The beginnings of technical control in France are in 1985. But, at the time, it only concerned vehicles over 5 years old, during a sale. It is therefore a few years later that he is become mandatory, even without selling his vehicle. Initially concerning vehicles over 5 years old, the control drops by one year and now concerns vehicles 4 years old and over, and must be done every two years. It must also be made on the sale of a vehicle more than 4 years old if the previous CT is more than 6 months old.
A fine in the event of an expired technical control
Legally, it is therefore mandatory to pass and obtain the technical control if your vehicle is more than four years old. Without this, in the event of control by the forces of order, you are liable to a fine and much worse. The fine is a 4th class. It costs €135 as a flat rate, or €90 less (if paid within 3 days). If you do not pay within 45 days, the fine is increased to 750 €.
If you are in this case, you must quickly make an appointment with a technical control center. Because in addition to the financial fine, your vehicle may be immobilized by law enforcement. The Highway Code even provides for the confiscation of registration certificate (the grey card “). Gendarmes or police then give you a temporary authorization to travel for seven days during which you must pass the technical control. Without it, the risk of impounding is great, and it can quickly cost you more.
But, in addition to fines and legal penalties, there is a risk in the event of an accident. Indeed, your insurance could, in the event of an accident alone or responsible, not compensate youconsidering that you were at fault and that the condition of the vehicle may be the cause of the accident.
Reassure the buyer in the event of the sale of the vehicle
Obviously, the technical control aims above all to ensure that the cars in circulation do not have any critical technical failures. Besides, the CT has been reinforced recently with more points checked by the agents of the technical centers. It is reassuring as a driver to know that his vehicle is not dangerous and does not pollute more than when it was approved.
But, the CT is also mandatory when selling a vehicle to an individual. We often read “sold without technical control” or “sold as is” on certain advertisements: it is totally illegal. And even if the buyer swears to you that he does not need it, he could turn against you in the event of major defects, or even have the sale canceled.
The pre-sale technical control allows the buyer to know a little better what he is buying. A blank inspection allows the sale price to be maintained, however if there are defects noted, the buyer can negotiate a discount to carry out the work.
Despite its undeniable interest, each year there are approximately 20% non-compliant technical checks. And your technical control? Exceeded or valid?
