Service Finder
Applying for type approval for vehicle parts
Service Description
If you components on a vehicle, you may only drive the vehicle on public roads if you have a valid operating license for these vehicle parts. This applies, for example, to rims, special wheels, parking heaters, trailer couplings and many other parts.
You must observe a number of requirements to ensure that the vehicle's operating license does not expire.
Conversions that affect the type of vehicle, modifications that worsen the exhaust performance or increase the noise level or modifications that could endanger other road users regularly lead to the vehicle's operating license expiring.
If the parts form a technical unit that can be dealt with independently in the approval procedure, the requirement for an operating license can be checked.
An operating license may be restricted to the effect that the use of the parts can only be permitted on vehicles of a certain type, of a certain type or only with a certain type of installation or attachment. The validity of the operating permit can be made dependent on an installation/attachment approval by an officially recognized expert, an authorized technical service or a test engineer from an officially recognized inspection organization.
It is generally advisable to only install or attach parts to vehicles for which a type approval for vehicle parts or a general operating permit for vehicle parts exists. It may also be necessary for the installation or fitting of parts for which a certificate exists to be approved. The certificate for the part indicates whether this is necessary. In addition, an operating permit for vehicle parts or the certificate must indicate for which vehicle types the part is suitable and how it must be fitted. Many technical modifications must be entered in the vehicle documents (registration certificate part I) by the registration office.
Process flow
In the case of vehicle parts, a distinction must be made as to whether you need to apply for type approval for vehicle parts to be manufactured or produced in series (general type approval) or individual type approval.
Applications for a general operating permit for vehicle parts to be produced or manufactured in series must be submitted to the Federal Motor Transport Authority in writing or electronically, stating the type designation. The application must be accompanied by the expert opinion of the test center that was previously responsible for testing the part type. In its report, the test center checks whether the vehicle parts meet the requirements for compliance with the regulations on the construction and operation of vehicles and vehicle parts. Manufacturers, their agents or authorized importers are eligible to apply.
If the vehicle part intended for use does not belong to an approved type, you can apply for an individual approval by submitting the certificate of an officially recognized expert for motor vehicle traffic, an authorized representative of a technical service or the above-mentioned test centre to the responsible approval authority. If the examination is positive, the licensing authority will issue the individual approval. Any restrictions or exemptions from the provisions of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations must be included in the endorsement. If the vehicle part is used on a motor vehicle or trailer, the individual approval must be entered in the registration certificate and marked in any trailer registers issued. Owners or other authorized persons are entitled to apply.
Who should I contact?
For general type approvals, please contact the Federal Motor Transport Authority.
For type approval in individual cases, contact the local vehicle registration authority.
Competent authority
In Germany, the Federal Motor Transport Authority is responsible for issuing a general operating license.
In Thuringia, the administrative districts, the independent cities and the large cities belonging to the administrative districts are responsible as motor vehicle registration authorities for issuing individual operating licenses.
The local authority responsible is the authority of the place of residence or, in the case of several residences, the place of the main residence of the vehicle owner (main residence according to the identity card).
Requirements
For vehicle parts to be manufactured or produced in series, the manufacturer or his authorized representative, the importer or the dealer who proves his authorization to be the sole distributor is granted general type approval if all requirements are met.
The registration authority may issue an individual type approval to the person entitled to dispose of vehicle parts that are not subject to the statutory type approval requirement, for which an installation or attachment approval by an officially recognized expert or inspector for motor vehicle traffic or an officially recognized monitoring organization has been obtained and the use of which does not contravene any traffic regulations.
Which documents are required?
You need the certificate to obtain the type approval from the officially recognized expert of a technical inspection body, an authorized representative of a technical service or the inspection body for the part type.
There is no prescribed, standardized form for the type approval document.
In general, however, it must show the technical data of the vehicle part and any restrictions.
What are the fees?
The fees are based on the scale of fees for road traffic measures (GebOst) and are calculated on a case-by-case basis.
The amount of the fees may vary depending on the case constellation. Specific information on this can be obtained from the relevant authority.
Processing duration
The time taken to process the application for an operating license for vehicle parts depends on the circumstances of each individual case and cannot be stated in general terms.
Your competent licensing authority can provide you with more detailed information.
Legal basis
Appeal
Some authorities provide forms and applications on their websites or use an online service.
What else should I know?
The keeper is obliged to ensure that the vehicle is always in a condition that complies with the regulations. If the prescribed condition of the vehicle or vehicle part is affected by a technical modification, the keeper must restore the vehicle to its prescribed condition.
Instead of an operating permit, parts for subsequent attachment or installation can also be approved as part of a general operating permit for a vehicle or a supplement.
In this respect, the supplement may also cover vehicles that were manufactured before the supplement was approved. During inspections, the police or persons authorized to carry out inspections may demand proof that all modifications to the vehicle are correct.
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Technically approved by
Thuringian Ministry for Infrastructure and Agriculture
Professionally released on
28.11.2024
Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6Plus)
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