Roadworthiness test for imported cars across Europe
Roadworthiness test rules for imported used cars: HU, APK, contrôle technique, ITV and NCT, when a foreign test is recognised and what fails most.
· 7 min read
A roadworthiness test from another EU country is recognised for driving the car across borders, but EU law does not oblige the country of re-registration to accept it. Some countries, such as the Netherlands, take over a valid foreign test on request; others inspect every import as part of registration. Plan the test, its cost and the time it takes before you buy.
What EU law says about the roadworthiness test
Periodic roadworthiness testing in the EU is governed by Directive 2014/45/EU. It sets minimum intervals, the items to test and the proof of test, and leaves the details to member states.
The key rules for dealers:
- Minimum intervals (Article 5): passenger cars and light vans must be tested four years after first registration and every two years after that. Member states can be stricter, and many are.
- Extra tests (Article 5(4)): a country may require a test before the normal date, for example after an accident affecting safety components, after modifications, when the holder of the registration certificate changes, or when the car reaches 160,000 km.
- Proof of test (Article 10): the testing centre provides proof showing the date of the next test, and every member state must recognise proof issued in another member state "for the purpose of free circulation".
- Odometer readings: the directive requires the mileage to be recorded at each test, which makes test reports a useful mileage record.
The phrase "for the purpose of free circulation" is the catch. A Belgian driver can use a car with a valid German test in Belgium while it is registered in Germany. But when the car is re-registered in Belgium, the Belgian authority applies its own rules for imports.
Is a foreign roadworthiness certificate recognised in another EU country?
It depends on the country of re-registration. Directive 2014/45/EU guarantees recognition for driving, not for registration, so practice varies:
| Country | Test name | Typical treatment of an imported used car |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | HU (Hauptuntersuchung) | First test after 3 years, then every 2; imports need a valid HU for registration, and export plates require one valid for the plate's whole period |
| Netherlands | APK | The RDW takes over a valid APK from another EU or EFTA country if you ask and bring proof; otherwise an APK is due right after registration |
| Belgium | Contrôle technique / keuring | Used imports are inspected before registration |
| France | Contrôle technique | Cars over four years old need a recent test for registration and sale |
| Spain | ITV | Imports go through an ITV inspection as part of registration |
| Poland | Badanie techniczne | Imported cars are inspected before first registration in Poland |
| Ireland | NCT | Imports are inspected for VRT; older cars then follow the NCT cycle |
The Dutch approach is the most dealer-friendly. According to the RDW, it identifies the car, checks the documents and, on request, enters the foreign APK in the Dutch register, so long as you bring the original report, an entry on the foreign registration certificate or the sticker on the foreign plate. The identification inspection takes 25 to 55 minutes, and the RDW stresses that it does not check the car's full technical condition. If the car has no valid foreign test, you must book an APK immediately after receiving the registration certificate or face a fine. More detail in car registration in the Netherlands.
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Request accessWhich countries require a new test before registering an import?
Most of the large markets inspect imported used cars before or as part of registration: Belgium, France for older cars, Spain, Poland and Ireland among them. Germany needs a valid HU, which in practice means a new test unless the car comes with a recent German one. Even where the law would let you avoid a test, a registration inspection or identification check is almost always required, so the car has to be presented anyway.
In practice, assume a test unless your authority has confirmed otherwise. The cost is usually modest; the real cost is a failed test, a repair, a second visit and a week without a sellable car.
How long is a roadworthiness test valid for an imported car?
A test is valid until the next test date shown on the proof, and that date follows the rules of the country that issued it. Once the car is re-registered, the new country's interval applies.
A few practical consequences:
- A German HU valid for 18 more months does not automatically give the car 18 months in Spain or Poland; the destination's rules decide.
- Export plates in Germany require an HU valid for the whole period of the plates. See export plates in Europe.
- Dutch export plates are valid for 14 days, but not longer than the APK.
- A test that expires soon is a bargaining point. Price in the new test and likely repairs.
What do inspectors commonly fail on imported cars?
Imported cars fail for the same reasons as domestic cars, plus a few problems typical of cross-border stock:
- Lighting: headlamps aimed for the wrong side of the road on right-hand-drive cars, faulty LED units, non-approved bulbs.
- Tyres: mismatched or old tyres, winter tyres with insufficient tread, wrong load or speed index for the car.
- Brakes: corroded discs on cars that stood in storage or at an auction yard.
- Warning lights: airbag, ABS or engine management lights, often after a battery change or a quick repair.
- Emissions: removed or emptied diesel particulate filters, EGR deletes and failing catalytic converters.
- Corrosion: on older cars from coastal or winter-salt regions.
- Identification: VIN plates that do not match the documents, or a missing CoC that delays the technical data check.
- Mileage: readings lower than the last recorded test, which inspectors and buyers can now see in more countries.
Mileage records are spreading across borders. Since 3 February 2026, the Dutch RDW takes over German odometer readings into its register for cars imported from Germany, after doing the same for Belgian readings since January 2025. Imports whose German readings do not rise consistently are marked as illogical. Our guide on the car mileage check for imports explains what to compare.
Plan the test into your buying
A short pre-purchase routine saves second visits:
- Read the last test report and its advisories before buying.
- Check lights, tyres, brakes and warning lights on collection or have the seller's workshop do it.
- Book the test and registration together so the car is not idle.
- Budget for typical defects, especially tyres and brakes on ex-fleet cars.
Put the expected test and repair cost into your calculation from the start. MyCarDealer adds such costs to transport and VAT to give the margin per car; you can try it on one car with the free valuation. For the full sequence of an import, see how to import a car from Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Is a foreign roadworthiness certificate recognised in another EU country?
For driving the car, yes: Directive 2014/45/EU obliges member states to recognise proof of test from another member state for free circulation. For re-registration, each country applies its own rules. The Netherlands takes over a valid foreign APK on request, while many countries inspect imports anyway.
Which countries require a new test before registering an import?
Belgium, France (for cars over four years), Spain, Poland and Ireland inspect imported used cars as part of registration, and Germany requires a valid HU. Even where no full test is needed, the car is usually identified in person.
How long is a roadworthiness test valid for an imported car?
Until the next test date shown on the proof, set by the issuing country. After re-registration, the destination country's intervals apply. The EU minimum for cars is a first test after four years and then every two years.
What do inspectors commonly fail on imported cars?
Lighting (especially on right-hand-drive cars), tyres, brakes, warning lights, removed or faulty emissions equipment, corrosion and VIN or mileage inconsistencies.
Does a car on export plates need a valid roadworthiness test?
Usually yes. German export plates require an HU valid for the whole period, and Dutch export plates are valid for 14 days but not beyond the APK expiry date.