Elevator Installation and Inspection Permit

Before an elevator can be put into service in Germany, it must pass an inspection by an authorised monitoring body (zugelassene Überwachungsstelle, ZÜS) such as TÜV or DEKRA. This applies to all new elevator installations as well as significant modifications to existing systems. The legal basis is the Industrial Safety Regulation (Betriebssicherheitsverordnung, BetrSichV).

The ZÜS inspects the elevator's safety systems, structural integrity, and compliance with applicable standards before issuing the operating approval. After commissioning, elevators must undergo recurring inspections: a main inspection every two years and an intermediate inspection in the years between. Each elevator must display an inspection sticker showing the next due date. The operator must also maintain an emergency plan for each system.