How often is an underground tank inspected?

For liquid or gaseous substances at every hazard level, every 5 years, or every 30 months in protection and flood areas (Annexes 5 and 6 AwSV).

When does the period start?

When the inspection before commissioning or after a significant change is completed. It is enough to carry out the recurring inspection by the end of the month in which it is due (footnotes 4 and 5 of Annexes 5 and 6).

Who may carry out the inspection?

Only experts (Section 47(1) AwSV). They submit an inspection report to the authority within four weeks (Section 47(3)).

How do I work out the hazard level?

From the water hazard class and the relevant volume or mass, using the table in Section 39(1) AwSV. With substances of different classes, the highest class counts if it makes up more than 3 per cent of the contents (Section 39(10)).

DE · Expiry & renewal tracking

Keep track of recurring AwSV inspections

German operators must have facilities with water-hazardous substances inspected periodically by experts; the interval depends on type, location and hazard level, e.g. 5 years for underground facilities, 30 months in protection areas (Sections 46, 47 AwSV, Annexes 5, 6). A missed inspection is an offence.

Operators of facilities handling substances hazardous to water regularly check the tightness of the facility and the functioning of its safety devices themselves (Section 46(1) of the German Ordinance on Facilities for Handling Substances Hazardous to Water, AwSV). They must also have the facilities inspected for their proper condition: outside protection areas and flood areas under Annex 5, inside such areas under Annex 6 (Section 46(2) and (3)). Only experts (Sachverständige) may carry out these inspections (Section 47(1)).

How often depends on the type of facility, its location and its hazard level A to D. The level follows from the water hazard class (WGK 1 to 3) and the relevant volume in cubic metres or mass in tonnes (Section 39(1)); for example, a facility with more than 10 to 100 m³ of a WGK 2 substance is level C. Underground facilities with liquid or gaseous substances are inspected every 5 years outside protection areas and every 30 months in protection and flood areas.

Depending on the facility and hazard level, inspections are also due before commissioning or after a significant change, and on decommissioning (Annexes 5 and 6, columns 2 and 4). Recurring inspection periods start when the inspection before commissioning or after a significant change is completed; to meet them, it is enough to inspect by the end of the month in which the inspection is due (footnotes 4 and 5). The authority can order additional inspections (Section 46(4)).

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At a glance

Facility	Outside protection and flood areas (Annex 5)	In protection and flood areas (Annex 6)
Underground, liquid or gaseous substances	Levels A to D: every 5 years	Levels A to D: every 30 months
Above ground, liquid or gaseous substances (incl. heating oil facilities)	Levels C and D: every 5 years	Levels B, C and D: every 5 years
Filling and handling facilities, loading and unloading ships	Level B: every 10 years; levels C and D: every 5 years	Levels B, C and D: every 5 years
Solid substances	Underground and outdoors over 1,000 t: every 5 years	Underground and outdoors over 1,000 t: every 5 years
Intermodal transhipment	Over 100 t per working day: every 5 years	Over 100 t per working day: every 5 years
Floating liquid substances	Over 1,000 m³: every 5 years	Over 1,000 m³: every 5 years
Biogas plants (digestate substrates under Section 2(8) only)	Over 1,000 m³: every 5 years	Over 1,000 m³: every 5 years

Letters A to D are the hazard levels under Section 39(1) AwSV; volume and mass are the relevant values under Section 39. Recurring inspections as in column 3 of Annexes 5 and 6.

Who is responsible?

The operator must have the facility inspected (Section 46(2) and (3)). The expert classifies the facility as without defect or with a minor, significant or dangerous defect and submits an inspection report to the authority within four weeks, including the date of the next inspection (Section 47(2) and (3)). For heating oil facilities without defects or with only minor defects, the expert attaches a sticker showing the inspection date and the next inspection date (Section 47(4)).

If the deadline passes

Failing to have a facility inspected, or having it inspected late, contrary to Section 46(2), (3) or (5) is an administrative offence (Section 65 no. 26 AwSV). Minor defects must be remedied within six months, significant and dangerous defects without delay (Section 48(1)). With a dangerous defect the facility must be taken out of service immediately and may only restart once the authority has the expert's confirmation that the defects were remedied (Section 48(2)).

Re-inspection after defects

If a significant or dangerous defect was found, the facility must be inspected again once the defect has been remedied (Section 46(5) AwSV). For filling and handling facilities, the commissioning inspection also includes a follow-up check of the filling or handling areas after one year of operation (footnote 3 of Annexes 5 and 6).

Tracking it with ExpirySuite

Add each facility subject to inspection and enter the next inspection date from the inspection report as the due date, ideally the end of the month in which it falls due.
Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before the date and on the day itself.
The expert can upload the inspection report through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
Assign a responsible person, such as the plant or environmental manager; emails arrive in each recipient's language. If a date passes, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Add a separate entry for remedying minor defects within six months.

Frequently asked questions

How often is an underground tank inspected?: For liquid or gaseous substances at every hazard level, every 5 years, or every 30 months in protection and flood areas (Annexes 5 and 6 AwSV).
When does the period start?: When the inspection before commissioning or after a significant change is completed. It is enough to carry out the recurring inspection by the end of the month in which it is due (footnotes 4 and 5 of Annexes 5 and 6).
Who may carry out the inspection?: Only experts (Section 47(1) AwSV). They submit an inspection report to the authority within four weeks (Section 47(3)).
How do I work out the hazard level?: From the water hazard class and the relevant volume or mass, using the table in Section 39(1) AwSV. With substances of different classes, the highest class counts if it makes up more than 3 per cent of the contents (Section 39(10)).

Sources

Last checked: Sep 30, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.

Made for inspection of systems with water-hazardous substances (AwSV) (Germany)

A ready template for inspection of systems with water-hazardous substances (AwSV) (Germany) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.

Reminders on time

Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each inspection of systems with water-hazardous substances (AwSV) (Germany) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.

Assign an owner

Give each inspection of systems with water-hazardous substances (AwSV) (Germany) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.