MOT expired, now what?
You are required to have your car inspected annually or biennially. You will receive a letter from the RDW about the expiration date. Are you not on time and your MOT expires? Then you may no longer drive your car. If you do, you will receive a hefty fine and you will no longer be insured in the event of an accident.
Compare car insuranceGeneral Periodic Inspection (APK).
The General Periodic Inspection (APK) is a mandatory inspection for vehicles. The garage checks that your car meets environmental and safety requirements. The MOT detects defects to prevent accidents. After all, driving with slick tires or bad brakes is dangerous. After the MOT, the chance of accidents is smaller.
Annual or biennial
An MOT inspection is performed annually on cars older than 8 years. Biennially on younger cars.
MOT expiration date
You will receive a letter from RDW 6 weeks before your MOT expires with the expiration date. You can also view this date online on the RDW website. Have your car inspected before the expiration date, up to 2 months in advance. The old expiration date is then extended by 1 or 2 years, depending on the inspection frequency. Check expiration date MOT.
Do not drive without MOT inspection
Not on time? Then the MOT expires. Without a valid MOT you are not allowed to drive the car. It is allowed to stand still on public roads. You may also drive to the garage around the time of the inspection. You must have a confirmation of the appointment and the car must be insured.
Maximum 2 months
Of course, there may be times when you forget to get your car inspected before the expiration date. Or that you simply do not have the time. You therefore have up to 2 months after the APK expiration date to still have your car inspected without the RDW performing a register check.
Car to be suspended
Do you not want to have your car MOTed because you are no longer going to use the car or for financial reasons? Then you can have the car suspended. The APK 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. Once the suspension period expires, you do have APK obligation again.
Consequences of driving without MOT
Are you driving without an MOT inspection? Two months after your MOT expires, you will automatically receive a fine from the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB), even if you are not driving on public roads. The RDW tracks down cars without a valid MOT through daily registry checks and compares inspection data with the license plate register. An expired MOT will result in a fine.
€180 to €500 fine
In 2025, the fine for an expired MOT is €180 for light vehicles (up to 3500 kg) and €500 for heavy vehicles (over 3500 kg). There will also be an administration fee on top of that.
No longer insured
In addition, driving around with an expired MOT can also affect your car insurance. Do you cause a collision in a car with an expired or rejected MOT? Then your insurance company can decide that you are not insured at that moment. You will then have to pay for all repair costs yourself.
Legal expenses insurance
It is lame that the insurer will not pay out because of a missing MOT inspection, unless the accident was caused by a car defect. The burden of proof is always on the motorist. A valid MOT is required by the policy terms. Witness statements may help in this case and legal expenses insurance may be necessary.
Car insurance?
Compare our car insurance policies and find the best deal in 2 minutes. Car insurance comparison.
Frequently asked questions about an expired MOT
Am I insured with a car that is not MOT approved?
No. If your car is not MOT-approved, you do not meet the legal requirements. Therefore, you are then not insured.
Never underinsured
Put together your own package
A wide range
We compare all insurers for you, saves time again
Help from our experts
Can't figure it out? Our experts are always ready to help you
We can be reached via chat, WhatsApp, phone or email
Questions? Contact us if you want to know more.
We are here Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00.