At a glance: The Facts
- Incident: Customs check of a passenger car with British license plates
- Location: Autobahn 9, near Berg (Oberfranken)
- Person involved: 37-year-old driver from Jena
- Violations: Missing customs clearance, no insurance, expired technical inspection, unpaid vehicle tax
- Consequence: Criminal proceedings for tax evasion and violation of the Compulsory Insurance Act
Berg/Jena (08.02.2026) – A routine check on the Autobahn 9 turned into a costly legal case for a driver from Jena last Tuesday. Officers from the Hauptzollamt Erfurt stopped the 37-year-old near Berg while he was traveling in a vehicle with British license plates. What began as a inspection ended for the man with a prohibition on continuing his journey and several criminal charges.
List of Defects: Uncustomed and Uninsured
Customs officers became aware of the car on the busy north-south route because it was still registered in the United Kingdom. During a closer inspection, the officers found a whole series of omissions. The driver could neither prove that the vehicle had been properly imported into the EU and cleared through customs, nor was there a valid motor vehicle insurance policy.
To make matters worse, the British main inspection (MOT) – the equivalent of the German TÜV – had already been expired for six months. Furthermore, the vehicle tax due in the vehicle’s home country had not been paid.
“Test Drive” Excuse Fails to Convince Customs
The man from Jena told the officers that he had been given the vehicle by a car dealer for test drives for several weeks. He said he was still undecided as to whether he actually wanted to purchase the car. However, this explanation did not protect him from the legal consequences.
Since the driver has his residence in the European Union (Jena) and uses the vehicle registered in a third country more than just temporarily, strict import regulations apply here. On the spot, the customs officers collected a security deposit of around 600 euros for the import duties due. At the same time, criminal proceedings were initiated on suspicion of tax evasion.
Background: The Pitfalls of Brexit Imports
Since the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, vehicles from the island are considered non-Union goods. Any EU citizen who brings such a vehicle to Germany permanently or even for longer “test drives” must immediately register it with customs and pay import duties. The procedure for “temporary admission,” which tourists can use, generally does not apply to persons resident in the EU who wish to use a vehicle registered abroad here.
Forced Stop on the A9
After paying the security deposit, the man was allowed to leave the scene, but not in the British car. Since there was no insurance coverage, the officers strictly prohibited him from continuing his journey. The resident of Jena had to organize an alternative journey home. In addition to the customs proceedings, he now faces trouble from the Polizei Naila, which is also investigating the suspected violation of the Compulsory Insurance Act.
This case clearly shows that purchasing or using vehicles from non-EU countries without precise knowledge of customs regulations can quickly lead to significant legal and financial problems.