There may be a number of reasons why you are not able to get your vehicle PTI approved in time. Perhaps you are abroad and are unable to return to the Netherlands before the PTI expiry date. Or perhaps your vehicle was not approved during a previous PTI, and repairs need to be carried out before you can have another inspection performed. Even if you do not drive the vehicle, you must have your vehicle PTI approved in time. This is a legal obligation. For more information about the amount of the fine, visit the Penalty Base of the Public Prosecution Service.

Avoiding fines: suspension

In order to avoid fines, it is possible to temporarily discontinue the PTI obligation. This is called suspension. (This also discontinues the insurance obligation and the payment of motor vehicle tax). If you have your vehicle suspended at the RDW, it no longer needs to be PTI approved. However, you are also no longer allowed to drive the vehicle or put it on public roads.

Mandatory PTI inspection after suspension

Once the suspension expires, you must once again comply with the PTI obligation. If necessary, you can extend the suspension. If you don’t extend the suspension, the vehicle must be PTI approved by the end date of the suspension at the latest. You may drive the vehicle to a PTI inspection station for the PTI inspection, but you must also insure it for civil liability for that day. You are only allowed to drive to the PTI inspection station if you have the PTI appointment confirmation, stating the time of the appointment, with you. You are only allowed to drive from your home address to the address where you have the PTI inspection performed around the appointment time.

Having the vehicle parked on public roads for two months

Your vehicle may be parked on public roads for a maximum of 2 months after the PTI expiry date, without the RDW carrying out a register check. In other words, you will not be fined during that time. (Article 11 of the Vehicles Decree)

Would you prefer not to arrange your PTI inspection at the very last moment? You do not have to, because you can have your vehicle inspected as early as 2 months prior to the PTI expiry date. The new PTI expiry date will then remain the same, plus 1 or 2 years (depending on how often your vehicle needs to be inspected). So there is no need to have the next inspection performed 2 months earlier.

Consequences for expiry date when inspection  is performed earlier

For example: Your PTI expires on 16 August 2020. If you have your vehicle inspected up to 2 months before the PTI expiry date, i.e. no earlier than on 16 June 2020, the new PTI expiry date will then remain the same (16 August), plus 1 or 2 years (depending on how often your vehicle needs to be inspected).

If, in this example, you have the vehicle inspected more than 2 months before the expiry date (on 15 June 2020 or before), your vehicle will receive a new PTI expiry date (15 June or before) plus 1 or 2 years (depending on how often your vehicle needs to be inspected).

6 weeks before the PTI of your vehicle expires, RDW will send you a letter to remind you of the PTI expiry date of your vehicle. You will receive this letter by post or in digital form in your Message Box. As the owner of a vehicle, you are always responsible for having a vehicle inspected on time. Are you receiving the reminder letter in your Message Box, but would you prefer to receive a paper copy of the letter? Then indicate this in the Settings of your Message Box on mijn.overheid.nl.