normal HU fee plus 0.2 times that fee. In practical terms, that is a 20% surcharge on the HU fee. The expanded examination is intended to reflect the longer period without the prescribed check.

The surcharge is not the same as a police fine. An owner can therefore face the increased examination fee even without first receiving a fine, and a recorded violation can exist in addition to the inspection cost. Repairs and any later defect reinspection are also separate.

Can you still drive the vehicle?

A blanket “yes” is unsafe and legally incomplete. An overdue sticker alone does not automatically remove the registration, but the inspection obligation has been breached. More importantly, registration status says nothing about the current condition of brakes, tyres, steering, lighting or structure.

Before moving the vehicle, check for obvious safety warnings and symptoms. Do not drive if there is a serious brake or steering problem, damaged load-bearing tyre, fuel leak, overheating, insecure body part, dangerous warning or any other reason the vehicle may not be roadworthy. Arrange recovery or professional assistance instead.

If the car is deregistered, has an operating prohibition, lacks insurance or has another registration problem, different rules apply. Do not assume that an overdue-HU appointment creates universal permission to drive. Ask the inspection organization, registration authority or qualified legal adviser about the specific journey if the legal status is uncertain.

What to do when the HU is already overdue

Do not clear fault codes, hide warning lamps or apply fresh underbody coating to obscure corrosion. That does not restore compliance and can interfere with a responsible assessment.

What happens during a traffic check?

The rear sticker makes the due month visible. The authority may record the violation and apply the catalogue amount appropriate to the vehicle and delay. Visible defects can lead to separate findings. If the vehicle is unsafe or a formal restriction applies, the consequences are not limited to an expired sticker.

Carry accurate documents and remain factual. An appointment confirmation can demonstrate that corrective action is planned, but it should not be described as a legal extension or immunity from enforcement.

Insurance: what an expired HU does and does not mean

The expiry of the HU does not automatically erase compulsory third-party cover. Insurance consequences after an incident depend on the policy, facts, type of cover, conduct and whether a technical defect contributed to the loss. An expired deadline alone is different from knowingly using a dangerously defective vehicle.

Do not promise that an insurer can never reduce a payment or seek recourse, and do not claim that every overdue HU invalidates insurance. Notify the insurer truthfully after an incident and obtain advice on the specific contract where there is a dispute. This article cannot decide an individual coverage case.

Buying a vehicle with an expired HU

An expired HU is a material due-diligence point, not automatic proof of a bad vehicle. Verify VIN, registration data, last report, defect history, modifications and the reason the deadline was missed. Price the risk of transport, examination and repairs instead of assuming that only the normal HU fee is due.

State clearly in the contract who will arrange and pay for transport, HU, defects and registration steps. A seller's promise that the vehicle “will pass TÜV” is not a substitute for an official report. If the vehicle is not demonstrably roadworthy, use appropriate transport rather than an improvised test drive.

Seasonal and deregistered vehicles

If an HU for a seasonal number plate falls outside the operating period, Annex VIII provides for the examination in the first month of the next operating period. That rule does not permit driving during the inactive months. The calculation is therefore different from simply calling the car overdue throughout winter.

During formal deregistration, the inspection obligation is suspended. If the HU was due before or during that period, it must be addressed when the vehicle returns to service under the applicable registration rules. Ask the authority about the lawful route to an inspection if the vehicle has no current registration status.

Fleet response to an overdue HU

Remove ambiguity immediately: identify the keeper, driver, vehicle category, due month, operating status and whether a safety inspection also applies. Assign one person to book the appointment and another check only if the fleet process requires it. Record the report, defects, repair owner and reinspection deadline.

Do not backdate a reminder or mark the task complete when the booking is created. Completion means that the official outcome is recorded and required defects or reinspection tasks are closed. Investigate why the monitoring control failed without hiding the overdue event.

Common mistakes

Conclusion

An overdue HU should be corrected promptly, but accurately. Check the official month, identify the vehicle category, determine whether the car can be moved safely, book an authorized examination and plan for the 20% HU surcharge when the delay exceeds two months. Standard catalogue fines rise with the delay and begin earlier for vehicles requiring a safety inspection.

There is no benefit in concealing the delay or relying on a supposed grace period. A documented, safety-first response restores compliance faster and creates a reliable basis for the next reminder.