Periodic Inspection
Mandatory Periodic Vehicle Inspections
Purpose of the inspections
The purpose of periodic inspections for motor vehicles and their trailers is to check regularly that the vehicle's vital systems, safety equipment and environmental performance are being properly maintained.
Presenting the vehicle for inspection
The vehicle must be presented at a State‑authorised private inspection centre in a clean and well‑kept condition and must be accompanied by its registration certificate (the vehicle's identity document) and, where applicable, the record of the most recent inspection.
Vehicles must be presented for their first annual inspection and for subsequent annual inspections during the same month as the month of first registration. Six‑monthly inspections are presented in the 6th month after the corresponding annual inspection. At the request of the owner, a periodic inspection may be brought forward by up to 90 days from the scheduled date.
Inspection schedule — summary table
| Category | First Inspection (after first registration) | Subsequent frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy passenger vehicles (M2, M3) | 1 year | Annually until 7 years old; from 8 years onwards every 6 months |
| Heavy goods vehicles (N2, N3) | 1 year | Annually |
| Trailers / semi‑trailers 750–3,500 kg (excl. agricultural O2) | 2 years | Annually |
| Trailers / semi‑trailers > 3,500 kg (excl. agricultural O3, O4) | 1 year | Annually |
| Light vehicles for public passenger transport & ambulances | 1 year | Annually until 7 years old; from 8 years onwards every 6 months |
| Light goods vehicles (N1) | 2 years | Annually |
| Light passenger vehicles (M1) | 4 years | Every 2 years until 8 years old; then annually |
| Vehicles used for school transport & driving‑school cars | 1 year | Annually until 7 years old; from 8 years onwards every 6 months |
| Other light vehicles | 2 years | Annually |
| Heavy vehicles & trailers > 3,500 kg used by fire brigades, circuses, fairs (rarely on public roads) — IMT recognised | 1 year | Annually |
| Motorcycles (L3e, L4e) > 250 cc | 4 years | Every 2 years until 8 years old; then annually |
| Three‑wheelers (L5e) > 250 cc | 4 years | Every 2 years until 8 years old; then annually |
| Quadricycles (L6e, L7e) > 250 cc | 4 years | Every 2 years until 8 years old; then annually |
Inspection in years= First inspection after the registration
Community Classification of Vehicle Characteristics
Since it is mandatory to classify the categories of cars and two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles, the following classifications have been established in the European classification: the letter M for passenger vehicles, the letter N for goods vehicles, the letter O for trailers or semi-trailers, and the letter G for off-road vehicles. (Decree-Law No. 72/2000 and 72B/2003)
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| M1 | Vehicles intended for the transport of passengers with a maximum of 8 seats, in addition to the driver's seat |
| M2 | Vehicles intended for the transport of passengers with more than 8 seats, in addition to the driver's seat, and a gross weight not exceeding 5t. |
| M3 | Vehicles intended for the transport of passengers with more than 8 seats, in addition to the driver, and a gross weight exceeding 5 tons. |
| N1 | Vehicles intended for the transport of goods with a gross weight not exceeding 3.5 t. |
| N2 | Vehicles intended for the transport of goods with a gross weight greater than 3.5 t and less than 12 t. |
| N3 | Vehicles intended for the transport of goods with a gross weight exceeding 12t. |
| O1 | Trailers with a gross weight not exceeding 0.75 t. |
| O2 | Trailers with a gross weight greater than 0.75 t and less than 3.5 t. |
| O3 | Trailers with a gross weight greater than 3.5 t and less than 10 t. |
| O4 | Trailers with a gross weight exceeding 10t. |
| M1G | Light passenger car with 4-wheel drive. |
| M3G | Passenger car with 2 or more driving axles and weighing more than 5 tons. |
| N1G | Light goods vehicle with 4-wheel drive. |
| N2G | Heavy goods vehicle with 2 or more driving axles and gross weight up to 12t. |
| N3G | Goods vehicle with 2 or more driving axles and gross weight exceeding 12t. |
Deficiencies found at inspection
The inspections classify defects as follows:
- Type 1 Minor Defect: A defect that generally does not seriously affect the vehicle's operation or safety.
- Type 2 Serious Defect: A defect that seriously affects the vehicle's operation and safety (including its identification).
- Type 3 Very Serious Defect: A very serious defect which requires the vehicle to be immobilised.
When a vehicle fails inspection
Vehicles are rejected (fail) if any of the following apply:
- There are more than five Type 1 defects.
- There is one or more Type 2 or Type 3 defects.
- The defects previously recorded have not been corrected (except those concerning the vehicle identity document).
Vehicles with Type 2 defects affecting the steering, suspension or braking systems may not carry passengers or cargo until they are authorised following repair. Vehicles with Type 3 defects may only be driven to the repair location and then returned to the inspection centre to confirm that the faults have been corrected.
Re‑inspection and deadlines
After failing an inspection, the vehicle may return to the inspection centre within 30 days to confirm correction of the faults. If defects from the previous inspection or re‑inspection were not corrected in due time, the re‑inspection deadline is shortened to 15 days.
Illustration: Inspection timing (months)
Bar chart shows time to first inspection (months after registration) and typical repeat interval (months). This is an illustrative visualisation of the schedule above.
Illustration: Defect outcomes (illustrative)
Pie chart shows an example split of defect severities (this is illustrative only and not drawn from inspection statistics).