Reading the tuv sticker – how to read the values correctly

Hardly any criterion is as important when buying a used car as the TuV sticker. Read this article to learn how to read a sticker correctly and what it means for your car.

Until the TuV separates us…

As the value and age of the car decreases, so does the willingness of most owners to take proper care of the car. So, sooner or later for every car the time comes when it drives in its "last MOT period. If this is exceeded, the car has usually only scrap value. But as soon as a fresh sticker is on the license plate, the car can be sold again for much more money. At least it has now the permission to move legally on german roads. But to get this validity for the next two years, some things are necessary.

Read the sticker

The sticker indicates the month and the year until which the vehicle is allowed to move in road traffic. If the time of validity was exceeded, two things happen:

  • The car can only be deregistered after it has been sold. A re-registration or re-register on another holder is no longer possible.
  • The car is no longer registered for road use. If the police or the public order office finds a vehicle with an expired sticker, a fine may be imposed.

Design of the MOT sticker

The difficulty in reading the sticker is that the year of validity is indicated by color and not by a number. The colors change in a fixed cycle of seven years. Theoretically, a car with an expired MOT could be parked in a garage for seven years, and at least the color would not be immediately noticeable. But taxes and insurance would have to be paid all the time. This is not worth it for any car.

Today the following colors are valid:

blue: the HU expires in 2020
orange: the HU expires in 2019
green: the HU expires in 2018
pink: the HU expires in 2017
brown: the main inspection expired in 2016
yellow: the HU expired in 2015
blue: the HU expired in the year 2014

So a police officer who sees a car with a blue, yellow or brown MOT sticker today in 2017 will certainly become suspicious. If the car is in public traffic, a fine is certain to be the result.

In addition to the year, the month also determines the validity of the MOT. It is represented by a wreath that runs around the outer edge of the TuV sticker. There are the months with their respective number arranged in order. The month of maturity is always the one that is vertically in the middle. In order to be able to read off the expiring month exactly also at a greater distance, a black marking is attached in the area of january, december and november.

A green TuV sticker with a 3 in the highest position indicates an expiration date of march 2018.

How long is it allowed to overstay the HU?

To say in advance: one "may" not overdue the HU at all. Each owner of a vehicle is obligated to present his car within the validity again to the main examination or to deregister. However, the legislator is surprisingly accommodating in the question of overdue main inspection. Today, the following amounts apply in the catalogue of fines

  • 1 day to 2 months: a policeman will draw attention to the expired HU
  • 3 to 4 months: 15 euro fine and an obligation to immediately present the car at the HU. This is carried out more strictly.
  • 4 months to 8 months: 25 euro fine and also deepened HU.
  • Over 8 months: 60 euro fine, one point in the traffic offence record, B offence for novice drivers and an in-depth HU.

With such a far overdue HU date can also threaten the immobilization of the car. Towing and storage costs are borne by the owner.

The insurance also talks

If an accident happens to a car with an expired main inspection, problems with the insurance are inevitable. The insurance company can refuse a part of the payment or. Claim back payments made. In any case, after the accident, an in-depth examination of the car is carried out. If the car is found to be no longer in roadworthy condition, it can be very expensive for the owner.

Getting through the TuV

A main inspection for a car follows a fixed set of rules. No car is subject to arbitrariness from one inspector. This makes it especially easy and transparent for the owner to prepare his vehicle for the appointment.

To get a car safely through the main inspection:

  • The brake system must be intact
  • Must the exhaust system be intact
  • Must the exhaust cleaning work
  • Must have the lights working
  • Must the tires be in order: age, condition, tread depth
  • Must be the chassis and steering intact
  • Must not have rust on supporting parts
  • No fluid leaks at any point: oil, gasoline, coolant, servo oil, brake fluid, etc..
  • Must not be airbag deployed
  • Must also be otherwise no obvious defect present
  • Do all conversions have to be registered

If these points are worked through before the presentation at the TuV, there is usually nothing in the way of a new TuV sticker.

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