Dutch APK Inspection: What Garages Check at Your Car's Annual Test

The annual periodic vehicle inspection (APK, the Dutch equivalent of an MOT) can get expensive in a hurry. You will probably recognise the situation. With a bit of bad luck, a lot of parts on your car are faulty or due for replacement, and you have to cough up a decent amount of money. Money you had not budgeted for and that stays on your mind for a long time. There is also a risk that you cannot get car insurance at all if you fail the APK. You do not want any of that, so prepare properly for your APK.

Take steps to keep the costs down

Fortunately there are several ways to cushion the annual APK costs: prepare well for the inspection and bring your structural costs down. What can you do? The most important tip is to anticipate what garages look at during the APK. Many of the problems that come out of the APK, and that you then have to pay for, you can prevent yourself with a few simple checks. And that adds up nicely in your wallet!

APK inspection checklist: what exactly should you look at?

We have put the most important things a car owner should keep an eye on when the periodic inspection comes around into a checklist below. Go through the checklist carefully and save on the unnecessary costs of many an APK. What do they check during an APK inspection?

• Tyres
• Bodywork
• Noises
• Seat belts
• Brakes
• Locks
• Exhaust
• Lighting
• Wheel suspension + steering
• Visibility

Points of attention for your car's lighting

First, both headlights must work flawlessly. So check your headlights and, for example, your (LED) parking lights, and replace them beforehand if either one does not work. Do note that on newer cars you often cannot replace the bulbs yourself, so bear that in mind. Second, it is a strict APK requirement that both tail lights are completely red. If the lens of your tail light is broken, that can cause problems, so take a good look. Third, both brake lights, both indicators, the hazard lights, the rear fog light and the warning lights on your dashboard must work properly. You also check the light above the number plate. Make sure your light lenses are clean and the reflectors are present. If you keep an eye on all of this and fix anything yourself, the costs at the APK will probably be a bit lower.

How to check your lighting yourself before the APK

You can check the lighting yourself in a few minutes. It is easiest with two people: one operates the switches, the other walks around the car.

1. Switch on the parking light and then the low beam, and check that both headlights are on.
2. Switch on the high beam and check both sides here as well.
3. At the back, check that both tail lights are on and that the lenses are completely red and intact.
4. Have someone press the brake pedal and check that all brake lights come on.
5. Test the indicators left and right, and then the hazard lights.
6. Switch on the rear fog light and check the light above the number plate.
7. When you start the car, check that the warning lights on your dashboard work.

If something does not work, it is often just a bulb. If you replace a headlight bulb, preferably do both at the same time, so the colour and brightness stay the same left and right. You can read how to replace a bulb yourself in our blog replacing a bulb in your car: do it yourself.

Switching to LED? Keep this in mind

Many drivers replace a failed filament bulb with LED straight away, for example for the number plate light, the brake and tail lights or the indicators. After fitting LED in the headlight, have the beam aligned and check that your car still meets the Dutch APK requirements; if in doubt, check with the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) or your inspector. According to Hilox's product information, LED bulbs with an H fitting designation cannot receive ECE or E-mark approval and are intended for racing circuits and private property.

Mind the level of your car insurance premium

Looking at where you can save during the APK is not the only way to keep some money in your pocket. Also take a look at the car insurance you have taken out and compare car insurance. The cover is very important here. After the APK you have a rough idea of what the car is still worth and whether you really need to insure it comprehensively. More extensive cover often means a higher premium. If you would not be reimbursed for it in case of damage, you are better off choosing lower cover. That brings your standard fixed costs down a bit too. Cars of ten years old are often insured with third-party liability only, cars between six and ten years old with limited cover (third party, fire and theft), and a younger car with fully comprehensive. The amount paid out for damage to the car or theft is a lot higher in that case.

You can read more about the link between your lighting and your insurance in car lighting and car insurance.