The Contrôle Technique (CT)

To improve the condition of the vehicle fleet, strengthen the information provided to vehicle owners and better control environmental requirements, the technical inspection rules are much more demanding. This development is part of the prospect of a reduction in the number of road deaths in the European Union.

Which vehicles are covered by the technical inspection?

All private vehicles, whose total authorized weight (GVW) is less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes, are subject to a technical inspection.

What does the technical inspection of cars consist of?

Since May 20, 2018, the nomenclature of checkpoints has evolved: there are 133 checkpoints.

When to do your technical inspection?

The first check must be carried out during the 6 months preceding the fourth anniversary of the entry into circulation of your vehicle.

For example, for a vehicle put into circulation on July 1, 2021, the first technical inspection must take place between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025. You must carry out the following checks every 2 years. Please note, no summons will be sent to you: the inspection is at your sole discretion. However, you can find the deadline for your inspection on the technical inspection sticker affixed to your vehicle. Please note, if you are the owner of a light utility vehicle (vans, company vehicles, etc.) more than 4 years old, an additional pollution check is mandatory. It is carried out between two technical inspections (from the 11th month following each periodic technical inspection). The deadline for the additional pollution control appears on your technical inspection report and on your technical inspection sticker (CT).

What sanctions and fines are there in the event of non-compliance with technical inspection obligations?

If you do not comply with the technical inspection obligations, you may have to pay a fine of up to €750. A fixed fine of €135; A fine reduced by €90 (if paid within 3 days); A fine increased by €375 (if late payment); A fine of €750 (maximum amount in the event of a dispute or after the 45-day deadline). If you are stopped by the police or the gendarmerie and you are in violation, a decision to immobilize you may be taken. In this case, your registration document is retained but not your vehicle. A circulation form valid for 7 days will be given to you to enable you to carry out the technical inspection. To recover your registration document, you must present to the police station or gendarmerie the report of the technical inspection mentioning its satisfactory result.

Source : Sécurité Routière (Google machine translation)