MPU assessment criteria: the rules assessors use for their evaluation

What are the MPU assessment criteria?

The MPU assessment criteria (Beurteilungskriterien) are a set of rules that determines how assessors justify a report on fitness to drive after an MPU (medical-psychological assessment, Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung). Their full title is "Beurteilungskriterien – Urteilsbildung in der Fahreignungsbegutachtung" (assessment criteria – forming judgements in driving aptitude assessment). They are published by the German Society for Traffic Psychology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Verkehrspsychologie, DGVP) and the German Society for Traffic Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Verkehrsmedizin, DGVM) on behalf of the Federal Highway Research Institute (Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen, BASt).

Alongside the assessment criteria, there are the BASt guidelines for assessing fitness to drive (Begutachtungsleitlinien zur Kraftfahreignung). Together, they form the professional standard for all officially recognised assessment centres (Begutachtungsstellen für Fahreignung). That is why TÜV, DEKRA, pima-mpu, AVUS, ias and other centres evaluate according to the same standards, even if their prices differ.

What changed with the 5th edition 2026?

The 5th edition of the assessment criteria was published at the beginning of 2026 and was adapted to the Cannabis Act (Cannabisgesetz). Cannabis now has its own system, based on § 13a FeV. Occasional cannabis use no longer automatically calls fitness to drive into question; in the case of dependence, fitness to drive is only restored after 1 year of proven abstinence.

Important changes already date from the 4th edition of 2022 and still apply:

• PEth recognised: the blood marker phosphatidylethanol is approved for proving abstinence from alcohol. A value below 20 ng/ml is considered abstinence, 20–200 ng/ml relevant consumption, and above 200 ng/ml excessive consumption.
• Controlled drinking for A2 as a narrow exception: under criterion A 2.7 N, it is only possible in cases of advanced alcohol misuse without any sign of dependence, with a stable concept developed in therapy, documented over at least 6, preferably 12 months.

You can find more on the legal situation for cannabis under MPU because of cannabis.

How do the criteria classify your case?

The assessment criteria assign each case to a hypothesis, which determines what has to be proven. The classification follows from the case file, that is, from blood alcohol or THC values, incidents and repetitions. Your wishes, for example preferring controlled drinking to living abstinently, play no role in this.

For criminal offences, the principle of behaviour transfer (Verhaltenstransfer) also applies: offences outside road traffic are taken into account too, because problematic patterns can carry over to driving. The guide MPU hypotheses A1 to V3 explains the hypotheses in detail.

Which three kinds of evidence does a positive report need?

A positive MPU expert report (Gutachten) usually needs three pillars that fit together credibly and without contradictions. These three pillars run through all groups of hypotheses.

1. Insight into the problem and understanding of the causes: you deal honestly with your own pattern of consumption or behaviour, without trivialising it or telling a "one-off slip" story when the pattern suggests otherwise.
2. Change in behaviour: you have changed something concretely and comprehensibly, for example abstinence or controlled drinking, a new social environment or strategies for risky situations.
3. Stability and motive: the change has been tested over a sufficient period and internalised. Your motive holds up under stress and does not just come from wanting your driving licence back.

The assessor checks these pillars above all in the psychological interview, which is why it is the most important part of the MPU. You can read how the assessment works under MPU procedure.

How does the assessor check whether your statements are true?

The assessor checks the consistency between the case file, the questionnaire, the lab values and your account. Contradictions are noticed immediately and are among the most common reasons for a negative report.

Calculating the amount drunk backwards

With alcohol, the assessor calculates the amount you drank backwards from the measured blood alcohol concentration. If the amount you state does not match the blood alcohol level or lab values such as CDT, that is a clear contradiction. Honest statements that match the case file are therefore essential.

High tolerance

A high blood alcohol level without signs of impairment is considered a sign of high tolerance (Giftfestigkeit), that is, strong habituation to alcohol. From this, the assessor concludes that there has been regular, increasing consumption over a longer period. The explanation that it was a one-off slip then has practically no chance, and high values point more towards A1 or A2.

Note: model answers learned by heart contradict the principle of the criteria. Assessors look for change that has been lived and documented, and they recognise rehearsed phrases.

Which rules apply to the proof of abstinence?

For proofs of abstinence (Abstinenznachweise), the CTU criteria (chemical-toxicological examination, Chemisch-Toxikologische Untersuchung) apply; they are part of the assessment criteria and the guidelines. If a proof does not meet these formal requirements, it can be worthless.

For urine screening, 4 tests in 6 months or 6 tests in 12 months are usual. A hair analysis for alcohol covers at most 3 cm of hair, that is, about 3 months. The page Proof of abstinence compares all methods.

What do the criteria mean for your preparation?

The assessment criteria determine what your preparation (Vorbereitung) should focus on. If you know your own hypothesis, you know which evidence is needed and how long the path to the MPU will take.

• Clarify the case file: through file inspection (Akteneinsicht), you learn the values, incidents and question from which the classification follows.
• Align your timetable with the hypothesis: if your case requires 12 months of abstinence, the evidence period is the bottleneck of the entire plan.
• Genuine work on the issues instead of answer drills: serious preparation helps you understand the causes and document the change.
• Do not believe promises: there is no guarantee of passing, because the assessor evaluates independently according to the criteria.

The page MPU preparation explains how good preparation is structured.

What happens next?

Use file inspection to get clarity about your case file, so that you can estimate which hypothesis your case is likely to be assigned to. Start any required proof of abstinence according to CTU criteria as early as possible. Through MPU Plus, you can find suitable counselling (Beratung) that works with the assessment criteria.