Motorcycle MOT in Italy 2026: Costs and Deadlines

Why the motorcycle MOT matters more than you think

Anyone buying or selling a used motorcycle or scooter in Italy runs into the same practical question sooner or later: the inspection has expired, so now what? There is no one-line answer, because Italy's two-wheeler roadworthiness test (revisione) touches three separate things — the Highway Code, the ownership transfer at the PRA vehicle registry, and the insurance policy — and the rules shift depending on who is riding, when, and why.

The real deadlines: four years, then every two

For motorcycles and mopeds, the first inspection is due within four years of the date on the registration document (libretto), counted to the matching month rather than the exact day. Every inspection after that falls due every two years, again counted from the month of the last one passed. A bike first registered in July 2022, for instance, must pass its first check by July 2026 and its second by July 2028. The rule covers motorcycles, scooters and plated mopeds above 50cc; the technical detail sits in ministerial decree DM 628/1996, updated repeatedly since.

Where it actually happens: the public office is off the table

One detail catches many owners off guard: since a ministerial circular (protocol 3352) dated 21 May 2020, the public Motorizzazione Civile offices have suspended inspections for mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles. The public tariff still exists on paper, but in practice every two-wheeler owner has to book with a workshop or inspection centre authorised by the province — that is not one option among several, it is the only route left. Worth knowing before you waste a week trying to book a slot at the Motorizzazione that will not happen.

What it costs in 2026

At the Motorizzazione, where the service is still formally listed, the fee is 45 euros. At an authorised private centre it runs to 78.75 euros, made up of 54.95 euros for the inspection itself, 12.09 euros of 22% VAT, 10.20 euros in Motorizzazione fees, and 1.51 euros in collection charges. The real difference is turnaround: a private workshop can usually book you in within days, while the public channel — still active for other vehicle categories — carries much longer waiting lists.

What gets checked (and what March 2026's decree changed)

Inspectors test the braking system (efficiency and balance between front and rear brakes), tyre wear and conformity against the figures on the registration document, suspension, steering, the frame and load-bearing structure, lighting and signalling — headlights, indicators, brake light — and safety equipment such as mirrors and the horn. Directorial decree no. 100/2026, published in the Official Gazette on 13 March 2026, updated the technical annexes to DM 628/1996, spelling out how some of these tests must be carried out and adding transitional provisions for specific equipment. It does not rewrite what gets checked, but it changes how thoroughly centres now have to document it.

The penalties for riding on an expired inspection

Article 80 of the Highway Code sets a fine of 173 to 694 euros for riding with an expired inspection; a repeat offence doubles the amount. Police can also impose an administrative stop on the vehicle, logged on the registration document, which keeps the bike off the road until it passes inspection — the one exception being the ride to the pre-booked appointment itself.

Inspection and ownership transfer: who pays, who is on the hook

This is the part that matters directly to anyone buying or selling on a used marketplace: an expired or never-done inspection does NOT block the ownership transfer at the PRA registry. It is not among the legal requirements for the transfer, so the sale itself remains valid even with an expired inspection. What happens next is a matter of agreement between buyer and seller, not law: by convention, if the inspection is done before the sale the seller covers it, if it is done after the buyer covers it, usually with a price discount matching the inspection cost. One detail causes more disputes than it should: if the seller does not disclose that the inspection has expired, a buyer acting in good faith can ask to have the sale voided, since a vehicle is presumed roadworthy unless stated otherwise. Either way, the fine for riding falls on whoever is riding after the transfer, not on the person who sold the bike.

Expired inspection and insurance: what happens after a crash

Third-party liability cover does not lapse automatically just because the inspection has expired: the insurer still has to compensate the injured party up to the policy limit. But whoever caused the crash while riding on an expired inspection risks a recovery claim (rivalsa): the insurer can seek back some or all of what it paid out, unless the policy includes a waiver clause that also covers this scenario — that is not a standard inclusion, so it is worth checking your own contract rather than assuming.

A practical checklist for sellers and buyers

Before listing a bike, check the date of the last inspection on the registration document and state it plainly in the ad, even if it has expired — that heads off disputes after the sale. Before buying, always ask to see the registration document and check the due date; if the inspection has lapsed, negotiate a discount equal to its cost, and book it at an authorised workshop before riding the newly bought bike on the road. And remember: for two-wheelers, the Motorizzazione today is little more than a name on a price list — the actual appointment happens somewhere else.