Date and frequency of testing
Article 5
1. Vehicles shall be subject to a roadworthiness test at least within the following intervals, without prejudice to the period of flexibility applied in Member States under paragraph 3: (a) vehicles of category M 1 and N 1 : four years after the date on which the vehicle was first registered, and thereafter every two years; (b) vehicles of category M 1 used as taxis or ambulances, vehicles of categories M 2 , M 3 , N 2 , N 3 , O 3 and O 4 : one year after the date on which the vehicle was first registered, and thereafter annually; (c) vehicles of category T5 the use of which mainly takes place on public roads for commercial road haulage purposes: four years after the date on which the vehicle was first registered, and thereafter every two years. 2. Member States shall establish appropriate intervals within which vehicles of categories L3e, L4e, L5e and L7e, with an engine displacement of more than 125 cm 3 , are to be subject to a roadworthiness test. 3. Member States or competent authorities may establish a reasonable period during which the roadworthiness test is to be carried out, not exceeding the intervals laid down in paragraph 1. 4. Notwithstanding the date of a vehicle’s last roadworthiness test, the Member State or competent authority concerned may require it to undergo a roadworthiness test before the dates referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 in the following cases: — after an accident affecting the main safety-related components of the vehicle, such as wheels, suspension, deformation zones, airbag systems, steering or brakes; — when the safety and environmental systems and components of the vehicle have been altered or modified; — where the holder of the registration certificate of a vehicle has changed; — when the vehicle has reached a mileage of 160 000 km; — in cases where road safety is seriously affected.