Periodic vehicle inspection (APK) in the Netherlands

When you have a car registered in your name, it’s your responsibility to make sure the vehicle regularly undergoes a periodic vehicle inspection (APK) to ensure it's roadworthy. This page explains what you need to know about the APK test in the Netherlands. 

What is an periodic vehicle inspection (APK) in the Netherlands?

All cars in the Netherlands need to undergo a regular periodic vehicle inspection, carried out by a garage or testing station which is approved by the RDW. Similar to an MOT in the UK, the test is known in Dutch as the Algemene Periodieke Keuring, but more commonly referred to as the APK. 

Driving in the Netherlands without a valid APK is not allowed. Your vehicle needs to be tested up to every two years (see below) to ensure that it’s roadworthy, registered correctly and safe for the environment. It’s not possible to postpone the inspection.

Which vehicles need to be tested?

The APK test is mandatory for: 

• Passenger and company cars
• Motor vehicles with three wheels
• Heavy vehicles weighing more than 3.500 kilograms
• Ambulances
• Special vehicles like taxis, buses, public transport cars, and vehicles used to transport dangerous goods
• Agricultural vehicles
• Non-agricultural trailers weighing more than 3.500 kilograms

Mopeds and motorcycles are exempt from the APK check, as are vehicles over the age of 50 (unless they are used for public transport or for transporting dangerous goods). You also do not need an APK if you have suspended your vehicle's registration. 

How often does your car need an APK check?

How often your car needs an APK inspection depends on the type of fuel the car runs on, and whether it’s a new or used car. If you buy a used car, make sure you check when the car's next APK inspection is due. 

Electric and petrol vehicles

Brand new electric and petrol vehicles need to have their first APK four years after the vehicle is first registered. 

Thereafter, the APK inspection is due:

• Every two years until the vehicle is eight years old
• Every year once the vehicle is more than eight years old

Diesel vehicles

Diesel vehicles require more regular testing than electric and petrol vehicles. Brand-new diesel vehicles must submit to their first APK three years after first being registered. 

Thereafter, the APK is due every year, regardless of the age of the car. 

How to check when your vehicle is due for an APK test

If you want to know exactly when your car needs to have its next APK inspection, you can do a licence plate check on the RDW website.

How to make an APK appointment

The RWD will send you a reminder that your APK is coming up, six weeks before your previous test certificate expires. You will get this reminder by post. You can then make an appointment with a local garage that is acknowledged by the RDW to have the vehicle tested. It is not possible to postpone your APK. 

Even if you don't receive a letter, it is still your own responsibility to make sure you have your vehicle inspected on time.

Please note that garages can sometimes be busy, meaning you might not get an appointment right away. For this reason, the RWD advises people to make an appointment well in advance.

If you don't want to leave things until the last minute, you can have your vehicle re-inspected no more than two months before the APK due date and still keep the same expiry date. That means, you can have your APK inspection done two months before the expiry date of the current inspection report, and your next APK inspection will not be due for another year and two months. 

Driving without a valid APK is illegal. The only time you can drive without a valid APK is if you are going directly to your APK inspection appointment (you should carry proof of the appointment with you). 

What will the APK inspector look at?

During the test, the APK inspector will look at your car with the following things in mind:

Road safety

To make sure the car is safe to go on the Dutch roads, the APK inspector will look at the brakes, suspension, shock absorbers, tyres, steering, lights and bodywork of your car.

Environment

The APK inspector will also look at the exhaust gas emissions and the presence of parts such as a particulate filter and a catalytic converter.

From January 2023, all diesel vehicles with a particular filter must pass the particular filter test.

For cars that were built in 1993 or later with a petrol engine or an LPG engine with a controlled catalyst, there will also be a four-gas measurement, which determines whether your car emits more exhaust fumes than is legally permitted.

Registration

Finally, the APK inspector will also look at your car’s mileage, vehicle identification number and the type of fuel used.

For cars up to 3.500 kilograms that have been on the roads since January 2021, the APK inspector also collects data on fuel and electricity consumption, which the RDW sends anonymously to the European Environment Agency. You can however refuse this data collection.

The APK inspection report

After your car has been inspected, you will receive an APK inspection report, stating whether your car has passed or failed the inspection. If the garage doesn’t give you one, make sure you ask for one.

If your vehicle has passed, the report will state when the APK expires, plus it will show possible points for repair as well as advice regarding your vehicle.

If your vehicle has failed, you will need to organise repairs in order to ensure it passes. However, your vehicle will nonetheless remain APK compliant up until the date its current APK report expires. If you had your vehicle tested early, you can choose whether to have it repaired on the spot, or to drive it elsewhere for repairs - but keep in mind safety risks and note that your car insurance may not pay out if you are involved in an accident while driving a car that has failed an APK test. 

In the Netherlands, you do not need to keep the APK report with you when you are driving.

How much does an APK inspection cost?

How much a periodic technical inspection costs depends on where you have your car looked at, as every garage determines their own price. Generally, the average price for an APK inspection is 25 to 50 euros for petrol cars and 45 to 70 euros for diesel cars.

Taking your car abroad

If you are planning to take your car abroad for a while, you need to make sure it has a valid APK during this period. You also need to take your APK inspection report with you, in case the police stop you on the road, for instance. You are not allowed to drive with an expired APK, and this also goes for countries outside of the Netherlands, so make sure your vehicle is inspected before you go abroad.

Please note that, outside of the Netherlands, you can only have an APK inspection carried out in Spain and Belgium.

Your APK has expired, now what?

Everyone in the Netherlands must have their car inspected on time, and it’s not possible to request a postponement. There are no exceptions, so it's important to get it booked in at a garage before your current APK expires. If you decide to drive a car without a valid APK, you can receive a fine from the police.

To avoid a fine, you can have your APK suspended. This will also cancel your obligation to have car insurance and your motor vehicle tax obligation. However, if your car is suspended, you are not allowed to drive it on public roads.