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Vehicle valuation and valuation report

Testing centre or expert · Private commission

VoluntaryFour value conceptsOn site

The most common disappointment on this subject arises from asking the wrong question. Anyone who wants to know “what the car is worth” does not get a figure, but a question in return — because a vehicle does not have one value, but several, and which one counts is decided by the occasion.

Four terms occur in practice, and they sometimes differ considerably. The trade purchase value is the amount a dealer would pay — the lowest of the four. The trade sale value is the price at which the dealer would resell it, including reconditioning and a legal guarantee. The replacement value states what an equivalent vehicle would cost on the market — the decisive figure in claims settlement. And the residual value is the amount still obtainable for the damaged vehicle.

This gives the practical rule for this page: State the purpose before you commission the valuation. A report for a sale answers a different question from one for the division of an estate, the equalisation of accrued gains or claims settlement. Anyone holding the wrong document has not underpaid, but had the wrong question answered.

And the classification that runs through this entity: a valuation is not an official procedure. It has no deadline, no form and no fee ordinance — it is a private commission, and its result is only as reliable as its basis. For this reason, no price is given here either: there is none.

Last updated29 August 2026
Legal basisNot an official procedure
VerificationChecked against StVZO, FZV, FeV and BetrSichV
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information website: we are not TÜV, DEKRA or any other testing organisation, not an authority and not a paid advice service – we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in plain language; binding information always comes from the competent body. No legal advice and not an official authority. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document official procedures and check the information against the official source – this is information, not legal or tax advice.
Legal naturePrivate commissionNo procedure
Value termsFourDepending on the occasion
What mattersThe purposeState beforehand
PriceBy arrangementNo tariff
Required documents

What you need

Registration certificate Part I and Part II (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I / Teil II, ZB I / ZB II)

First registration, technical data and number of previous keepers. Part II is often more informative for the valuation than Part I.

Service booklet and invoices

A complete maintenance history has a direct effect on the value — and its absence does too, in the other direction.

Evidence of optional equipment

Equipment fitted afterwards is only taken into account if it is documented. Without an invoice, it is often disregarded in the valuation.

Documents on prior damage

Repair invoices and photographs. Documented prior damage reduces the value in a calculable way; damage that is discovered but not disclosed reduces it more sharply.

The vehicle in its ordinary condition

Valeting before the appointment is legitimate but changes little in the result. What is assessed is the substance, not the shine.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Determine the purpose

    Sale, purchase, insured event, division of an estate, equalisation of accrued gains or return of a lease vehicle. This determines which value term is the right one at all.

  2. 2

    State the appropriate value term

    Trade purchase value or trade sale value for dealing, replacement value and residual value for claims settlement. Anyone who states the purpose gets the right figure.

  3. 3

    Assemble the documents in full

    Papers, service booklet, invoices, evidence of optional equipment and of prior damage. These are the basis of the valuation, not an accessory to it.

  4. 4

    Have the valuation carried out

    Testing centres and independent experts come into consideration. In disputes, the assessor’s independence is the decisive selection criterion.

  5. 5

    Read the report against the purpose

    Check whether the value term stated matches your occasion. A figure in the wrong field is of no use, however carefully it was determined.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Value terms and classificationFour amounts for the same vehicle
Trade purchase valueWhat a dealer pays
Trade sale valueWhat the dealer charges for it
Replacement valueEquivalent vehicle on the market
Residual valueFor the damaged vehicle
Legal naturePrivate commission
PriceBy arrangement

No official tariff and no deadline: the valuation is a commissioned service. Its value depends on the completeness of the documents and on the fit between the value term and the occasion.

Good to know

Important notes

The most costly mistake is confusing the replacement value with the trade purchase value. They answer different questions and differ considerably; in claims settlement, the replacement value is, as a rule, the decisive figure.

In disputes — division of an estate, equalisation of accrued gains, a dispute with an insurer — the assessor’s independence counts for more than the price. A report commissioned by the opposing party is that party’s submission, not a neutral finding.

A valuation is a snapshot. Market conditions change, and a report from a year ago supports a negotiation today only to a limited extent. This applies especially to segments with strong price movements.

The condition is assessed, not the expectation. Planned repairs, parts on order or an upcoming service are not taken into account — what is assessed is what is present on the day of inspection.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Asking for “the value”. There are four, and the occasion decides.

Not stating the purpose. The right figure may then appear in the wrong field.

Leaving out documents. Optional equipment that is not documented is often disregarded.

Concealing prior damage. If discovered, it reduces the value more sharply than if it had been disclosed.

Continuing to use an old report. A valuation is a snapshot of the market.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Which value do I need?

That depends on the occasion. For a sale to a dealer, the trade purchase value is the realistic figure; for a purchase from a dealer, it is the trade sale value. In claims settlement, the replacement value and the residual value are decisive. For this reason, state the purpose before you commission the valuation.

What is the difference between the replacement value and the residual value?

The replacement value states what an equivalent vehicle would cost on the market. The residual value is the amount still obtainable for the damaged vehicle in its condition after the damage. Together, the two figures determine in claims settlement whether a repair is worthwhile.

Is a valuation official?

No. It is a private commission with no official legal effect, no deadline and no fee ordinance. This distinguishes it from the periodic roadworthiness test (Hauptuntersuchung, HU — commonly called ‘TÜV’), which is based on § 29 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung, StVZO). Its reliability results from the assessor’s qualification and the completeness of the documents.

How long is a valuation report valid?

There is no period of validity, because it is not an official certificate. In practice, a valuation is a snapshot of the market: in volatile segments, it loses its informative value more quickly than in stable ones. For negotiations, it should be current.

Do I need an independent assessor?

In disputes, yes. In the division of an estate, the equalisation of accrued gains or a dispute with an insurer, independence is the decisive criterion — a report commissioned by the opposing party is that party’s submission. For your own price assessment before a sale, a simpler valuation is usually sufficient.

What does a valuation report cost?

There is no tariff for this. The price depends on the scope and the purpose: a brief valuation for price assessment is a different matter from a report robust enough for court proceedings. Clarify the scope and the purpose beforehand, because both determine the price.

Related official procedures

Used car check
Voluntary — and without legal consequence
Private commission
Classic car certificate (Oldtimer-Gutachten)
Requirement for the H licence plate
§ 23 StVZO
Periodic roadworthiness test (Hauptuntersuchung)
First after 36 months, then every 24
No official tariff

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