Ve­hi­cle eval­u­a­tion and ho­molo­ga­tion

Are you a vehicle manufacturer and want to register an entire vehicle series on Europe’s roads and need approval for this in line with national, EC/EU or ECE regulations?

We can advise and support you on all relevant issues, such as

• Homologation (evaluation of vehicles and the drawing up of documentation)
• General operating permit for the following vehicles:
  • Passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trailers in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 2018/858 (vehicle categories M, N, O)
  • Agricultural or forestry vehicles in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 167/2013 (vehicle classes T, C, R, S)
  • Motorbikes in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 (vehicle category L)
• Approvals for systems, components and separate technical units

As a designated technical service, we draw up the approvals you need for the registration of your product. We handle the necessary tests and communicate with the authorities throughout the entire homologation process.

Our qualified specialists on site know what the regional requirements are and will support you from the very beginning if you wish. Based on our extensive experience and knowledge, we can give you advice on the requirements for systems and components so that the entire approval process runs smoothly.

With the introduction of the Electric Micro-Vehicles Ordinance (eKFV), defined rules and specifications were laid down for electric micro-vehicles and their participation in road traffic. This type of vehicles must fulfil the technical requirements for e-scooters or self-balancing micro-vehicles. Likewise, electric motorised bicycles (S-pedelecs, S-bikes) are becoming increasingly popular and are increasingly being seen in towns and the countryside.

With its authorised signatories and third-party laboratories, the GTÜ Technical Service carries out the evaluation required for approval. This requires tests that are in accordance with the German Ordinance on Very Small Electric Vehicles (eKFV) in conjunction with the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) as well as the standard for electric motor-assisted wheels – EPAC in accordance with DIN EN ISO 15194:

• Drawing up of the type description/test report
• Carrying out evaluations on the requirements for the deceleration system, driving dynamics, maximum design speed as well as protection against tampering, lighting equipment and audible signals.
• In cooperation with accredited testing laboratories in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025/2018: the testing of motor performance, electromagnetic compatibility, battery safety
• Communication with the authorities (Federal Motor Transport Authority, KBA)
• Advice on the interpretation of regulations

Are you a vehicle manufacturer and want to register an entire series on Germany’s roads and need approval for this in accordance with national regulations?

We advise and support you on all relevant topics, such as:

• Homologation (the testing of vehicles and creation of manufacturer documentation)
• General operating permit for the following vehicles:
  • self-propelled machinery
  • agricultural or forestry tractors
  • very small electric vehicles

As a designated technical service, we draw up the approvals you need for the registration of your product. We handle the necessary tests and communicate with the authorities throughout the approval process.

Our network of qualified specialists know what the regional requirements are and will support you from the very beginning if you wish. Based on our extensive experience and knowledge, we can give you advice on requirements for systems and components so that the entire approval process runs smoothly.

When do I need this type of appraisal?

Vehicles that don’t have a type approval, whose type approval has expired or for which the proof of a type approval cannot (any longer) be provided, require an appraisal according to Section 21 StVZO (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) to get an individual operating permit.

Such an appraisal is required, for example, for

• the registration of used imported vehicles from outside the EU (e.g. from the USA or Switzerland),
• the registration of older imported vehicles from outside Germany without the ABE (general vehicle type approval) and without EC/EU type approval,
• the re-registration of vehicles that have been immobilised for more than seven years and for which no vehicle documents are available (e.g. a barn find),
• new vehicles of certain vehicle classes (motorbikes, agricultural or forestry vehicles).

What does this appraisal include?

When drawing up the appraisal in accordance with Section 21 StVZO (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations), what is determined is whether your vehicle complies with the construction and operating regulations and whether conversions or, if applicable, exceptions to individual equipment regulations are necessary. The technical data for the registration certificate are determined and the road safety of the vehicle is checked.

What do I need for this appraisal?

Some points can be checked on the vehicle itself by our authorised signatories of the GTÜ Technical Service. For others, you need to submit a corresponding report (e.g. an exhaust emission report from a recognised laboratory).

If no data confirmation from the manufacturer can be provided, you will need a data sheet from a recognised data sheet office. This also contains the required evidence for exhaust and noise behaviour, for example. You can order this data sheet yourself from a data sheet office of your choice. Or your local GTÜ partner can do this for you.

The documents required for the assessment are as follows:

• the manufacturer’s certificate or the data sheet of a recognised data sheet agency,
• foreign registration papers, e.g. US title,
• test certificates for any existing modifications to the vehicle,
• if applicable, further documents, e.g. Carfax query.

Our authorised signatories would be happy to advise you on all questions relating to drawing up a full appraisal for your vehicle.

Can the modification be registered?

Section 19 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) stipulates that the operating licence of a vehicle expires if structural modifications have been made which

• pose a risk to other road users,
• cause a change in the type of vehicle,
• may possibly result in the deterioration of the exhaust or noise behaviour.

For some components, a general operating permit (ABE) or a parts certificate is available and often a modification approval according to Section 19 (3) StVZO is sufficient. You can find more information on this under “Tuning and modification approvals”.

However, if your component does not have a general operating permit (ABE), a parts certificate or if the conditions described in it (e.g. the area of use) are not complied with, then a so-called individual approval according to Section 19 (2) StVZO in conjunction with an individual type approval according to Section 21 StVZO is required.

This is also the case if several tuning measures have been carried out which influence each other (e.g. lowering in combination with another wheel/tyre combination).

Can my change be registered?

We recommend that you seek advice in advance from an authorised signatory of the Technical Service in your area. Our qualified experts will advise you competently on all matters regarding the required individual approval:

• What must be taken into account in the planned conversion and which regulations must be observed?
• Which tests/verifications are required?
• Is the existing evidence sufficient?
• Where can tests that have not yet been done be carried out?
• and much, much more.

Ask your local tuning expert.

So that a vehicle can be approved for operation on public roads, it has to conform to an approved type.

Complete vehicles that are produced in series in Europe and/or for the European market normally have an EU or EC type approval; older vehicles have a national general operating permit (ABE). Approval is possible without any further assessment.

National individual approval for new vehicles according to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 Section 45

Vehicles in categories M (passenger cars), N (commercial vehicles) and O (trailers), which

• are not produced in series (e.g. self-built trailers),
• were imported from a third country (e.g. a new vehicle from the USA),
• have been structurally altered before initial registration (e.g. conversion to a motorhome),
• have been completed (e.g. truck chassis receives a body, tarpaulin/bows)

require an appraisal in line with Section 45 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858 for approval in Germany, the so-called national individual approval.

Our authorised signatories would be happy to advise you on all matters regarding the drawing up of an expert opinion for getting a national individual approval for your vehicle.

EU individual vehicle approval for new vehicles according to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 Section 44

If an individual vehicle that does not have a type approval and should be registered in an EU member state, you can have an appraisal drawn up in accordance with Section 44 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858. Once the approval has been granted by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA), this vehicle can be registered throughout the EU.

Vehicles for which an EU vehicle individual approval is possible are

• vehicles of category M1 (passenger cars),
• vehicles of category N1 (commercial vehicles),
• vehicles with special purposes of all vehicle classes (e.g. mobile homes, armoured vehicles etc.).

Our authorised signatories would be happy to advise you on all matters relating to the drawing up of an expert opinion to get a national individual approval for your vehicle.