A new end can, different mirrors or a superbike handlebar: with accessories the same question always comes up. Is fitting enough, or do I have to have something registered? If you get motorcycle exhaust approval wrong, you risk the operating licence of the whole bike. This article explains the terms ABE, parts report, E-mark and individual approval under German law (StVZO), what you have to carry and what happens when the operating licence lapses.
In short
- Read the part's papers: Whether you may simply fit an accessory, whether it needs an inspection or whether it is registered is stated in the part's documents.
- Three routes to compliance: a part with an ABE (national operating licence for vehicle parts), a part with an EC or ECE approval (E-mark), or an expert report with registration or individual approval.
- Lapse: The operating licence lapses, among other cases, when noise behaviour gets worse or restrictions and fitting instructions are ignored.
- Consequence: With a lapsed operating licence you must not ride on public roads.
ABE, parts report, E-mark: the differences
ABE: general operating licence for vehicle parts
A vehicle part can be granted its own operating licence (section 22 StVZO). For series parts this is done as a general operating licence. The manufacturer marks every part with its type mark and adds a copy of the licence or an extract. The ABE is usually limited to certain vehicle types or a certain way of fitting. If your motorcycle does not match, the ABE does not help you.
With or without inspection
The law allows the validity of an ABE to depend on an inspection of the installation. In that case an officially recognised expert or inspector must approve the fitting, for example at TÜV, DEKRA or another testing organisation. They confirm correct fitting, with the vehicle identification number, on the document. This inspection must take place without delay. Without it the operating licence is not secure.
Parts report
Not every part has an ABE. For parts that do not belong to an approved type, the procedure follows the individual operating licence under section 21 StVZO. An expert assesses the part, and the registration authority enters the report in the registration certificate if it does not speak against the operating licence. In everyday use such papers are called a parts report (Teilegutachten). Note that the term does not appear like this in the law. How your part is treated is stated in its papers, and if in doubt you ask the testing organisation before you buy.
EC or ECE type approval (E-mark)
Parts with an EC type approval or an approval under the UN ECE regulations are a category of their own: fitting them does not void the vehicle's operating licence if restrictions and fitting instructions are followed (section 19 (3) StVZO). For silencer systems for motorcycles, section 49 (2a) StVZO prescribes an approval mark, in practice a lower-case e or capital E mark with a number. You find the number stamped or stuck on the part. If it is missing, that is a warning sign.
Individual approval (section 21) and inspection of changes (section 19)
Two terms are often mixed up:
| Term | What is behind it | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection of the installation (section 19 (3), section 22) | An expert confirms that a part with an operating licence is fitted correctly | When the ABE or approval requires an inspection |
| Individual operating licence (section 21) | Report by an officially recognised expert for a vehicle or part without type approval | When no approved part is available or the operating licence has lapsed under section 19 (2) |
For an individual operating licence the expert must describe the vehicle in the report and certify that it complies with the regulations. The authority transfers the details into the registration certificate. What this costs depends on the testing organisation and the effort, and I do not give prices here because I cannot document them.
What you have to carry
If you have fitted a part with an operating licence or approval, as the rider you must carry the copy of the licence or an extract with the essential details and show it on request. If the fitting was inspected, you need the inspection certificate. That is not required if everything, including conditions, is already in the registration certificate Part I (section 19 (4) StVZO). Whether a change must also be reported to the authority is regulated by the vehicle registration ordinance, which the law refers to. Have the entry explained at the inspection. For more on the fields, see our article on German motorcycle documents.
When does the operating licence lapse?
Under section 19 (2) StVZO it lapses with changes that
- alter the approved vehicle category,
- are expected to endanger road users or
- worsen exhaust or noise behaviour.
It also lapses if the restrictions or fitting instructions of a part with an operating licence or approval are not followed, for example because the part sits on a model it is not approved for (section 19 (3) StVZO).
Consequences
- No riding on public roads: With a lapsed operating licence you must not put the vehicle into operation. Only trips directly connected with obtaining a new operating licence are allowed, with the previous or red plates.
- No inspection sticker: If there is reason to assume the operating licence has lapsed, the authority can order an expert report or presentation of the vehicle. An inspection sticker must then not be issued. More on the inspection in the article on the motorcycle TÜV inspection.
- Fine: According to the fine catalogue, riding with a lapsed operating licence costs 90 euros for the rider if road safety or the environment is significantly impaired. For the keeper who orders or allows the trip it is 135 euros. For other situations I found no separate line in the catalogue, so amounts and points cannot be read off here.
- Insurance: I have no reliable source on insurance cover after an accident with a lapsed operating licence. Ask your insurer before modifying. Typical mistakes are described in the article on motorcycle insurance.
DB killer: remove or fit?
A DB killer is an insert in the silencer that damps sound. Whether you may remove it is not in the law but in the papers of the exhaust system. If it belongs to the approved condition under the ABE or fitting instructions, the operating licence lapses when you take it out. This follows from section 19 (3) StVZO and from the rule that noise behaviour must not get worse. The Land Tirol writes about an exhaust ABE that the system must not worsen the vehicle's condition, so the registered stationary noise value must still be met. The consequences for Tyrolean roads are in the article on stationary noise and noise bans.
Typical modifications at a glance
| Modification | What to check |
|---|---|
| Exhaust / end can | E-mark or ABE for your model, fitting instructions, stationary noise not louder than registered |
| Indicators | The part's papers: approval mark or ABE, fitting instructions |
| Mirrors | The part's papers, approval for your model |
| Handlebar | ABE, approval or expert report with registration, follow the conditions in the papers |
| Licence plate holder | The part's papers, approval for your model, fitting instructions |
The table shows what to check, not the decision for an individual case. Which rule applies to your part is stated in the manufacturer's documents. When buying used, check accessories together with their papers, see the used motorcycle checklist and the article on used parts.
Step by step
- Before buying, check that the part is approved for your model and year and which papers come with it.
- Read the fitting instructions and restrictions and fit the part correctly.
- If required: inspection at a testing organisation, confirmation with the VIN on the document.
- Entry in the registration certificate Part I at the registration authority, if necessary.
- Carry the copies of the licence or the certificate if not everything is in the registration certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always need a registration for an aftermarket exhaust?
Not always. If the system has a matching approval and restrictions and fitting instructions are followed, the operating licence does not lapse. If an inspection is required, you must have it done without delay.
What is the difference between ABE and E-mark?
The ABE is a national operating licence for a vehicle part. The E-mark shows an approval under EC or ECE rules. Either can allow fitting without voiding the operating licence if the conditions are met.
When does a motorcycle's operating licence lapse?
For example when noise behaviour gets worse, a danger is expected or a part's fitting instructions and restrictions are ignored.
What does it cost to ride with a lapsed operating licence?
The fine catalogue lists 90 euros for the rider and 135 euros for the keeper if road safety or the environment is significantly impaired. You also must not keep riding.
May I remove the DB killer?
Only if the exhaust system's papers allow it. Otherwise the operating licence lapses if the system no longer matches the approved condition.
Sources
- Section 19 StVZO: granting and validity of the operating licence (Gesetze im Internet, in German)
- Section 21 StVZO: operating licence for individual vehicles (Gesetze im Internet, in German)
- Section 22 StVZO: operating licence for vehicle parts (Gesetze im Internet, in German)
- Section 49 StVZO: noise and silencer system (Gesetze im Internet, in German)
- Fine catalogue, annex to the BKatV (Gesetze im Internet, in German)
- Motorcycle driving ban: questions and answers (Land Tirol, in German)
Last checked: November 2026. Laws and fines can change.
