MOT oldtimer
Normally, every car that goes on the road must be MOT approved. However, different rules apply to vintage cars. Oldtimers do not have to be inspected as often as younger cars anyway. Moreover, not every old-timer is subject to an MOT requirement. From a certain age, oldtimers no longer need to be inspected at all. Oldtimer insurance, however, is always mandatory. Wondering which category your vintage car falls into? Read here about the MOT inspection of an oldtimer.
Does my oldtimer need to undergo an MOT test?
How often an old-timer needs to be inspected depends on the year of construction of the car. Some old-timers do not even need to be inspected at all. These are oldtimers of 50 years and older. They are exempt from MOT requirements. Cars younger than 50 years old must be APK inspected once every two years. Oldtimers introduced before Jan. 1, 2005, must be inspected every year. MOT remains mandatory for old cabs, public transport cars and ADR (hazardous materials) vehicles, due to the function of these types of vehicles.
In the above situations, the weight of the car must be a maximum of 3500 pounds. Heavier cars prior to 1960 remain exempt from MOT requirements. Other cars over 3500 kilos must be re-inspected every year. You can check with the RDW when a vehicle's APK expires. That way you will be well prepared to hit the road.
Take out vintage car insurance? Calculate your premium!
Do I have to have an MOT after suspending my licence plate?
The moment you suspend the registration number of your vintage car, you do not have to pay a road payment and the vintage car insurance can also be stopped temporarily. Many people do this during the period when they are working on their vintage car. During this suspension period you also have no MOT obligation. Important is that during this period you are not allowed to drive with your oldtimer. Do you still drive the old-timer while the license plate is suspended? Then you risk a hefty fine. Are you going to end the suspension of your old-timer? Then you must ensure that it has been MOT-tested before that time. You may drive a car without a valid MOT to the garage. This is only allowed around the time of the inspection. In addition, you must have an appointment confirmation and the car must be insured.
Oldtimers are also subject to special event regulations. Oldtimer events are regularly organized. Based on the event regulation you may drive your oldtimer once to an event, without a valid MOT. You must register for the event and this registration must be approved by the organizer of the event. Then you may drive the oldtimer to the event.
RDW exemption letter
From 1 January 2021, owners of old-timers will receive an exemption letter from the RDW. Because there are vehicles that reach the age of 50 every day, the number of vehicles with an MOT exemption will increase every day. That is why the RDW checks the register every day and, if necessary, exemption letters are sent. From the moment that the vehicle reaches the age of 50, the owner no longer receives an APK reminder letter.
| Passenger cars up to 3500 kg | When to inspect? |
|---|---|
| Date of first authorisation before 1 January 2005 | First MOT after 3 years, thereafter every year |
| Vehicle 30 years old or more but less than 50 years old | Once every 2 years |
| Vehicle 50 or more years old | No compulsory MOT |
Inspection by the RDW?
The RDW carries out regular inspections of the registers, including compliance with the inspection obligation. The obligation to undergo inspection is not linked to road use, but to registration in the RDW vehicle register. The RDW checks all vehicles that are subject to compulsory testing. Failure to comply with the inspection requirement is punishable by law! An exception to this are the vehicles whose validity has been suspended from the vehicle registration system. A suspended vehicle may not be driven on public roads. The APK inspection obligation then ceases to apply. It is therefore not necessary to take out oldtimer insurance for a vintage car with a suspended registration number.
We can be reached via Chat, Whatsapp, phone or email
Please feel free to contact us if you would like to know more.
We are here Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00.