The APK explained: the Dutch roadworthiness test

What the APK is

APK stands for algemene periodieke keuring, the periodic technical inspection of a vehicle. English speakers usually compare it to the MOT. Most cars need it. Mopeds, motorcycles and trailers up to 3,500 kg are exempt.

The inspection looks at road safety (brakes, suspension, tyres, steering, lights and bodywork) and at emissions. Diesel cars get a particulate filter test, and petrol and LPG cars built from 1993 get a four gas test. The station also checks the registration details, such as the mileage, the chassis number and the fuel type. You do not need to bring documents.

The test is done at an APK test station, a garage that the RDW has authorised to carry out the APK. Prices differ per company, so compare before you book, and book ahead because garages can be busy.

How often a car needs the APK

The interval depends on the fuel and on the age of the car, counted from the date of first registration. The RDW gives these intervals for cars up to 3,500 kg that are not older than 30 years.

• Petrol, alcohol and electric cars: the first APK when the car is 4 years old, then twice at an interval of 2 years, and after that every year.
• Diesel, gas and other fuels, alone or combined with electricity: the first APK when the car is 3 years old, and every year after that.
• Vehicles of 30 years or older: once every 2 years.
• Vehicles of 50 years or older: no APK obligation any more.

Confirm the date for your own car in the Kentekencheck. The RDW page on when and how often the APK is due is the reference for these intervals.

How to check the APK expiry date

Open the RDW Kentekencheck at ovi.rdw.nl, enter the plate and open the tab for expiry dates and history. It is free and public. The RDW also sends one reminder by post or to your Message Box about six weeks before the date, and you can set a reminder in the RDW Vehicle App. The reminder is a courtesy, and the responsibility for booking in time stays with the owner.

You can have the inspection done up to two months before the expiry date without losing time. The new expiry date is then the old date plus one or two years, depending on the interval that applies to the car.

When you buy or sell, use the same check. Our guide to the RDW transfer explains how the Kentekencheck fits into a sale.

What happens when the APK has lapsed

The RDW is clear that postponement is not possible and that driving without a valid APK is forbidden. The police can fine you for it. If the car is inspected and fails before the expiry date, you are not fined until that date, but the police can still fine you for driving a vehicle that does not meet the requirements, and your insurer may refuse a claim.

A second fine exists for a car that is not driven at all. If a registered vehicle has not been inspected within two months of the expiry date, the CJIB can fine the owner, even if the car stands on a drive. A fine does not apply when the registration has been suspended. See our guide to suspending your car for how that works.

To get a car with an expired APK to an inspection, the RDW describes one route: suspend the registration, and then you may drive to the inspection station around the time of the appointment. The car needs third party insurance that day and you need the appointment confirmation with you.

The APK when you sell your car

The RDW asks the seller to give the buyer the most recent APK report. A valid APK is therefore useful to a buyer, because the car can be driven straight away. The transfer conditions we describe in our guide to the documents you need do not include a valid APK, so a car without one can still be sold.

What changes is the handover. With an expired APK the new owner cannot legally drive the car away on public roads, so a buyer needs to arrange transport or an inspection first. Tell any buyer the real expiry date. If you are weighing up whether to have the car tested before selling, our page on selling a car without a valid APK explains how that sale works.

What you need

• The plate of the car, to look up the expiry date
• The APK expiry date from the RDW Kentekencheck
• The latest APK report, to hand to the buyer
• A booked time at an APK test station (a garage authorised by the RDW to carry out the APK)
• The appointment confirmation, if you must drive a suspended car to an inspection