Periodical technical inspection and private vehicle inspection

Private vehicle owner services offer solutions to ensure overall vehicle safety for private car owners. Damage and other used vehicle assessments are part of them. Also, after registration, road vehicles must undergo periodic roadworthiness and safety inspections. These Periodic Technical Inspections (PTIs) are mandatory in most parts of the world, although rules vary by country. Periodic testing ensures that road vehicles remain safe and minimises the danger to drivers or other road users. The person who uses the vehicle and has the necessary authority to do so is responsible for the vehicle’s roadworthiness.

TÜV SÜD and other officially recognised vehicle technical inspection organisations are obliged to check motor vehicle compliance. This includes certain legal requirements, for example with regard to safety, environmental protection, and retrofitting. Our vehicle inspection service and other private vehicle owner services ensure overall vehicle safety, assist owners with damage assessment, and help you to buy or sell your used vehicles.

Periodical technical inspections allow private car owners to drive safe in the knowledge of the overall safety and quality of their vehicle. You can be assured that your vehicle meets regulatory requirements for periodical technical inspections, emission standards, and any vehicle modifications.

Private vehicle inspections help you to make well-founded decisions when purchasing a used vehicle, using an appraisal report. This proves that the vehicle has been assessed by an independent third-party inspection body like TÜV SÜD. Having private car inspection reports for your own vehicle increase your chances of selling it. In case of damage, an independent evaluation of your vehicle can also give you a fair post-accident assessment for insurance claims.

TÜV SÜD is your trusted partner for private vehicle inspections, used car evaluations, and damage assessment reports. Our services are available in state-of-the-art service stations worldwide, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Slovakia and Turkey.

We are the only company to have successfully implemented a nationwide vehicle inspection system. In Turkey we created a network of 189 test centres and 81 mobile test stations in just 18 months. As a neutral and independent third-party vehicle inspection service provider, we focus on providing value to stakeholders rather than shareholders. TÜV SÜD is accredited to national and international standards, and we also undergo regular auditing that independently verifies our people and processes.

TÜV SÜD vehicle technical inspection services are conducted methodologically by highly qualified experts using state-of-the-art technologies in ISO certified inspection stations.

Our services include:

• Periodical technical inspection for cars and motorcycles – Your car or motorcycle’s brakes, lights, and other features are inspected at the TÜV SÜD service centre, according to national legislation. After successfully passing the periodical technical inspection, your car or motorcycle receives a decal (sticker), which symbolises permission to drive on the road.
• Used vehicle assessments and valuations – To identify its market value, TÜV SÜD experts inspect the vehicle’s overall condition from a technical, appearance, and auxiliary equipment standpoint. A third-party appraisal report is a valuable independent document when buying or selling a vehicle. The TÜV SÜD Used Car Certificate is a practical, third-party document to support the sale of your vehicle.
• Expert reports on vehicle modifications – If additional parts are fitted or modified, many countries require that these are checked against national regulations. TÜV SÜD conducts the necessary checks and issues expert reports and documentation.
• Post-accident damage assessment – TÜV SÜD provides you with a third-party damage assessment report, either for your own information or for insurance claim submission. The report provides information on the cost of the repair, the depreciation, or confirmation that the car is a write-off. In the case of a write-off, the report will indicate replacement and residual values.
• Emissions testing and sticker – In several German cities, an emission sticker must be displayed on certain vehicles operating in designated environmental zones. These emission stickers can be obtained through TÜV SÜD.