How often do you get a technical inspection and where do you do it?

Good afternoon, dear reader.

Technical inspection is a procedure for checking the technical condition of a vehicle, mandatory for all drivers. Currently, passing a technical inspection is required to purchase an MTPL policy.

Most car owners are faced with the need to undergo a technical inspection no more than once a year. However, the rules for vehicle inspections change with enviable regularity, sometimes several times a year.

This article will discuss how to pass a vehicle inspection in 2021.

You will learn:

• Who needs to undergo a technical inspection?
• Why is a technical inspection necessary?
• How often do you need to undergo a technical inspection?
• How much does a car inspection cost?
• Where to undergo technical inspection?
• What documents are needed for technical inspection?
• What are the requirements for a technical inspection?
• Why do you need a diagnostic card?
• What fine is imposed for failure to undergo technical inspection?
• Why shouldn't you buy a vehicle inspection?

Let's get started.

Is a vehicle inspection required in 2021?

So, the first question that worries drivers is: “Do I need to undergo a technical inspection in 2021?” A technical inspection is required, but not all cars need it. Only category B cars, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers that are less than 4 years old .

Note. Until April 1, 2020, it was not necessary to undergo a technical inspection only in the first 3 years.

What changed

New rules tighten the process of assessing the technical condition of a car. Previously, many drivers simply bought a diagnostic card (which is issued after passing the MOT). That is, they didn’t actually check the car.

The innovations will oblige drivers to undergo a technical inspection, and control point employees to photograph the car twice - before and after the inspection, as well as link geodata to these photos. The inspection of the vehicle should take at least 30 minutes. The information will be stored in the Unified Automated Information System for Technical Inspection (UAISTO).

Why is a technical inspection necessary?

Firstly, you need to undergo a technical inspection in order to make sure that your car is safe. During a technical inspection, vehicle malfunctions are identified that the driver can correct in a timely manner.

Secondly, you need to pass a technical inspection for MTPL. Currently, you can buy an MTPL policy only after passing a technical inspection (except for cars that do not require technical inspection).

Note. From March 1 to September 30, 2021, it was possible to purchase compulsory motor insurance without a technical inspection. However, the driver still had to undergo a technical inspection and provide a diagnostic card to the insurance company by October 30, 2021.

Required Documentation

What documents are needed for technical inspection are determined by the legislator. Their presence is necessary for the maintenance procedure. You should also clarify the documents for vehicle inspection directly at the place where it will be carried out, so as not to subsequently waste time correcting defects.

What documents are needed for maintenance are determined directly by the Federal Law regulating the issue of technical inspection of vehicles, as well as by amendments approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.

What documents need to be prepared to undergo a technical inspection are determined by the legislator, creating an approximate list of them:

• A document identifying the driver.
• Person's driver's license.
• Certificate of registration of the vehicle.
• Vehicle passport.
• A receipt confirming the fact of payment of the state fee.

A power of attorney may also be required if the car is sent for inspection not by the owner himself, but by his attorney.

Additional information may be requested by the expert only if doubts arise regarding the ownership or characteristics of the vehicle. If there are no such grounds, then it is prohibited by law to request other documents that bypass the specified list.

Until the end of 2021, in order to undergo a technical inspection, the owner also had to submit medical documents, namely a certificate. Starting from 2021, this document will not be required, since it was abolished by amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation.

How often should a vehicle be inspected?

The validity period of a technical inspection for compulsory motor liability insurance depends primarily on the type of vehicle:

Category B cars, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers - 4, 6, 8, 10 years after the year of manufacture. Then - every year .

Category C cars, training cars, taxis, buses, trucks for transporting people, cars equipped with special signals - every year .

Vehicles for transporting dangerous goods - every 6 months .

Attention! On March 1, 2021, diagnostic cards were extended:

• until October 1, 2021 - the validity period of which expired from February 1 to April 1, 2021;
• for 6 months - the validity period of which expired from April 1 to September 30, 2021.

Drivers often have a question about whether they need to undergo a technical inspection if the car is 4 years old. In this case, it is necessary to undergo a technical inspection, because otherwise, they will not sell you a compulsory motor liability insurance policy.

Another popular question: “Do I need to undergo a technical inspection for a new car?” If a new car belongs to category B, then there is no need to undergo technical inspection in the first 4 years.

Consider the table relating to personal cars of category B:

How much does a car inspection cost in 2021?

The cost of a technical inspection in 2021 depends not only on the type of vehicle, but also on the region (subject of the federation) where the inspection procedure is carried out.

For example, the price of a car inspection is in the range of 300 - 700 rubles, the cost of a truck inspection is 600 - 1000 rubles.

This amount is paid directly to the organization conducting the vehicle inspection. to pay an additional state fee for technical inspection in 2021.

Therefore, to find out how much a technical inspection costs in your region, I recommend contacting the selected technical inspection operator (call by phone).

You can pay for the technical inspection at a bank branch or through special payment terminals. To do this, you need to select the point where you will undergo a technical inspection and find out its payment details. You can also pay at the organization's cash desk.

Cost for new inspection

The FTS approved a document according to which the maximum maintenance prices for the current year were assigned.
Since there are quite a few accredited operators, the average price of the service can vary. The state duty this year is no longer added to the amount for the inspection itself. And yet, inspection rates vary greatly not only depending on the type of vehicle, but also on the region of the Russian Federation. Regional operators are authorized to set prices independently, without going beyond the legally established framework. The maximum sizes are set by the executive authority of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

Technical inspection points

The next important question is where to get a technical inspection? There are several thousand technical inspection points in Russia. You can choose the one closest to your home in the register on the website of the Russian Union of Auto Insurers:

Enter the name of your city and click the “Find” button. After this, your city will appear on the screen with the technical inspection points marked. For complete information about the technical inspection station, click on the blue mark on the map.

