Technical inspection of a commercial vehicle (van)
Verified 15 December 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You bought a van and you wonder when and where to do the roadworthiness testing and at what cost? Want to know more about controlling polluting emissions? You want to check what functions are being checked and how to do it if a failure is found? This page tells you what you need to know about roadworthiness testing.
One van of which the PTAC: titleContent is less than or equal to 3,5 tons is subject to roadworthiness testing, whether thermal, hybrid or electric.
Type of vehicle | Compulsory roadworthiness tests? |
|---|---|
Yes | |
Yes | |
Motorhome with a maximum total authorized laden weight (TCAW) of 3,5 t | Yes |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Collection vehicle put into circulation from 1960 | Yes |
Collection vehicle used as a chauffeur-driven transport car (VTC) | Yes |
Collection vehicle put into circulation before 1960 and with a PTAC of 3,5 t maximum | No |
Collection vehicle with a PTAC greater than 3,5 t | No |
Unlicensed car | No |
Motorcycle, 2 wheels and 3 wheels | No |
Motor quadricycle | No |
Caravan with a PTAC of 3,5 tons or less | No |
Agricultural tractor | No |
Trailer with a PTAC of 3.5 tons or less not used for dangerous goods transport | No |
Car registered in the diplomatic service or equivalent | No |
Car registered in the FFECSA series (French Forces and civil elements stationed in Germany) | No |
Periodic technical inspection
The 1er periodic inspection must be carried out during the 6 months preceding the 4e anniversary of the 1re putting into service of the vehicle.
No summons are sent. Control is at your initiative.
Example :
For a vehicle put into circulation on 1er october 2019, 1er roadworthiness test to take place between 1er April 2023 and September 30, 2023.
The date of the next check will depend on result of this 1er control.
Roadworthiness tests shall not relieve the vehicle owner of the obligation to to keep in good working order and in satisfactory condition for maintenance.
Supplementary roadworthiness test
The additional technical inspection shall make it possible to check pollutant emissions of the vehicle.
It concerns every vans over 4 years.
However, the following vehicles are exempt carte grise (see the
- Vehicle diesel source of energy GA
- Vehicle electric and hydrogen source of energy EL, AC, H2, HE and HH
Additional roadworthiness tests shall be carried out within 2 months before the end of the 1-year period after the roadworthiness test.
Example :
For a technical inspection done on 1er october 2021, the supplementary visit must take place between 1er August 2022 and September 30, 2022.
No summons are sent. Control is at your initiative.
In any approved center in France.
Carte grise You must present the original certificate of registration (new name of the except in certain situations.
Who shall I contact
Fees are at the expense of the owner of the vehicle.
The price periodic technical inspection and counter-inspection services are variables according to the centers.
They must be displayed at the main entrance to the center, in a visible and legible manner.
The prices are classified by type of energy : petrol, diesel, gas, hybrid, electric.
You can use a online service for prices charged by technical inspection centers:
To know the prices charged by the technical inspection centers
The controller should check 133 checkpoints concerning the following functions:
- Identification of the vehicle: vehicle documents, registration plate, etc.
- Equipment for braking : platelets, disks...
- Direction : steering wheel, housing...
- Visibility : windshield, mirrors...
- Lights, reflective devices and electrical equipment (in particular those of an electric vehicle such as the battery, the charging cable, the tractor battery box, etc.)
- Axles, wheels, tires, suspension
- Chassis and chassis accessories
- Other equipment: safety belts, horn (audible warning device)...
- Nuisance : pollution, noise level
In the course of the additional roadworthiness test, the verifier shall only check the items relating to the pollutant emissions.
At each controlled point, a severity level is indicated if a failure is found.
- Minor failure : no impact on the safety of the vehicle or the environment
- Major Failure : could endanger the safety of the vehicle, have a negative impact on the environment or endanger other road users
- Critical Failure : constituting a direct and immediate danger to road safety or having a serious effect on the environment
In case of major or critical failure, a new check shall be carried out after the necessary repairs have been made: a counter-visit or a complementary counter-visit.
Checked points then depend on the major and critical deficiencies found during the previous check.
The date of the next check depends on deficiencies found during roadworthiness tests.
Deficiencies found | Advice | Validity of the check | Prescription of a counter-visit |
|---|---|---|---|
Absence of major and critical failure | Favorable (A) | 2 years for periodic inspection 1 year for additional control | No counter-visit |
At least one major failure | Unfavorable (S) | 2 months from inspection | Mandatory within 2 months of roadworthiness testing |
At least one critical failure | Unfavorable (R) | Day of inspection |
You are not required to make a counter-visit to the approved center where the deficiencies were found.
The counter-visit can be carried out in any approved center in France.
You are given a report after each roadworthiness test.
The minutes shall include the following points:
- Nature of the control (periodic technical inspection, counter-inspection, supplementary inspection, supplementary counter-inspection)
- Date of control
- Outcome control (favorable, unfavorable for major failure, unfavorable for critical failure)
- Limit of validity of control
- Nature of the next check (periodic inspection, counter-inspection, supplementary inspection, supplementary counter-inspection)
- Identification of the center control and controller
- Vehicle identification
- Mileage reported
- Information on unfavorable roadworthiness tests
- Failures and Severity Levels (critical, major, minor, mileage recorded in roadworthiness since May 20, 2018, comments)
- Measurements taken
Carte grise The inspector shall affix a stamp to the person concerned indicating the result of the inspection and its final date:
- Letter A : Result favorable
- Letter S : Unfavorable result for major failures
- Letter R : Unfavorable result for critical failures
- Hairy Letters for the supplementary inspection
It shall no longer be possible to include the following in the report of the roadworthiness test non-rolling vehicle.
Owners of vans who fail to comply with roadworthiness requirements are liable to a fine of up to €750.
As a general rule, it is a flat-rate fine of €135.
In the event of control by the police (police or gendarmerie), a detention order can be taken.
Carte grise In this case, the driver's dose is taken.
A valid movement record 7 days it is given to him to do the roadworthiness test.
Carte grise In order to retrieve the vehicle, the driver must submit to the police or gendarmerie the report of the roadworthiness test attesting to its satisfactory result.
In the event of a dispute as to the result of the roadworthiness test, the remedies available are displayed in the center who issued the report.
- Highway Code: Article L323-1Obligation to carry out a roadworthiness test
- Highway Code: Articles R323-1 to R323-5Technical inspection rules
- Highway Code: Articles R323-6 to R323-21Obligations of the Technical Inspection Center in relation to pricing (Article R323-13-1)
- Highway Code: Article R323-22Frequency of roadworthiness tests
- Order of 27 March 1987 on the advertising of prices for maintenance or repair services, roadworthiness tests, breakdown and towing services and for the parking of vehicles
- Order of 18 June 1991 on roadworthiness tests for vehicles weighing not more than 3.5 tons
- Order of 29 July 2020 on the advertising of the prices of roadworthiness tests for certain categories of light vehicles
FAQ
- Technical inspection of the vehicle: compulsory or dispensed with?
- Can you sell a used car without a roadworthiness test?
- Technical inspection of a collector's vehicle: what are the rules?
- Carte grise How to do the roadworthiness test without the vehicle?
- Can we do the roadworthiness test abroad?
- What should I do if I lose my roadworthiness test report?
- Traffic offensesService-Public.fr
- Carte grise (Certificate of Registration)Service-Public.fr
- Pollution control measuresService-Public.fr
- Technical inspection of a passenger carService-Public.fr
- Technical inspection of a motorhome (maximum 3,5 tons)Service-Public.fr
- Checkpoints for the roadworthiness test of a light vehicleLegifrance