86 VRS POV Inspection Station
DSN 489-6400; +49-6315-36-6400
Before shipping your POV, you should consider the following:
- Body damage: If your car has severe body damage, it will not be allowed on the road.
- Tires: Tires must have a minimum of 1/16 of an inch ( or 1.6 mm) depth over the entire tread and the required to be the sizes recommended by the manufacturer and do not stick out beyond the fender. Lastly, DO NOT mix radial tires with bias ply tires.
- Although not required for inspection, German Law requires winter rated tires during snow and icy conditions. Recommend you have these tires installed on vehicle before arriving. If your tires have the M+S symbol or the
on the sidewall then you have the appropriate all-season tires and meet the requirement.
- NOTE: An update to German traffic laws dictates tires produce before January 1, 2018 with the “M+S” will be legal to use during winter months until September 30, 2024. If tires were not produced before January 1, 2018 they must have the three peak mountain symbol to be legally used in the Winter season (October to Easter).
- Miscellaneous: Check your lights, exhaust system, seatbelts (Germany has a mandatory seatbelt law), brakes, windshield and windows (for cracks)
- Recommendation: Remove "pull-out" radios, cassette decks, and CD players should be removed to reduce the chance of pilferage;
- Tinted windows: Tint is not authorized on the driver or passenger windows or the windshield
- Decals & Stickers: Due to heightened force protection concerns and IAW AE 190-1 para 3-26d, ensure your vehicle does not have any material attached as in: decals, stickers, labels, badges, etc... that display a "US affiliation". This includes but is not limited to: Auto dealership markings that include city or state, US sports teams, Armed Forces (USAF, USA, USMC, USN, etc) stickers, old installation passes (DoD Form 2220), state inspection stickers, US patriotic decals, or American slogan decals. These decals can be difficult to remove and may cause damage to the paint. It's recommended that this is done prior to shipping overseas.
- Check with your local TMO for the latest restrictions and information before shipping
Check out the TOP 10 failures during vehicle inspections
Insurance
Some U.S. insurers will not create overseas insurance policies. Check with your current insurer before you PCS. Vehicle insurance companies are available both on and off base. Whatever you decide, you must show proof of insurance to pick up and register your vehicle on base.
Maintenance on American vehicles
Owning an American-made vehicle overseas could become expensive; often stateside warranties are not honored. Bottom line, be prepared for unexpected costs and consider this when deciding to ship your car overseas.
Car Seats
German Law and USAFE Instruction 31-202 (see more from AFI excerpt below), require children under 12 years of age and under 4' 11" to be in a car/booster seat. Also, children must be over 12 years old to ride in the front seat. Be sure to bring the appropriate car seat/booster seat (if your child/children weigh(s) more than 48 lbs.)
Motorcycles
Motorcycle riding in Germany is some of the best in the world. It is very popular with Americans and Germans alike. Riding can be fun, but it can also be dangerous. To mitigate some of the inherent risk associated with motorcycle riding, the EUCOM Commander and the 86 AW Commander have implemented a few specific requirements. Within Europe, all riders must wear an ECE 22.05 approved helmet. "DOT only" type helmets do not meet European testing standards. ECE 22.05 certification may be found under the DOT stamp or a tag may be under the pads. A rider must have Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) training less than three years old. Sportbike riders must have had a sportbike specific course between 60 and 365 days after their initial course. Due to limited availability of MSF classes in Germany, it is strongly recommended riders obtain certifications before arriving in Germany.
Check out the vehicle inspection & registration fact sheet for information on what to do once you arrive.
For more information inspections and guidelines, check out the latest information on the Move.mil Web site. For further questions or concerns, contact the 86 VRS POV Inspection Station at Kapaun.