Longer inspection intervals (§57a)
ÖAMTC criticises: Million costs for replacement stickers would be avoidable.
From 19 May 2027, cars, motorcycles and light trailers will switch from the 3-2-1 to the 4-2-2-2-1 inspection interval.
The most important points in brief:
- From 19 May 2027, cars, motorcycles and light trailers will switch from the 3-2-1 to the 4-2-2-2-1 inspection interval.
- Around two million vehicle owners will have to get a replacement sticker – according to the ÖAMTC, this will cause approximately 23 million euros in administrative costs.
- In alpine regions, vehicles show significantly more serious defects; longer intervals could increase repair costs there.
- The grace period for exceeding the deadline is abolished; instead, the inspection can be carried out up to four months before it is due.
Planned changes
With a resolution by the National Council on the 42nd amendment to the KFG, the §57a inspection intervals for certain vehicle classes will be changed to a so-called 4-2-2-2-1 regulation.
From 19 May 2027, the inspection intervals for vehicle classes M1 (cars), L (mopeds, motorcycles, quads, light vehicles…), O1 and O2 (light trailers) as well as agricultural machinery and trailers will be switched from the existing 3-2-1 interval to a new 4-2-2-2-1 interval. This does not affect vehicles for which different inspection intervals have already applied, such as vehicles of class N (trucks), taxis or historic vehicles.
Read more Longer inspection intervals (§57a) | ÖAMTC
New inspection sticker regulation to be introduced
At the end of May, the inspection deadline for the interval change of the §57a inspection – commonly known as the "Pickerl" – for motor vehicles expires. In the future, vehicles will first be inspected after 4 years, then every 2 years, and only annually for older vehicles. The regulation will also apply to existing vehicles, which may change the expiry date – the sticker will have to be exchanged. In the future, you will no longer be able to exceed the sticker's validity by up to 4 months; the vehicle can be inspected in advance.
ÖAMTC in favour of digital sticker variant.
The ÖAMTC is critical of the planned sticker innovation: vehicle owners will have to visit an inspection centre in the future to get a new sticker and have a new due date entered in the central inspection database. This will lead to a great deal of work for inspection centres, and also for vehicle owners. The initiative, which is fundamentally welcome, is "not thought through to the end," according to the ÖAMTC. Only the simultaneous introduction of the also announced "digital sticker" would provide real relief. Otherwise, high administrative costs would be threatened.
29.5.2026