Getting ready for the vehicle inspection: what to check first
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Cars often fail the roadworthiness inspection in Estonia on small things: a blown bulb, worn tyres, a cracked windscreen or a lit check engine light. You can check these yourself a few days before. If the check engine light is on, have the code read and the fault fixed first. Simply clearing the code won't get you through.
How often a passenger car needs inspecting
You can check when the inspection expires in the Transport Administration's e-service using the registration number. With an expired inspection you may only drive the shortest route to a workshop, an inspection station or a parking place.
Checklist: go through these a few days before
You can check most of these yourself in 15 minutes. A helper standing behind the car makes checking the brake and reversing lights easy.
Lights
- Every bulb works: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake and reversing lights, number plate light and fog lights.
- Headlight lenses are clear, not yellowed or cloudy. The beam aim is measured at the inspection.
Tyres and wheels
- Tread depth is at least 1.6 mm on summer tyres and at least 3 mm on winter tyres.
- Both tyres on an axle are the same type, with no bulges or cuts in the sidewalls.
Glass and mirrors
- The windscreen has no cracks or large chips in the driver's line of sight.
- The wipers clear the glass without streaks, there's washer fluid and the mirrors are intact.
Brakes and dashboard
- The car doesn't pull to one side under braking and the handbrake holds it on a slope.
- No warning light stays on after starting: check engine, ABS, airbag or brake light.
- The horn works, and the seatbelts retract on their own and lock when pulled sharply.
Engine and underside
- No oil or fluid drips under the car.
- The exhaust doesn't roar. A roar usually means a silencer or pipe has rusted through.
Equipment
- There's a warning triangle, an in-date fire extinguisher and a first aid kit in the car.
- The registration certificate is with you.
Check engine light and fault codes at the inspection
On newer cars the inspector plugs a reader into the diagnostic socket and looks for active engine and emissions fault codes.
If the check engine light is on and there's an active code from P0001–P0499 or P0650, it's a major defect and the car is sent for a re-inspection. A pending code that hasn't switched the light on yet is a minor defect: the car passes, but the fault is still worth fixing.
Don't clear the codes just before the inspection. If the fault is still there, the code comes back after a few drives. The reader also shows that the car's self-tests haven't finished since the codes were cleared.
What the check engine light means and whether you can drive →
Emissions-related codes worth sorting out before the inspection
If the car was sent for a re-inspection
- Minor defect: the car is roadworthy, but the fault should be fixed.
- Major defect: the car is sent for a re-inspection. You may keep driving until the current inspection expires and for 30 days after that. If there was no valid inspection, you may drive for up to 30 days. In any case no longer than 60 days after the re-inspection was set.
- Dangerous defect: the car must not be driven on its own power. Have it towed.
Fix the defect and go back to the same inspection station for the re-inspection. If the inspector wrote a fault code on the report, look up what it means on our fault code pages.
Pre-inspection check
If the check engine light is on, or you're unsure about the brakes or suspension, bring the car to us before the inspection. We read the fault codes, check the car on a lift and tell you what needs fixing before the inspection and what can wait.
Want a definite answer?
Bring the car to our workshop in Estonia for diagnostics. We read the fault codes, test the sensors and tell you what is wrong. Repair price depends on the work involved, generally €45 per hour.
Frequently asked questions
Will a check engine light fail the inspection in Estonia?
If the check engine light is on and there's an active emissions-related fault code, it's a major defect and the car is sent for a re-inspection. Have the code read and the fault fixed before you go.
How often does a car need an inspection in Estonia?
A new passenger car has its first inspection 4 years after first registration. Up to 10 years old it's inspected every 2 years, and after that every year.
What do you need to have in the car for the inspection?
A warning triangle, an in-date fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. Bring the registration certificate too.
Does clearing the fault codes before the inspection help?
No. If the fault is still there, the light comes back after a few drives. The reader also shows that the car's self-tests haven't finished since the codes were cleared. Fix the fault rather than hide it.