Car inspection in 2023 – what should you avoid?

If you are an owner of a passenger car, moped or even a trailer, you must regularly perform a technical inspection of the vehicle at the vehicle inspection station. Before you do this, it is worth checking the most important information – what documents you should take with you, when you should perform a technical inspection of the vehicle or how much it costs to inspect the car. We provide all the details below.

At the beginning, it is worth distinguishing between the words car inspection and vehicle technical examination. In general, there is a tendency to use these two terms interchangeably for two different services, therefore, for clarification in this article, technical examination means checking the condition of the vehicle required by the date of the technical examination from the registration certificate, and the car inspection is a visit to the dealer in order to comprehensively check the condition of the car.

Is car inspection mandatory in Poland?

Drivers often wonder if a car inspection of the vehicle is mandatory? As mentioned, it should not be confused with the technical examination, which is mandatory and is carried out at vehicle inspection stations. They are carried out in order to check whether the vehicle is in proper technical condition and suitable for further driving. A car inspection is a visit to the manufacturer or an authorized service point, and it’s a comprehensive, paid servicing of a car in order to maintain, for example, the warranty.

The car technical inspection discussed today is mandatory for all motor vehicle owners. Depending on the age of the car, only the frequency of its execution differs. In the case of new cars, the first test is performed before the expiry of three years from the date of the first registration and it is valid for 2 years. The second inspection is performed within 2 years after the first one, and each subsequent one is done every year.

How is a technical inspection different from a car inspection?

As already mentioned, the car technical inspection of the vehicle and the technical examination are two different things. The main difference concerns the obligation to perform them. The technical examination of the vehicle must be carried out regularly by every car owner, and the technical inspection is not obligatory. Explaining in detail, the technical examination is mandatory, as its result determines the admission to road traffic. They are carried out every year, with the exception of new approved cars, which are examined first within three years of the first registration of the car.

In turn, a technical car inspection is recommended by car manufacturers, as it allows you to take care of the proper technical condition of the car and at the same time maintain the warranty. Their frequency depends on the type of car and its specifications. The car inspection can be carried out every 10,000, as well as every 20,000 kilometers driven. Equally important, during the periodic inspection, the operating elements of the car are replaced – engine oil, filters, coolant and many others. In addition, the efficiency of the braking and steering systems is verified and computer diagnostics is carried out.

Types of car inspections in Poland

There are three types of car inspections of the vehicle, i.e.:

• periodic inspections – performed at specific intervals, depending on the type of vehicle,
• additional inspections – performed independently of periodic tests, in the cases specified in art. 81 section 11 of the Act of 20 June 1997 – Road traffic law, e.g. before the registration of the purchased car, in a situation where the necessary data is missing, the documents show that the vehicle was involved in a road accident or there is a suspicion that it violates environmental protection requirements.
• tests of compliance with technical conditions – this type of tests applies only to historic vehicles before the first registration on the territory of the Republic of Poland.

 

Where can you have a car inspection done?

All car inspections should be performed at authorized vehicle inspection stations. In Poland, there are basic and district stations. In the former, tests are carried out on vehicles whose total weight does not exceed 3.5 tonnes, and all other cars are checked at district stations. 

It is worth noting that in terms of technical inspection there is no regionization – a car registered in Warsaw can be checked in Warsaw, but also in Kraków, Wrocław or Gdańsk.

 

Required documents:

When planning a visit to a vehicle inspection station, remember that it is necessary to take documents with you. In the case of basic periodic examinations, only the registration book is necessary. It allows identifying the vehicle and verifying the brand, model, registration number and VIN number. In addition, a positive inspection result is recorded in the book by stamping it.

The situation is different in the case of additional tests, which are carried out in exceptional situations, e.g. due to the use of the vehicle or its construction. According to the regulations:

• a TAXI needs a Taxi Meter Verification Certificate,
• a vehicle with LPG (gas) is necessary Protocol or Decision of the Transport Technical Inspection regarding the tank test,
• vehicles with surveillance devices (lifts, cranes), it is necessary to present the protocol and the decision of the competent Technical Supervision regarding the approval of the installed device,
• ADR vehicles – the following are required: Transport Technical Inspection Protocol regarding the test of the tank, tanker (if the vehicle is equipped with it), Declaration of compliance of the vehicle with the ADR requirements issued by the manufacturer or representative, as well as a certificate of ABS class and retarder used (if required).

