Fine for the Lack of Technical Inspection in Romania
Sanctions for the Lack of Technical Inspection in Romania
Romania has strict measures for the absence of a technical inspection (ITP). If the validity of the ITP expires, the vehicle’s registration is automatically suspended. Driving such a vehicle is equivalent to driving an unregistered vehicle.
A fine is also imposed for the lack of a technical inspection in Romania.
Article 178 (1) from Hotărârea Guvernului nr. 1391/2006 states:
At Romania’s border crossing points, border police officers have the right to apply sanctions in case of traffic violations detected on public roads. This means that if you violate traffic rules, the border police, according to the law, can impose a fine or take other measures as provided by the legislation.
Fines for the Lack of Technical Inspection in Romania
In 2024, in Romania, a fine is imposed for the lack of a valid technical inspection (ITP), as specified in Article 102 of Law no. 195/2002 on road traffic.
The fine for the lack of ITP in Romania:
Number of penalty points: The fine for driving a vehicle without a valid ITP is from 9 to 20 penalty points.
The cost of one penalty point: In 2024, one penalty point is equal to 5% of the minimum wage. In the first half of the year, it amounts to 165 lei.
Calculation of the Fine for the Lack of Technical Inspection in Romania:
Minimum possible fine: 9 points x 165 lei = 1,485 lei (approximately 300 euros).
Maximum possible fine: 20 points for the lack of ITP and 20 points for suspended registration = 40 points x 165 lei = 6,600 lei (approximately 1,320 euros).
Thus, the minimum fine is around 300 euros, and the maximum is around 1,320 euros.
If you have been fined in Romania for speeding or for the lack of a valid technical inspection (ITP), you can take advantage of a 50% discount if you pay the fine within the first 15 days from the date of receiving the protocol. For example, if the fine is 4,500 lei, you can pay 2,250 lei within the specified period.
After paying the fine in Romania, you must keep the payment receipt. Usually, this receipt needs to be sent to the authority that issued the fine for confirmation of payment. Most often, this could be the police station, the traffic police department, or an online service if the fine was issued through the electronic system.
Instructions for submitting the receipt are usually specified on the fine document itself. Often, the receipt needs to be sent by email, mail, or uploaded to a special portal. If no instructions are provided, it is better to contact the police station or authority that issued the fine for clarification on the procedure. Keeping a copy of the receipt is also important in case of future questions or disputes.
Fines are not always issued simultaneously. It depends on the specific situation and circumstances under which the driver was stopped by the police.
One Fine for the Lack of Technical Inspection in Romania: If the driver was stopped and it was discovered that they do not have a valid technical inspection (ITP), only one fine may be issued— for the lack of ITP. This happens if the vehicle’s registration has not yet been suspended. (300-600 euros)
Two Fines (for ITP and Registration): If the ITP has expired, and the vehicle’s registration was automatically suspended, a second fine will be imposed for driving a vehicle with a suspended registration. In this case, the police may issue both fines simultaneously.
Thus, if the vehicle’s registration has not been suspended, the driver may only receive one fine for the lack of ITP.
Vehicles registered outside of Romania are not subject to automatic registration suspension in the case of an expired technical inspection, as the suspension applies only to vehicles registered in Romania. Therefore, for a foreign vehicle, such as a Ukrainian one, one fine will be imposed for the lack of a valid ITP, but there will be no second fine for registration suspension.
The automatic suspension of registration applies only to vehicles registered in Romania, as this action is related to the national vehicle registration and management system.
Laws concerning the suspension of vehicle registration operate within the Romanian system, which does not have direct control over foreign vehicle registration databases. Therefore, foreign vehicles on Romanian territory may be fined for the lack of a valid technical inspection but cannot have their registration suspended, as Romania does not have the legal authority to interfere with registration actions conducted in other countries.
If Romanian police stop a vehicle with foreign plates and find that it lacks a valid technical inspection (ITP), they may seize the vehicle’s technical passport (registration certificate). This is a measure to prevent the further use of the vehicle on public roads. After the technical passport and possibly the license plates are seized, the vehicle is considered immobilized, and it can only be moved by tow truck.
However, the seizure of the technical passport will not imply the suspension of registration in the country where the vehicle is registered. The owner will be able to retrieve the technical passport and continue using the vehicle only after resolving the violations, such as completing the technical inspection and providing the necessary documents.
The practical application of fines for ITP in Romania will become clear with time.
First Reports on Fines in Romania for ITP and Seizure of Vehicle’s Technical Passport
Police Measures
If a vehicle with an expired ITP is discovered, the police can immediately seize the license plates. Along with the plates, the registration certificate is also seized. After that, the vehicle is considered immobilized, and its operation is prohibited.
Vehicle Immobilization
Without plates and the registration certificate, the vehicle can only be moved by tow truck. The owner cannot operate such a vehicle until the new technical inspection is passed. The vehicle must be transported to the inspection location by tow truck.
Vehicle Evacuation
Legal Basis for the Seizure of License Plates in Romania for the Lack of ITP
Law No. 195/2002 regulates the seizure of license plates and the registration certificate. Article 112 of the law allows the police to remove plates and seize registration documents if the vehicle has not passed the technical inspection.
Article 112(1) states: The registration certificate or a substitute proof is retained by the road police in the following cases: a) the vehicle has not passed the required periodic technical inspection.
Return of License Plates and Documents
To retrieve the plates and documents, the technical inspection must be completed and the results confirmed. Afterward, the documents can be returned by the authorities that seized them.
All vehicles registered outside Romania must have a valid technical inspection to legally operate in Romania. This requirement applies to all vehicles, regardless of their purpose in Romania—whether in transit or temporarily in the country. Vehicles must comply with the safety requirements established in the country of registration and have a valid document confirming the completion of the technical inspection.
In Romania, if the technical passport (certificat de înmatriculare) of a vehicle was seized for the lack of a valid technical inspection (ITP), it is kept by the authorities until the cause for the seizure is resolved. There are no specific deadlines for document retention in the legislation, but it is important to complete the technical inspection as soon as possible at one of the Registrul Auto Român (RAR) branches.
After successfully passing the technical inspection and receiving confirmation from RAR, the owner can retrieve their technical passport from the police station. This confirmation will serve as the basis for returning the technical passport. The process may take different amounts of time depending on how quickly the owner resolves the ITP issue and provides the necessary documents.
Article 3 of Article 10 from OG 195/2002, which allowed drivers a 24-hour grace period to update the technical inspection (ITP) after returning to Romania, was abolished due to subsequent amendments to the law.
Follow the rules to avoid fines for the lack of ITP in Romania.
The technical inspection can be completed in Romania at RAR service centers or in certified centers in Ukraine.