I would like to note that it is currently possible to undergo a technical inspection in any subject of the Russian Federation . Therefore, if you live on the border of two regions, you can choose the point where the inspection costs less.

What is needed to pass the technical inspection?

To successfully pass the inspection, you will need a technically sound vehicle. In this regard, I recommend reading the list of faults and conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited. This document describes what is checked during a technical inspection.

In addition, there are several requirements that require additional attention:

• First aid kit for technical inspection . The first aid kit has a limited shelf life, so before going for an inspection, check the expiration date of all components of the first aid kit.
• Fire extinguisher . The expiration date of a fire extinguisher for technical inspection is about 5 years and is indicated directly on the body. If necessary, the fire extinguisher must be replaced.

If you just bought a car, I recommend buying a universal motorist kit , which contains a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, a warning triangle and several other useful items.

One of the most popular reasons why a car fails inspection is a crack in the windshield . In this case, the crack should be located on half of the driver's glass in the wiper cleaning area. If the crack does not fall into this zone, you can pass the technical inspection with it.

What will they check?

In order not to encounter unexpected malfunctions during the inspection procedure itself, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our list.
Knowing all the places that are subject to inspection, you can get these components and assemblies into working condition in advance. So, what will they check during maintenance?

:

1) Brake system.

They will check the wear of the brake discs and pads, as well as their general condition: there should be no damage or rust, and the brake fluid should not leak.

2) Steering.

They check the overall serviceability of the mechanisms, the functionality of the power steering, the permissible play and the absence of leaks in the system. If before your visit you hear extraneous sounds in the suspension, or the car is “driving” to the side, immediately visit the service center.

3) External lighting devices.

Headlights and lanterns must light properly: check all bulbs in advance, including turn signals, brake lights and fog lights. They will also check the adjustment angles and the intensity of the headlights: this can only be checked at a car service center at a special stand. It is prohibited to use any films: both color and tinting films, as well as protective films.

4) Windshield wipers and washers.

They will only check their presence and functionality. There should also be no cracks on the driver's side windshield.

5) Tires and wheels.

They look at the degree of wear and damage to the tires, the absence of cracks and signs of poor repair of tires and wheels. Tires should be the same everywhere, especially for winter tires. Now it’s strictly: either studded everywhere, or friction everywhere (popularly called “Velcro”).

6) Engine.

A special device is used to check the toxicity of exhaust gases, the absence of fuel leaks, the correct installation of gas equipment (gas equipment) and compliance with the exhaust system noise level standards. If everything is changed in a timely manner using original spare parts, there will be no problems.

7) Availability of a first aid kit, fire extinguisher and warning triangle.

According to the latest regulations, the standard technical inspection procedure should last 30 minutes. Of course, without taking into account the queue. By the way, we have several articles on how to recognize malfunctions in the early stages even before a trip to the service center: for example, what the color of the exhaust can tell about. And about how car services can deceive you.

Diagnostic inspection card

Based on the results of passing the technical inspection, a diagnostic card .

This document is a regular A4 sheet, filled out on both sides and certified by the signature and seal of the technical inspection operator.

An example of a diagnostic card is shown in the figure on the left. Usually the map is printed in black and white, but sometimes color forms are also available. The color of the card is not of fundamental importance.

The diagnostic card contains the results of the technical inspection. If everything is in order with the car, you can use the diagnostic card to purchase an MTPL policy.

Otherwise, you should eliminate the faults and come back for a technical inspection. Repeated verification procedure requires a separate payment.

If you have doubts about the authenticity of the diagnostic card, you can check the results of the technical inspection using the EAISTO database.

Note. When issuing an MTPL policy, the insurance company checks the diagnostic card against the database of the union of motor insurers. In this regard, you should not try to prepare this document yourself; the deception will be exposed immediately.

Experienced car owners still remember the times when inspection results were issued in the form of a special small coupon. In 2021, technical inspection tickets will be issued.

Who needs to fill out a diagnostic card?

In most cases, a technical inspection is necessary to conclude a compulsory motor liability insurance agreement. But there are also a number of conditions under which a diagnostic card is not required at all:

• an MTPL policy is issued for a minimum period of 20 days (for example, for moving a car);
• the car or motorcycle is not yet 3 years old from the date of manufacture;
• it is necessary to replace the registration number of the car, while all documents for the vehicle are valid (their validity period has not yet expired);
• the car was purchased and re-registered, but the diagnostic card has not expired (on the contrary, the MTPL insurance policy is required to be changed when purchasing a car).

In some cases, a diagnostic card may be required when selling a vehicle. For example, a potential buyer wants to make sure that it is in full technical condition. True, in this case, the owner of the car is still not obliged to immediately send it to a service station.

Fine for lack of technical inspection

A fine for driving without a technical inspection can currently only be imposed on the driver of a passenger taxi, bus or truck intended for transporting people, or a vehicle for transporting dangerous goods. Its size is 500 - 800 rubles .

No fine is imposed on other drivers for lack of technical inspection; in addition, it is not necessary to carry a diagnostic card in the car.

However, without a technical inspection you will not be able to buy an insurance policy, which will entail another fine:

Fine for lack of compulsory motor liability insurance

Documents for technical inspection

It is important to find out in advance not only what is checked during the technical inspection, but also what documents are needed to carry out the procedure.

• Passport.
• Certificate of registration of vehicle and PTS.
• Driver's license.
• Power of attorney if the owner of the car is another person.

If malfunctions are detected, a period is given to eliminate them. No center will issue a diagnostic card for a car with violations. Since if an emergency occurs due to a malfunction that was not taken into account by the maintenance worker, the amount of material damage will be recovered from him.