 

How much does an inspection cost at a district vehicle inspection station in 2023?

Wondering how much a car road worthiness test will cost in 2023? The prices at the vehicle inspection stations have not changed for several years. Importantly, at each station their cost is the same. This is due to the fact that it is regulated by law. The technical inspection of the car and its cost depend on the type of vehicle and are as follows:

• passenger car – PLN 99
• truck and special vehicle up to 3.5T – PLN 99
• bus designed to transport no more than 15 people with a driver  – PLN 99
• motorcycle – PLN 63
• moped – PLN 51
• agricultural tractor – PLN 63
• specialist examination of a vehicle adapted to gas fuel (the amount added to the basic fee for a given vehicle) – PLN 64

 

 

Cost of re-checking the car after reported faults

The case is different when it comes to the costs of a car inspection in the case of re-checking the mechanisms and assemblies in vehicles in which defects were found during the technical inspection. The price list is as follows:

• setting and intensity of main-beam headlights and dipped-beam headlights – PLN 14
• check of flue gas toxicity – PLN 14
• operation of shock absorbers of one axle – PLN 14
• efficiency and uniformity of brakes – PLN 20
• combination of steering and idle movement of the steering wheel, looseness in the suspension – PLN 20
• noise level – PLN 20
• wheel geometry of one axle – PLN 36
• all other faults in total – PLN 20

 

Cost of additional technical examination – in which cases

The price list of additional tests that can be performed after referral from the staroste, referral from traffic control authorities and in other situations re also priced differently. How much does it cost to inspect the car for additional tests?

1. Referral from the staroste

• when there is a suspicion that the vehicle does not meet the specified technical conditions – PLN 20
• specialist examination after an accident or collision – PLN 94
• determining vehicle data for the purpose of registration – PLN 64

2. Referral from traffic control authorities

• faults or technical conditions – for each fault or tested system separately – PLN 20
• specialist examination after an accident or collision – PLN 94
• technical data inconsistent with the actual state – PLN 51

3. Other additional tests

• test after installation of the gas supply system – PLN 63
• after introducing structural changes that change the data in the registration certificate – PLN 82
• examination of the car to be used as a taxi – PLN 42

 

Markings at vehicle inspection stations – what they tell you

Each vehicle inspection station is marked with appropriate symbols, and each of them informs about what types of vehicles performs technical tests. The following markings can be distinguished:

• AA – motorcycles and mopeds
• B – passenger cars
• C – trucks
• CC – motor vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of over 3.5 tonnes
• D – buses with a permissible total weight of 3.5 tonnes
• T – agricultural tractors
• E – trailers intended for connection to motor vehicles for which the station is authorized.

 

Car inspection – what time should you go for a technical inspection?

Usually, periodic technical inspections of the vehicle should be carried out every year. However, this rule does not apply to new vehicles. According to the regulations, in the first years after the first registration, the review is performed less frequently, i.e.

• passenger cars, trucks weighing up to 3.5 t, motorcycles and trailers weighing up to 3.5 t are tested for the first time before the expiry of 3 years from the first registration, the second test must be performed before the expiry of the next 2 years, i.e. up to 5 years from the first registration, and all subsequent ones must be performed every year,
• agricultural tractors, agricultural trailers and mopeds must pass the first test within 3 years from the date of the first registration, and the second and each subsequent test must be carried out within 2 years from the date of the last test,
• vintage cars and light trailers – the test is performed only once, before the first registration, unless they are referred for additional testing or are used for commercial transport, e.g. passenger transport.

 

 

 

 

 

How long does it take to check the vehicle?

Wondering how long it takes to inspect your car? Most often, the inspection of the car takes no more than half an hour, and in many cases, inspectors check everything even in 20 minutes in the case of passenger cars. The motorcycle inspection takes even less time. The short time of car inspection means that you do not have to make an appointment in advance for a visit to the diagnostic station.

 

Where to check the validity of the car inspection?

