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When does an MOT expire?

The General Periodic Inspection (APK) is a mandatory inspection for vehicles. An MOT inspection checks whether your car meets environmental and safety requirements. An MOT inspection is performed annually. Six weeks before your MOT expires, you will receive a letter from RDW with your MOT expiration date. You can also view the expiration date online on the RDW website. You must have your car re-inspected before this expiration date. If you do not have your car inspected on time, the MOT will expire and without a valid MOT you are not allowed to drive the car. Moreover, you will then receive a fine from the RDW.

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MOT expired

How long may an MOT be expired?

It can of course happen that you forget to have your car tested before the expiry date or that you simply do not have the time. You have a maximum of 2 months after the expiry date of the MOT to have your car tested without the RDW carrying out a register check. With an expired MOT, you may no longer drive the car during those two months. It may, however, be parked on the public highway. So you will not be fined for an expired MOT immediately after the expiry date. After these two months the car must be APK-approved, or the registration number must be suspended.

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What are the consequences if you continue to drive?

When the MOT has expired, you still have two months to have the car tested. As long as the car has not passed the MOT, however, you may not drive the car. If you do, you will receive a hefty fine from the RDW. Driving around with an expired MOT can also have consequences for your car insurance. Do you cause a collision in a car with an expired or rejected MOT? Then your insurer can decide that you are not insured at that moment. You will then have to pay all repair costs yourself.

How high is the fine?

Two months after the expiry of your MOT you will automatically receive a fine from the Central Fine Collection Agency (CJIB). Even if you do not drive your car on the public roads, you will receive a fine for not complying with the MOT obligation. The RDW tracks down these cars by carrying out a daily register check. This involves comparing the test data with the vehicle register. If it turns out that your MOT has expired, you will receive a fine. In 2021 the fine for an expired MOT is €150. In addition, there will be €9,- in administration costs. So in total you will lose €159 if you do not have your car MOT tested on time.

How do I avoid an expired MOT?

On the RDW website, you can check when your car's MOT expires. This allows you to make an appointment in time for a new MOT inspection. 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 can no longer use it. 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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