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Sprayer inspection in Germany: intervals, sticker and evidence

When plant protection equipment must be inspected in Germany, how long the sticker is valid, which devices are exempt and which evidence farms should keep ready.

PhytAI editorial teamPublished 5 min read

Key points

  • Interval: every six calendar half-years, i.e. roughly every three years.
  • Evidence: numbered inspection sticker on the device and the matching inspection report.
  • Validity: the sticker is valid until the end of the calendar half-year shown on it.
  • New devices: according to the Plant Protection Service Lower Saxony, they may be used without a sticker during the first six months after purchase.
  • Exemptions: portable devices carried by one person, such as knapsack sprayers.

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Anyone applying plant protection products professionally needs inspected equipment. The inspection, often called "Spritzen-TÜV" in Germany, is governed by the Plant Protection Equipment Ordinance (Pflanzenschutz-Geräteverordnung, PflSchGerätV) and is checked within conditionality. This article explains intervals, the sticker, exemptions and the evidence that should be available on the farm.

Which devices must be inspected

According to the overview of the Plant Protection Service Lower Saxony (as of July 2026), the inspection duty applies among others to:

  • field sprayers and spray booms
  • air-assisted sprayers, for example in fruit growing and viticulture
  • granule spreaders
  • stationary and mobile seed treatment equipment
  • soil disinfection equipment

Exempt are devices carried by one person: spray bottles, pressure sprayers and knapsack sprayers, including motorised ones, and small seed treatment devices with a capacity below 5 kg. The Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia notes that since 2020 there are hardly any exemptions left for professional use. Clarify doubtful cases with the plant protection service of your federal state.

Interval and sticker

The inspection interval of six calendar half-years has applied since 6 July 2013. A calendar half-year runs from January to June or from July to December. After a successful inspection, the device receives a numbered, coloured sticker. It shows the calendar half-year in which the next inspection is due and becomes invalid when that half-year ends.

Example: a device inspected in May 2026 needs its next inspection by the end of the first calendar half-year of 2029, i.e. by 30 June 2029. What is printed on the sticker is decisive.

An expired sticker means the device may no longer be used. Plan the inspection before the season, when workshops are less busy.

New devices

According to the Plant Protection Service Lower Saxony, new devices with CE marking or an entry in the list of the Julius Kühn Institute may be used without a sticker during the first six months after purchase. It is recommended to have the inspection done at the time of purchase. Keep the invoice, because it proves the purchase date.

Where inspections take place

Inspections are carried out by officially recognised inspection workshops, usually agricultural machinery workshops. The plant protection services of the federal states publish lists of recognised workshops.

Planning the inspection

The inspection is easy to prepare. Book the appointment in the quieter time before the season and clean the device thoroughly inside and out beforehand, so that no product residues reach the workshop and test bench. Bring the last sticker and the last inspection report. If defects are found, they must be repaired before the sticker is issued; allow some time for this. File the new inspection report on the farm straight away and note the half-year of the next inspection wherever you manage your deadlines.

Several devices and farm units

Many farms have more than one device, for example a field sprayer, a granule spreader and an air-assisted sprayer for special crops. Each device subject to inspection needs its own sticker with its own date. A simple list with device, sticker number, inspection date and next calendar half-year prevents a rarely used device with an expired sticker from being used in the season. Farms that share devices between units or with neighbours should agree who arranges the inspection and where the report is kept.

Which evidence should be ready

  • Sticker on the device, clearly legible
  • Inspection report with the sticker number
  • Invoice for new devices, to prove the purchase date
  • for contractors, proof that the device used has been inspected

The Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia points to fines for violations. Within conditionality, on-the-spot checks cover among other things records, correct application and evidence of sprayer inspections.

Sprayer inspection and plant protection records

The device itself is not a mandatory detail of the plant protection record. It is still worth noting which device was used for each application. This makes it possible to show during an inspection that only inspected devices were used and, if something goes wrong, to trace which fields may be affected. The mandatory details are covered in Plant protection records: required fields.

Maintenance between inspections

The inspection every three years does not replace ongoing care. Nozzles wear, filters clog and pressure gauges drift. Standards such as QS-GAP for fruit, vegetables and potatoes also require documented maintenance of installations and equipment. A short list with date, work done and person is often enough as evidence. If you replace nozzles or calibrate the sprayer, note that too, so you can later trace when which parts were renewed.

Evidence in PhytAI

In the evidence area, PhytAI keeps devices with their inspection date and the calculated validity of the sticker; portable devices are marked as exempt. A warning appears 60 days before expiry, and the device can be selected in the plant protection record. Maintenance and calibration, for example of fertiliser spreaders, are documented with interval and due date. What is printed on the sticker and inspection report remains decisive.

Frequently asked questions

May I still spray with an expired sticker? No. The device must be inspected before its next use.

Does the inspection duty apply to knapsack sprayers? According to the overview of the Plant Protection Service Lower Saxony, portable devices such as knapsack sprayers are exempt. The device must still be in safe working order.

Does a contractor have to show me the sticker? The inspection duty lies with the owner of the device. For your own records it makes sense to have the validity confirmed.

Sources

This article reflects the situation on the date shown, based on the sources named, and is not legal advice. Laws, approvals, official decisions and the guidance of the competent authorities prevail.

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