How often should a car get its MOT?
The General Periodic Test (APK) is a test that is required by law in Europe. During the inspection it is checked whether your car is still safe enough to participate in traffic. It also checks whether it meets all environmental requirements and is thus non-polluting. A car must undergo a new MOT every year. If a passenger car or light commercial vehicle (up to 3,500 kg) has previously been MOT approved, you can rely on the date stated on the MOT inspection report. You received this with the previous inspection. Before this date, the car must be approved again.
New car: when first MOT inspection?
When a car requires MOT inspection depends on the vehicle's date of first admission. Three or four years after a car is first allowed on the road, there is an APK inspection requirement. This depends on the type of fuel. If your car has not been inspected before, you can see in the MOT inspection schedule when your car requires its first MOT inspection. It also tells you how often your car should be inspected.
| Personenauto’s en lichte bedrijfsvoertuigen (<3.500 kg) | Fuel | When and how often to inspect? |
|---|---|---|
| Date of first admission after Jan. 1, 2005 | Gasoline and/or electric motor | First MOT after 4 years, then twice after 2 years, then every year thereafter |
| Diesel, gas or other (possibly combined with electric) | First MOT after 3 years, then every year thereafter | |
| Date of first admission before Jan. 1, 2005 | All | First MOT after 3 years, then every year thereafter |
| Vehicle 30 years old or older, but under 50 years old | All | MOT once every 2 years |
| Vehicle 50 years or older | All | No MOT requirement |
Car already inspected?
Has your car been inspected once before? Then you can find the MOT expiration date on the inspection report. After each inspection you will receive an MOT inspection report. Among other things, it states whether your car has been approved or rejected, including a list of repair and rejection points. The APK expiration date is also mentioned. Before this date you will have to have your car tested again. If you can no longer find the inspection report or simply do not have it at hand, you can also do an RDW license plate check. To do this, simply enter your car's license plate number on the RDW website.
Fuel change?
Some changes or repairs to a car are so drastic that a new vehicle is created, so to speak. This can affect how often you need to have your car MOTed. This is true, for example, if your car's fuel changes. The vehicle may then need to be inspected earlier and from then on more or less often. So always check this carefully,
How do you avoid an expired MOT?
On the RDW website, you can check exactly when your car's MOT expires. This allows you to make an appointment for a new MOT inspection in time. Do you not want to have your car MOT tested, because you are not going to use the car anymore or because of financial reasons? Then you can suspend the car. The MOT obligation will then expire for the duration of the suspension. If you suspend your car, this does mean that you are no longer allowed to use the car. It may also not be on a public road. As soon as the suspension period expires, you do have APK obligation again. You may drive a car without a valid MOT to the garage. This is only allowed around the time of the inspection. In addition, you must have an appointment confirmation and the car must be insured.
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