Vehicle inspections (‘Pickerl’ inspection stickers)

General information

Vehicles and their trailers must be regularly inspected for roadworthiness and operational safety. These inspections are known as ‘Section 57a inspections’.

The following vehicles are exempt from regular inspections:

• trailers that may not exceed 25 km/h;
• tractors with a maximum design speed of no more than 25 km/h;
• self-propelled machinery and transport carts with a maximum design speed of no more than 30 km/h;
• motorised carts with a maximum design speed of no more than 25 km/h.

Deadlines

The inspection date for the Section 57a inspection is determined based on the month in which the vehicle was first registred. The month in which the inspection is due is punched into the inspection sticker (the month of first registration). The inspection may also, without affecting the due date for the next inspection, be carried out: in the period from the start of the calendar month preceding the designated inspection month until the end of the fourth month following that month for vehicles under points 1 to 4; within a period of 3 months before the designated inspection month for vehicles under point 5 (‘grace period’).

Upon request, the due date of the inspection can be set on a day that is not the day of first registration. This must be requested from the registration authorities^{German Text}, namely:

• the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft);
• the municipal executive (Magistrat);
• the Transport Agency (Verkehrsamt) in Vienna.

The necessary application forms are available from the abovementioned bodies. There is not currently an online form for inspection date change requests.

For the following vehicles, the report from the last ‘Pickerl inspection’ (Section 57a – Report) must always be carried in the vehicle:

• Class M2 and M3 vehicles (buses with more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat)
• Class N2 and N3 vehicles (HGVs over 3.5 tonnes maximum gross vehicle weight)
• Class O3 and O4 vehicles (trailers over 3.5 tonnes maximum gross vehicle weight)
• Tractors of vehicle class T5 on wheels and with a maximum design speed of over 40 km/h that are primarily used in commercial transport on public highways

Competent authority

An assessment centre authorised by the state governor (Landeshauptmann), for example:

• Associations such as motorists' clubs (e.g. → ARBÖ^{German Text}, → ÖAMTC^{German Text})
• Business establishments (e.g. garages)
• Freelance civil engineers (Ziviltechniker)
• Technical/engineering firms

Procedure

The cleaned vehicle must be inspected at an assessment centre.

The vehicle will be checked for roadworthiness and operational safety. Each of the following elements of the vehicle are inspected:

• equipment
• lights
• safety devices
• chassis and bodywork
• tyres and wheels
• engine
• brakes

In addition, the vehicle will be checked to ensure that it does not produce an excessive amount of noise, smoke, unpleasant odours or harmful air pollutants.

If the vehicle has severe deficiencies that must be corrected immediately, or is likely to pose a risk on the road, it must be repaired before being presented again for inspection. Only once the vehicle has no severe deficiencies can an inspection sticker (‘Pickerl’) be issued or put in place.

The ‘Pickerl’ is usually white.

Vehicles not included in the list below may still receive a green ‘Pickerl’, if still available, which is equivalent to the white version:

• passenger cars, estate cars and HGVs up to 3.5 tonnes with a petrol engine and catalytic converter as well as low-emission diesel vehicles (including diesel HGVs ), and trailers
• mopeds with national type-approval from 1 October 1988 onwards or single approval from between 1 January 1989 and 17 June 1999
• low-emission motorcycles
• electric vehicles

Historic vehicles receive a red ‘Pickerl’ with the inscription ‘HISTORISCHES FAHRZEUG – HISTORIC VEHICLE’.

Required documents

• Vehicle registration certificate
• For vehicles with a maximum gross vehicle weight of over 3 500 kg and historic vehicles, an additional approval document is required, such as:
  • type-approval certificate
  • single approval
  • proof of registration
  • valid certificate of conformity
  • data extract from the approval database for vehicles with EC type-approval
  • vehicle approval document issued when the vehicle was last registered

For historic vehicles, conformity with the approval document and compliance with temporary traffic restrictions must be checked on the basis of logbook records or similar.

For vehicles equipped with a tachograph or control device, proof of the results of the previously performed inspection of the tachograph / control device must be provided.

If there are doubts as to whether the vehicle has received approval, proof of approval or the approval document may also be requested for vehicles with a maximum gross vehicle weight of less than 3500 kg.

Costs and fees

The costs vary depending on the assessment centre.

Further information

In certain cases, e.g. for vehicles that were first registered more than 12 years ago, the authorities may order a special inspection. Further information on the subject of ‘Special inspections – presentation for inspection ’Special Inspections – presentation for inspection’ can be found at oesterreich.gv.at.

Detailed information on the subject of ‘Vechicle registration certificate – change of name/adress’ (e.g. when moving house) can also be found at oesterreich.gv.at.

Further links

Pickerl-Calculator (→ ÖAMTC)^{German text}

Legal basis

• Section 57a of the Kraftfahrgesetz (KFG)
• Prüf- und Begutachtungsstellenverordnung (PBStV)