Italy car inspection 2026: cost, deadline, fines

If you are about to buy or sell a used car in Italy, the MOT-style inspection called the revisione is one of the first things to check on the registration document: a missed deadline means a fine and can derail a deal. Here are the rules in force in 2026, the real costs, and how to get through the check without surprises.

When the car inspection is due

For private cars the rule comes from Article 80 of the Italian Highway Code: the first inspection within four years of first registration, then every two years. The purchase date does not matter. If you buy a three-year-old used car, its first inspection is due in one year, whoever owns it.

The deadline is printed on the carta di circolazione (the registration document) and on the sticker from the last inspection, or you can look it up by plate number on the Portale dell'Automobilista. What counts is the month: you have until the end of the month shown. On the first day of the following month the car is non-compliant, even if you have already booked. Taxis, chauffeured hire cars, ambulances and heavy vehicles are inspected every year.

What it costs in 2026

At authorised private test centres the fee is 79.02 euros. It breaks down as 54.95 euros base fee, 12.09 euros VAT at 22%, 10.20 euros of Motorizzazione (vehicle licensing authority) charges and about 1.78 euros for the PagoPA payment slip, which can vary by a few cents. At the Motorizzazione itself the fee is around 45 euros, but many offices no longer inspect light cars, so check first.

There has been talk of a rise to 88.20 euros, roughly nine euros more. Up-to-date 2026 guides say the implementing decree is still missing, so the 2021 tariff remains in force. If a garage asks for more for the inspection alone, ask for an itemised breakdown. Extras such as a pre-check or replacing a bulb are separate and priced freely.

What the inspector checks

The test covers safety and emissions. The main points are ten:

• brakes: pads, discs, fluid, handbrake;
• lights and headlamp alignment;
• tyres: tread, pressure, approved sizes;
• wipers and washers;
• windscreen, free of cracks in the driver's field of view;
• legible, properly fixed number plates;
• dashboard warning lights, especially the engine light;
• oil, coolant and brake fluid levels;
• exhaust and emissions;
• steering and suspension.

If you buy a used car with the engine light on or a struggling particulate filter, expect a possible fail. A half-hour check at a garage beforehand costs far less than a second test.

The three possible results

An inspection ends in one of three ways. Regolare (pass): the sticker is updated. Ripetere (repeat): defects need fixing, and you must book and pay for a second test, charged as a new service. Sospeso dalla circolazione (suspended): the defect is serious and the car may not be driven until it is put right. Either way the report tells you what failed, so it doubles as your repair list.

What you risk with an expired inspection

Driving with an expired inspection brings an administrative fine of 173 to 694 euros according to the latest guides (some older sources still quote 169 to 680). It can be reduced if you pay within five days of notification. For repeat offences the fine can be doubled, and the vehicle can be stopped with the registration document withdrawn. No licence points are deducted.

If the deadline has already passed, the booking receipt lets you drive to the test centre, but it does not cure the irregularity. As for insurance, ask your insurer what your policy says about a claim on a car with an expired inspection: terms vary from contract to contract.

Inspection and the used-car deal

For sellers, arriving with a fresh inspection is a concrete selling point: the buyer sees a recent sticker and knows the car passed the safety checks. For buyers, check the date before you even take the test drive. If the deadline is close, count 79 euros plus any repairs and use that figure to negotiate. An inspection lapsed for months is a red flag: ask why, and check the brakes and tyres closely.

Inspection history can also help you verify that the odometer reading is consistent. If in doubt, get an independent appraisal before buying.

Five steps to get ready

1. Check the deadline on the registration document or the portal.
2. Book at least two weeks ahead at an authorised centre.
3. Check lights, tyres, wipers and fluid levels: the most trivial causes of failure.
4. If the engine light is on, have the car diagnosed first.
5. Bring the registration document and ID, and keep the payment receipt handy.

The bottom line

The Italian car inspection costs 79.02 euros, is due within four years of first registration and every two years after, and being late costs from 173 euros upward. Book early, do a pre-check, and use the expiry date as a bargaining tool when you buy or sell a used car.

Further reading

• [1] SicurAuto, Revisione auto 2026: chi deve sottoporsi al controllo
• [2] Money.it, Quanto costa la revisione auto in Italia nel 2026
• [3] QuotidianoMotori, Revisione auto 2026: quanto costa, quando farla e i 10 controlli
• [4] Segugio.it, Sanzioni per chi circola con la revisione scaduta