At a roadside inspection, the vehicle and the load are assessed, and each defect is classed as minor, major or dangerous. Here are the three groups, what happens afterwards, how the company's risk score is calculated and which papers you must be able to show.
Introduction
A roadside inspection is a technical check of a commercial vehicle and its load on the road. The rules are in BEK no. 1655 of 05/12/2025 on roadside inspections of commercial vehicles. It entered into force on 1 January 2026 and replaced BEK no. 1123 of 17/08/2023 (§ 26).
Three kinds of defects
| Defect group | The vehicle (§ 16) | The load (Annex 3, Part II) |
|---|---|---|
| Minor defect | Has no significant effect on safety or the environment | The load is secured correctly, but the inspector gives advice |
| Major defect | Can affect safety or the environment or put other road users at risk | The load is not secured well enough and can shift significantly or tip over |
| Serious defect | A direct and immediate risk to road safety or the environment | Road safety is in direct danger because the load can fall off, or there is an immediate danger to people |
- 01If the vehicle has defects in several groups, it is placed in the group for the most serious defect (§ 16(2)).
- 02Several defects that together create a higher risk can move the vehicle or the transport up one group (§ 16(3) and Annex 3, Part II).
What happens afterwards?
- 01As a rule, major and dangerous defects must be repaired before the vehicle may be driven on a public road again (§ 17(1)).
- 02If the defect is a direct danger, the inspector can prohibit or restrict driving until it is repaired. The vehicle may be allowed to drive to a nearby workshop if this can be done without immediate risk (§ 17(3)-(4)).
- 03A Danish vehicle with major or dangerous defects can be called in for an extraordinary inspection within a deadline (§ 18).
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