Purpose of a technical inspection and vehicles concerned

Vehicles must undergo technical inspections to check that they are in good working order and properly maintained. These inspections are carried out by the testers at the Monaco Vehicle Testing Centre.

A technical inspection appointment may be required in the following three situations:

• Periodically before the expiry date noted on the registration certificate; the frequency depends on the type of vehicle and how it is used. A letter will be sent to owners of vehicles registered in Monaco four months before the due date to invite them to make an appointment
• Prior to a new registration, whether relating to a new vehicle as part of a mandatory initial inspection for certain types of vehicle use, or to used cars registered in the Principality or abroad
• Prior to the use of an auxiliary luxury chauffeur-driven vehicle

The frequency of technical inspections depends on the type of vehicle:

The first category applies to:

• Public vehicles, as defined in Sovereign Ordinance No. 1.720 of 04 July 2008 on the regulation of taxis, chauffeur-driven vehicles, official city vehicles and motorcycles on request amended (M1, L3)
• Vehicles used by driving schools (M1)       
• Medical transport vehicles (M1)
• Light passenger transport vehicles (M1)

Vehicles in the first category must undergo a first technical inspection at the time of registration and at intervals not exceeding 12 months thereafter. Chauffeur-driven vehicles and taxis that are less than one year old from the date on which they were first put into circulation are exempt from this first technical inspection.

The second category applies to:

• Public transport vehicles that are covered by the Ministerial Decree  no. 58-072 of 19 February 1958amended, as referred to above (M2, M3)
• Vehicles in the second must undergo a technical inspection before they are first put on the road in Monaco, and then at least every six months thereafter

The third category applies to:

• Vehicles used for the carriage of goods with an authorised gross vehicle weight of more than three-and-a-half tonnes (N2, N3)
• Trailers or semi-trailers with an authorised gross vehicle weight of more than three-and-a-half tonnes (O3, 04)
• Private motor vehicles that are more than 30 years old, not registered as collectors' vehicles (M1)

Vehicles covered by points 1 and 2 of the third category that are more than one year old from the date of first entry into service must undergo a technical inspection at intervals not exceeding 12 months.

Vehicles covered by point 3 of the third category that are more than 30 years old must undergo a technical inspection at intervals of not more than 12 months, once they are 30 years old.

The fourth category applies to:

• Vehicles belonging to the Ministry of State and Members of the diplomatic corps of Embassies in the Principality and international organisations (M1)
• Vehicles belonging to honorary consular officials accredited to H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince and registered in the "Honorary Consular Officials" series (M1)
• Vehicles of members of the administrative and technical staff of Embassies in the Principality and officials of international organisations who do not have diplomatic status (M1)
• Private motor vehicles that are less than 30 years old, not registered as collectors' vehicles with an authorised gross vehicle weight not exceeding or equal to three-and-a-half tonnes (M1)
• Commercial vehicles with an authorised gross vehicle weight not exceeding or equal to three-and-a-half tonnes (N1)
• W-series "professional motor vehicles", referred to as "courtesy vehicles" (N1, M1)

Vehicles in the fourth category that are more than 4 years old from the date of first entry into service must undergo a technical inspection at intervals not exceeding 36 months.

The fifth category applies to:

• Private motor vehicles first registered on or after 1 January 1960, registered in the "collectors' vehicles" series (M1)
• Trailers with an authorised gross vehicle weight of less than three-and-a-half tonnes (O1, O2)

Vehicles in the fifth category must undergo a technical inspection at intervals not exceeding 72 months.

The sixth category applies to:

• Agricultural tractors (T1, T2, T3, T4 et T5)
• Retail trailers with a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes or less (O1 and O2)
• Tracked or tracked and wheeled agricultural tractors (C)
• Agricultural trailers (R1, R2, R3 and R4)
• Interchangeable towed equipment (S1 and S2)

Vehicles in the sixth category, whether new or used, must undergo a first technical inspection the first time before registration, and will not subsequently be subject to periodic technical inspection.

A letter will be sent to owners of vehicles registered in Monaco four months before the due date to invite them to make an appointment.

The technical inspection must be carried out within the expiration date at the latest. The inspections are carried out by a Vehicle Testing Centre inspector of Monaco.

Dispensation to have the technical inspection carried out in France (excluding the Alpes-Maritimes region) may be granted in certain cases.

If the owner fails to present their vehicle by the periodic technical inspection due date stipulated on the registration certificate, or before the deadline for the second or subsequent technical inspection stipulated on the report, the vehicle will no longer be authorised to remain in use until a technical inspection has been conducted to verify that it's in good working order and satisfactorily maintained. The vehicle owner must pay a regularisation fee and request a new technical inspection appointment. The vehicle will be authorised for use on public roads between the owner's home or the repair site and the Vehicle Testing Centre only on the day of the technical inspection appointment, as stated on the relevant notice.  

A technical inspection may also be undertaken outside the statutory period, prior to a new registration, whether relating to a new vehicle as part of a mandatory initial inspection, or to used cars registered in the Principality or abroad.

A report showing that a technical inspection has been passed must be presented as part of the application process to register a vehicle.

This report must:

• Be dated within the last six months for cars that are more than four years old
• Be dated within the last year for heavy goods vehicles, trailers with a GVWR of >3.5 tonnes, land-based medical transport vehicles, taxis, driving school vehicles, tractors and agricultural trailers
• Be dated within the last year for luxury chauffeur-driven vehicles that are more than one year old
• Be dated within the last six months for large passenger carrying vehicles

Please note that passing a technical inspection does not guarantee eligibility to register a vehicle in the Principality.

Companies providing chauffeur-driven vehicle services may, when required for the needs of their business, rent additional vehicles, known as auxiliary vehiclesup to a maximum of one auxiliary vehicle for every two primary registered vehicles. An exemption may be granted to exceed this quota when dictated by business needs.

Auxiliary vehicles must have passed a technical inspection within the six months preceding their entry into service, unless they are less than one year old when first put into service.