If you do not know how to check until when the technical inspection of the car is valid, you can get this information from the registration book or the online government service “My Vehicle”. The date of the next technical examination is stamped in the book. As for the application, it is free and available via the Internet – you need to have a trusted profile to use it. The system provides information about the expiry date of the inspection, defects detected in previous technical inspections, registration data, vehicle markings and much more.

 

What is checked during the car inspection?

The technical examination always consists of three stages, i.e.:

• vehicle identification – which includes checking the compliance of the VIN number with the registration book;
• inspection of additional vehicle equipment, e.g. LPG or CNG installations, which are subject to additional checking procedures;
• check how the individual systems and components of the vehicle work in terms of driving safety and their impact on the environment.

As for the components that are checked, they include:

• steering system – condition of connections, degree of wear, amount of idle movement;
• brakes – in terms of efficiency and uniformity of brake operation;
• suspension – whether there were looseness in the metal-rubber elements;
• tires – load selection, fitting to the vehicle type, tread depth, wear;
• lighting – correct operation, whether there are any cracks on the headlights;
• bodywork – condition of windows, frames and thresholds;
• safety belts;
• mandatory equipment – warning triangle, fire extinguisher;
• exhaust system – technical condition, noise level measurement,
• emission of gaseous pollutants or smoke if the car engine has internal combustion.

 

I forgot about the car inspection! What’s going to happen now?

What if you forget to inspect your car at the vehicle inspection station? A late car inspection is not the worst situation, albeit expensive. If this fact is detected by the police or traffic control authorities, you might get a fine of up to PLN 500. However, if a long time has passed since the expiry date of the study, it may turn out that the registration book will be retained. Retrieval of the registration book is possible after having the inspection done within 7 days. The worst situation is when the car without a valid inspection takes part in a collision – then the insurer may refuse to pay the benefit from third party liability or the motor own damage insurance, or significantly reduce its amount.

 

Car inspection (technical examination) in the USA and Europe – how does it differ from the Polish one?

Periodic tests of the technical condition of cars in the EU or the USA look slightly different than in Poland. In the case of the European Union, they must be carried out in accordance with Directive 2014/45/EU, which obliges all Member States to carry out regular inspections of the technical condition of vehicles, but also to control exhaust emissions.

It is worth noting, however, that the regulations allow for the possibility of shortening the periods of technical tests of cars – the country that introduced such a solution is, for example, Poland. When mentioning the European Union, it should be noted that the regulations define the minimum scope of technical inspection of vehicles, which applies to all Member States. And here, too, it is possible to change the scope, albeit only in the scope of extending the scope of research.

The regulations for technical testing of cars in the United States vary from state to state. Some states require regular safety inspections, while others only require emissions inspections. Some other states do not require any regular inspections.

For example, in the state of California, cars must undergo regular exhaust emissions tests, which are part of a program known as a “Smog Check.” This is one of the most stringent programs of its kind in the US, driven by California’s efforts to improve air quality.

In Arizona, tests must be conducted every two years for most 1996 and newer model cars and every year for 1967-1995 model cars. Vehicles registered outside these areas and certain other vehicles are exempt from this requirement. In Virginia, regular safety tests are required annually for all cars.

 

New regulations related to car inspection in 2023

For several months, the amendment of the regulations regarding technical tests of vehicles has been a topic of discussion. They were not introduced in 2022 or 2023. They mainly concern the obligation to carry out photographic documentation during the examination. According to the new regulations, the diagnostician would take 5 photos of the car – front, rear and two diagonals, and a photo of clocks with a visible mileage. These photographs would be stored for 5 years.

In addition, the regulations are to make it possible to visit the station up to 30 days before the scheduled date of the inspection. The difference will apply to the next scheduled date – in the case of its positive result, the next car inspection will be determined not on the basis of the date of the test, but by the date entered in documents. This will allow drivers not to waste days after a previous inspection.

The changes are also to concern cosmetic changes in the supervision of stations (the role of the Transport Technical Inspection will increase) and more meticulous control of the inspections carried out by diagnosticians. Work on the implementation of these changes is still ongoing, and there is no set date for their implementation yet.