Driving without tuv – these are the risks you have to reckon with

12 min what are the consequences of driving without an MOT and what happens to your insurance cover??

For various reasons, some vehicle owners miss the main inspection. Some have simply forgotten the inspection at DEKRA or TuV, others deliberately overdo it. But either way, driving without an MOT is not a good choice. How long can you drive without a MOT? And how exactly do you read the TuV sticker?? Read the answers to these questions here!

What are the penalties and consequences for driving without a MOT??

The law requires compliance with the main inspection dates, i.e. the main inspection must not be missed. If this is exceeded, vehicles that are not subject to safety inspection, such as cars, motorcycles or light trailers, may be subject to unpleasant penalties in the form of warnings and fines or even a point in flensburg. The exact amount of the respective penalty depends on how many months the main inspection has already been outstanding. Here is an overview:

1 – 2 months: as long as a maximum period of two months has not yet been reached, the law enforcement officers can only point out the necessary MOT inspection.

3 – 4 months: if the MOT sticker has been expired for more than two months, a warning fine of 15 euros can be imposed. At the same time the "deepened HU" becomes due. This is a vehicle check with extended scope, for which the TuV charges a surcharge of 20 percent. Advantage for the vehicle owner: the next main inspection date is set on the basis of the current month.

More than 4 months: If you have missed the MOT for more than four months and are caught in a traffic control, you will be fined 25 euros. If you drive for more than eight months, the fine is 60 euros, plus one point in flensburg.

Exceeding the MOT - consequences and fees

Exceeding the MOT – these are the costs you will incur

Accident without MOT: what are the consequences of driving without an MOT sticker for car insurance??

If you drive without a valid MOT sticker, your car or motorcycle is insured, but you can be held liable in the event of an accident. This means that the costs of the claim settlement or a part of these costs may fall back on the vehicle owner.

In most of these cases, the insurer will commission a surveyor. This is to determine whether there were technical defects in the vehicle and whether these contributed to the accident. the purpose of the main inspection is to identify such safety deficiencies and to ensure that they are remedied. However, if the main inspection has not been carried out in time and the vehicle is therefore driven with undetected defects, the driver may be guilty of gross negligence, depending on the facts of the case.

Make a calendar entry in your smartphone or laptop six to eight weeks before the next main inspection. When the reminder pops up, you still have enough time to make an appointment.

Driving with defects in spite of a valid MOT

Even with a valid MOT sticker, you must ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy. If, for example, the tire tread is no longer adequate and you have an accident as a result, this can jeopardize your insurance coverage. The same applies to other defects about which one knows. The lights on the dashboard, for example, can indicate damage or defects.

The cases in which insurance cover is at risk or does not apply are specified in the respective insurance policy and the agreed terms of insurance (AKB). The benefits and also the coverage amounts vary with many insurers.

FAQ – 6 typical questions and answers about the TuV at a glance

  1. What is TuV?
    The term "TuV" is used colloquially for the main inspection, or HU for short, of motor vehicles. However, the abbreviation actually stands for "technischer uberwachungsverein", a testing organization that carries out safety checks on technical equipment. For a long time, however, the main inspection of cars and trailers was carried out exclusively by the TuV, so people equated this term with the annual general inspection.
    But it’s not just the TuV that offers main inspections for cars and trailers – the DEKRA, short for deutscher kraftfahrzeug-uberwachungs-verein (German Motor Vehicle Inspection Association), and the KuS, short for kraftfahrzeug-uberwachungsorganisation freiberuflicher kfz-sachverstandiger (Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization of Freelance Motor Vehicle Experts), are also state-approved inspection organizations. It is also worth asking at your trusted auto repair shop. Many workshops offer regular main inspection appointments, during which an inspector checks the vehicle for defects on site. The advantage is that defects can be corrected in advance and you can save yourself a possible follow-up inspection.
  2. When is the next HU due?
    Privately used cars and motorcycles have to undergo a general inspection every two years, unlike vehicles that are subject to safety inspections. An exception is made for new vehicles whose general inspection is due for the first time after the third year. You can see when the next main inspection is due for your vehicle on the TuV sticker on the rear license plate. The next inspection date can also be found in the registration certificate, Part I.
    If the vehicle is found to have defects during the main inspection, there is one month in which to rectify the defects. After that, you have to take the car for a follow-up inspection. Those who do not meet this deadline can be fined again with a warning fine. At the same time, a new main inspection is due, which costs considerably more than the short follow-up inspection.
  3. How to read the TuV sticker correctly?
    Learning to read the TuV sticker is not difficult at all. The inspection year is in the middle of the sticker. But even the color of the sticker tells expert observers from a distance the year in which the car must be inspected: six colors alternate in the same order. Cars that have to pass the main inspection in 2021, for example, have a yellow sticker. For the 2022 inspection, the sticker will be brown, for 2023 pink, for 2024 green, for 2025 orange and 2026 blue. In the year 2027 the color marking begins then again with yellow.
    The circular sticker looks like the face of a clock. However, the numbers one to twelve are lined up counterclockwise and stand for the months of a year. So that it is immediately clear when the car has its next main inspection, the relevant month takes the place of the twelve. The sticker is turned so that the month of the inspection is at the top.
    The black bars that always frame the twelve are an additional reading aid. The white line between the bars on the sticker acts like the hour hand on a clock. If, for example, the three is at the top of the sticker at the number twelve, the two bars point to where the three would normally be on the clock.
    If you are inspected, the color of the sticker and the position of the bars will allow the inspectors to see from a distance in which month and year the vehicle will have to be inspected.

