Ready for inspection — periodic inspection and the workshop's role
The rules, typical mistakes and professional preparation
The periodic inspection is society's sample of whether cars on the roads are safe and environmentally sound. For the workshop vehicle inspection preparation is a classic task: the customer wants the car through inspection without remarks and it is your professionalism that determines whether it succeeds on the first try. The rules are found in the regulations on approval and inspection of vehicles and the Traffic Authority administers the inspections.
§When should the car have its MOT?
An ordinary car for private use must have a periodic inspection for the first time 4 years after first registration and thereafter every 2 years. The owner receives a summons from the Road Directorate via Digital Post approximately 8 weeks before the deadline. Certain vehicles, such as taxis, have shorter intervals. If the car is not inspected and approved by the deadline, it can result in a fine and ultimately confiscation of the number plates.
Vision test results
- 01Approved — the vehicle meets the requirements.
- 02Conditionally approved — there are faults that must be corrected but the car does not need to be presented for re-inspection.
- 03Inspection — the errors are so significant that the car must be shown again after repair, normally within a set deadline.
- 04Driving prohibition — the car is so dangerous that it must not drive from the test site under its own power.
§Here is where cars fall most often
| Area | Typical error | Workshop control |
|---|---|---|
| Lanterns | Faulty bulbs, incorrect lamp adjustment | All functions + headlight adjustment device |
| Brakes | Uneven brake action worn discs/pads rust on rear brakes. | Roller brake test stand, visual inspection, hand brake |
| Steering and undercarriage | Haze in guide balls, bearing balls and bushings | Lift inspection with veil test and hand force |
| Deck | Pattern depth below legal requirement of 1.6 mm, damage, age cracks | Depth gauge in multiple tracks, visual inspection of sides. |
| Exhaust/environment. | Leaks, smoke, errors in emission measurement | Visual control + check that the engine warning lamp is off |
| Bodywork | Through-holes in bearing parts, sharp edges | Systematic floor control on lift |
Professional preparation is a systematic review, not a guessing game. Put the car on a lift and go through it in the same order each time: lights and signaling devices, brakes on the test stand, steering and chassis for wear, tires and rims, exhaust system, the body's load-bearing parts and finally the cabin's safety equipment such as seatbelts and horn. Note everything on the work card — including what is in order. Then the customer can see what has been checked and you can stand on the documentation if a dispute arises later.
§Advice is part of the task
Sometimes you find faults that cannot carry a repair in relation to the car's value. Here honest advice is part of professionalism: the customer must know the scope, price and alternatives before money is spent. And if you find a safety-critical fault – e.g. a corroded brake hose – the customer must be clearly told that the car should not drive until it is repaired, regardless of what the inspection deadline says.
“Measuring equipment — because tolerances must be kept”
— Vision preparation, the workshop's basic rule