Vehicle inspection in Luxembourg: when, how much, how to book
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Practical guide · trigger.lu
Vehicle inspection in Luxembourg: when, how much, how to book
- When
- up to 8 weeks before the due date, without losing anything
- Price
- €77 at the SNCT, €80.50 at LU KS
Details
SNCT in Sandweiler, Livange, Esch-sur-Alzette, Bissen, Roost, Marnach and Clervaux; DEKRA in Bertrange and Pétange; LU KS in Lorentzweiler, Cloche d'Or (Luxembourg City), Wickrange and Wiltz. Pick the nearest one or the one with an early slot.
- SNCT
- rdv.snct.lu, to book or move your appointment
- Option
- pick-up of your car, at the SNCT and at LU KS
Details
DEKRA and LU KS have their own booking on their website. Certificate already expired: you can drive to the station with a booked appointment, keep the proof on you.
- Road tax sticker
- valid, otherwise access is refused
- Bring
- registration certificate (part I)
- previous inspection certificate
- insurance certificate (green card)
- valid road tax sticker
- European certificate of conformity if there is one
Details
Without these documents, the inspection body may refuse the test. The certificate of conformity concerns cars registered after 1 January 1998.
- Cost
- €77 at the SNCT, plus €21.50 if the car is imported
- Minor defects
- certificate issued, but to be repaired
Details
Arrive with a clean car. If all goes well, you leave with your certificate.
- Deadline
- 4 weeks (28 days) for the re-inspection
- Cost
- €44 with a pit check, €36 without (SNCT)
Details
You receive a supplementary inspection certificate valid for 4 weeks, time to get the repairs done. After that deadline, your car is no longer covered by a valid certificate.
This is for you if
- Your car registered in Luxembourg will soon be 4 years old, or your certificate is about to expire.
- You've just received the appointment letter and you're looking for where and how to book.
- You're moving to Luxembourg with a car already registered in France, Belgium or Germany.
- Your car failed the test and you want to know how much time you have.
Not for you if you're a cross-border worker with a car registered in your home country: the inspection of your country of registration applies.
SNCT or SNCA: who does what?
Since 13 January 2012, the former SNCT has been called SNCA (Société nationale de circulation automobile): it handles registration, registration certificates and driving licences. On the same day, a subsidiary was created under the name SNCT (Société nationale de contrôle technique) for roadworthiness tests.
For your inspection, you therefore deal with the SNCT, or with one of the two other approved bodies: DEKRA and LU KS (Luerenzweiler Kontrollstatioun). Each one sets its own prices.
Key figures
| Item | Value | Year or date |
|---|---|---|
| First inspection of a car or motorbike | 4 years after first registration | Rule in force in 2026 |
| Second inspection | 6 years after first registration | Rule in force in 2026 |
| After that | Every year | Rule in force in 2026 |
| Reminder letter | About 8 weeks before the due date | 2026 |
| SNCT car inspection | €77, any engine type | Since 2 May 2025 |
| SNCT car re-inspection | €44 with a pit check, €36 without | Since 2 May 2025 |
| SNCT surcharge for an imported vehicle | €21.50 | Since 2 May 2025 |
| LU KS car inspection | €80.50, re-inspection €45.50 | Since 3 June 2026 |
| Deadline for the re-inspection | 4 weeks (28 days) | 2026 |
| Road tax sticker at the inspection | Valid (the SNCT refuses an expired sticker) | 2026 |
DEKRA does not publish a price list online as of 9 October 2026: ask for the price when you book.
When to take your inspection
The schedule starts from the date of first registration, shown on your registration certificate. A car first registered in June 2022 has its first inspection in June 2026, the second in June 2028, then every year from June 2029.
Good news: you can go up to 8 weeks early without losing anything. In that case, the validity of the new certificate runs from the expiry of the old one, not from the day of the inspection.
If your car fails the inspection
If your car fails, you receive a supplementary inspection certificate valid for 4 weeks. You get your car repaired and come back for a re-inspection (the follow-up test) before the end of that period. At the SNCT, it costs €44 with a pit check, €36 without.
If you let the 4 weeks go by, your car is no longer covered by a valid certificate.
Imported car: the validity trap
Moving to Luxembourg with your car? You must register it here within 6 months of declaring your arrival at the commune (see settling in Luxembourg). If it is more than 4 years old, the SNCA asks for a valid inspection certificate.
A certificate issued in a European Economic Area country or in Switzerland can be accepted. But its validity is cut back to the period set in Luxembourg. A French inspection valid for 2 years is only worth 1 year here for a car more than 6 years old.
Example. Camille, 29, moves from Metz to Esch-sur-Alzette with her car, first registered in March 2019. Her last French inspection dates from March 2025.
- In France, it is valid until March 2027.
- In Luxembourg, her car is more than 6 years old: the validity drops to 1 year, i.e. March 2026.
- She registers her car in October 2026: her certificate is no longer valid.
- She must have an inspection in Luxembourg before registration: €77 + €21.50 imported vehicle surcharge = €98.50 at the SNCT.
- If the car fails, the re-inspection adds €44: €142.50 in total.
- After that, her inspection comes round every year.
Penalties if you're late
Driving with an expired certificate is an offence. The police check this certificate during document checks: during the campaign against distracted driving in May 2024, 67 drivers could not show a valid inspection certificate. The penalty takes the form of a €145 taxed warning (a fixed fine), with 2 points taken off your licence. If you contest it, the case can go to court.
If your certificate has expired, the SNCT states that you can drive your car to the station, in Luxembourg, if you have a booked appointment. Keep proof of the appointment on you.
What about insurance?
- No insurance, no inspection: the insurance certificate (green card) is one of the required papers. If you have lost it, your insurer can email it directly to the SNCT.
- When registering an imported car, the SNCA also asks for a valid insurance certificate: insure the car with its future Luxembourg plates before you submit your application.
- Expired inspection and an accident: your motor third-party liability insurance must still compensate the victim. The Grand-Ducal regulation of 11 November 2003 sets the closed list of exclusions and permitted recourse in motor third-party liability, and an expired inspection is not on it. Your optional cover (damage to your own car, theft) follows your contract, which may provide for an exclusion if the poor condition of your car caused or worsened the claim. Reread your general terms or ask your insurer, and if you have an accident, follow our car accident guide.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring the letter because you think you have time: the certificate expires on the set date, letter or no letter, and the fine follows.
- Letting the road tax sticker lapse: an expired sticker blocks access to the inspection.
- Relying on the date of a foreign inspection: in Luxembourg, its validity is often shorter.
- Missing the 4 weeks for the re-inspection after a fail: your car is no longer compliant.
- Forgetting the minor defects noted on the certificate: they come up again at the next inspection.
The inspection in your budget
Count on about €80 a year from the sixth year, plus a re-inspection now and then. Add it to the road tax, insurance and maintenance when you work out the real cost of your car in your budget in Luxembourg.
Frequently asked questions
For a car, €77 at the SNCT (since 2 May 2025) and €80.50 at LU KS (since 3 June 2026), whatever the engine. DEKRA sets its own prices. The re-inspection costs €44 at the SNCT, €45.50 at LU KS.
Online at rdv.snct.lu, by choosing your station and your time slot. The same portal lets you change your appointment.
For a car: at 4 years, at 6 years, then every year. Taxis, rental cars and vans go every year.
Yes, at registration, but with the Luxembourg validity period. For a car more than 6 years old, that means 1 year from the inspection: it may already have expired.