TuV sticker - read off the date of the next main inspection!

Well thought out – how to read the TuV sticker

  1. How long is it allowed to overstay the TuV?
    If you’re on the road for one or two months without an MOT, officials often turn a blind eye to you. After that, however, you could be fined between 15 and 60 euros and receive a penalty point in flensburg. If you drive for more than two months without an MOT, you could face an "extended MOT" – which costs more than the regular main inspection. Exceeding the deadline for the main inspection therefore entails costs that can easily be avoided.
  2. Who is responsible for a car without MOT?
    Driving without a MOT – not a good idea. If you are driving a car whose MOT period has expired, this can affect your insurance cover. Particularly in the event of an accident without a valid TuV plate, there is a risk of damage to be borne by the driver, despite the existence of an insurance policy. In the event of significant contributory negligence on the part of the policyholder, the insurance company may be exempt from its obligation to pay benefits in whole or in part. Since the owner is responsible for the insurance, the taxes and also the maintenance, he is liable – after all, he has not fulfilled his obligation for the TuV inspection.
  3. How do I get a car to the TuV without registration??
    You should not drive a car that has been deregistered – not even the short distance to the TuV inspection or workshop. Getting your car to the main inspection is still possible:
  4. How do I get a car without registration to the TuV??
    You should not drive a deregistered car – not even the short distance to the TuV inspection or workshop. Getting the car to the main inspection is still possible:
  • Without an official license plate: you can bring the car to its destination with the help of a trailer or vehicle transporter; driving without a license plate is strictly prohibited in public areas.
  • With red license plates: contact your garage – they should have red license plates and could take your vehicle to the TuV for you to be inspected. As a private person, however, you are not authorized to use the red license plates.
  • With short-term license plates: you can get this license plate at the registration office, which is valid for a maximum of five days. A proof of the current insurance of the vehicle in the form of the evb number as well as the presentation of the identity card are necessary for it.
  • With a stamped license plate: your vehicle was temporarily deregistered, but is now to be registered again? If the car still has a stamped official license plate, you may drive directly to the inspection station. However, this must be located in the same or a neighboring district and the motor vehicle liability insurance must be guaranteed.

as you can see, the annual main inspection is primarily intended for the protection of all road users and is intended to prevent possible sources of danger. If you miss the MOT appointment, you will primarily incur costs in the form of warnings and fines. A point in flensburg can also be a consequence of driving without the prescribed main inspection.

Especially in the case of an accident with an expired MOT sticker, the costs for the vehicle owner can add up, because depending on the reason for the accident, the insurance company can take recourse against the owner. in the worst case you lose your insurance coverage completely.

You have questions about car insurance or you are interested in a change? Use our online calculator directly to calculate your personal tariff. You prefer direct exchange? Our service team is ready to help you with advice and assistance by phone 030 – 890 003 003. We are also happy to advise you via our contact form.

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Christina Cherry
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