Every two years your motorcycle in Germany has to go for its roadworthiness test, the Hauptuntersuchung (HU), colloquially “going to TÜV”. If you arrive prepared, you are usually back out with a new sticker in half an hour. If you let it slide, you pay twice: for the re-test and in the worst case a fine. Here you read how the motorcycle TÜV inspection works, what it costs, which faults come up most often and what happens when the sticker has expired.
The motorcycle HU at a glance
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Interval | every 24 months, new vehicles included |
| Cost with emissions test | about 75 to 100 €, depending on testing organisation and federal state |
| Re-test | within one month, up to about 40 € |
| More than 2 months overdue | 15 € warning fine, about 20 % surcharge for the extended test |
| More than 8 months overdue | 60 € and 1 point in Flensburg |
| Minimum tyre tread | 1.6 mm, on light motorcycles 1.0 mm |
When is the HU due?
For motorcycles the German Road Vehicle Licensing Regulations (Annex VIII StVZO) require a roadworthiness test every 24 months. The sticker on the rear plate shows when: the year is in the middle, the month is the one at the top. The deadline ends at the end of that month. If the 4 is at the top and 27 in the middle, you have to present the bike by the end of April 2027.
You may also do the HU earlier. The new deadline then counts from the month of the test, the months you saved are lost. If you ride with a seasonal plate and the HU falls in the rest period, you catch up in the first month of the new season. More on this in our article seasonal plate or deregister.
What is checked at the motorcycle HU
According to the ADAC, inspectors mainly look at these areas on a motorcycle:
- Papers and general: VIN and type plate matching the papers, mirrors, steering lock, speedometer, number plate.
- Lights and electrics: all lights, warning lamps, brake light switches, horn, battery, wiring.
- Steering: moves freely without notches, handlebar and grips secure.
- Brakes: components, level and condition of the brake fluid, free play and reserve.
- Wheels and tyres: tread depth, size according to the papers or tyre approval, fitting, alignment, damage.
- Drive and chassis: chain and chain guard, shock absorber, fork seals, stand, tank and lines, engine and gearbox tightness, footrests, seat.
- Exhaust and noise: sealed, secure and not noticeably too loud.
Motorcycles with a combustion engine also get the emissions test (AU). If you have it done separately at a workshop beforehand, the ADAC says it may be at most two months before the HU month.
The most common faults on motorcycles
According to the ADAC, motorcycles are flagged most often for lighting, frame and chassis, and axles, wheels and tyres. Typical are:
- broken bulbs, for example in indicators, tail light or number plate light
- retrofitted lights or indicators without approval
- worn tyres or a size that is not in the papers
- worn bearings in the fork, swingarm or wheels
You can spot most of this yourself if you take a quarter of an hour. How to check brakes, chain and tyres is explained in our guides on brakes, chain and tyres.
Preparation: the 15-minute check before the appointment
- Lights: low and high beam, position light, brake light with hand and foot brake, all four indicators, hazard lights if fitted, number plate light.
- Horn: press it once.
- Tyres: measure the tread in several places, look for cracks and bulges, set the pressure.
- Brakes: look at pad thickness, check the brake fluid level, the brake lever must not go all the way to the grip.
- Chain: slack according to the manual, clean and lubricated.
- Leaks: look for oil traces on engine, fork and shock.
- Modifications: for retrofitted parts such as exhaust, indicators, mirrors or handlebar take the ABE, the parts certificate or the registration entry.
- Papers: pack registration certificate part I, and the tyre approval if you run different tyres.
Failed: fault categories and re-test
The StVZO distinguishes four levels:
| Rating | Sticker | What you have to do |
|---|---|---|
| Minor faults | yes | fix the faults without delay, within one month at the latest, no re-test needed |
| Major faults | no | fix the faults and go for the re-test no later than one month after the HU |
| Dangerous faults | no | as with major faults, the motorcycle is a direct danger |
| Unroadworthy | removed | the sticker is removed and the registration authority informed, the motorcycle may no longer be used on the road like this |
If you miss the one-month deadline for the re-test, a completely new HU is due, at the full fee. The re-test itself costs up to about 40 € according to the ADAC.
Sticker expired: what happens?
An overdue HU is usually noticed at a police check. According to the ADAC (as of May 2026) the following applies to motorcycles:
- more than 2 months: 15 € warning fine
- 4 to 8 months: 25 €
- more than 8 months: 60 € and 1 point in Flensburg
On top comes a surcharge at the HU itself: if the deadline is more than two months overdue, the testing organisation has to carry out an extended test and charges about 20 % more for it. An expired sticker does not automatically void your insurance cover. But if an accident is due to a fault that the HU would have found, there can be trouble with the insurer.
In short
The motorcycle HU is due every 24 months, costs about 75 to 100 € with the emissions test and is mainly about lights, brakes, tyres, chassis and noise. A short check beforehand avoids most faults. If you are more than two months overdue, you pay a warning fine and a surcharge, after eight months you get a point.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a motorcycle need the HU?
Every 24 months, a newly registered motorcycle too. This is required by Annex VIII of the StVZO.
What does the HU cost for a motorcycle?
With the emissions test about 75 to 100 €, depending on testing organisation and federal state. A re-test costs up to about 40 €.
When is there a fine if the sticker has expired?
For more than two months 15 €, from four months 25 € and for more than eight months 60 € plus one point.
Can I keep riding with minor faults?
Yes. With minor faults you get the sticker, but you have to fix the faults without delay, within one month at the latest.
How deep does the tread on a motorcycle tyre have to be?
At least 1.6 mm, on light motorcycles at least 1.0 mm. More tread makes sense for safe riding in the wet.
Sources
- Annex VIII StVZO: vehicle inspection (Federal Ministry of Justice, German)
- Motorcycle HU: costs, preparation and deadlines (ADAC, German)
- Overdue TÜV: the costs you face (ADAC, German)
- HU overdue: what happens? (TÜV Rheinland, German)
As of October 2026. Prices vary between testing organisations and may change.
