The new car testing scheme is revealed, here are the categories that should be checked every year, every two years and once in three years

The government has sent for public consultation the draft law which will completely change the process of testing cars. As announced a few days ago on December 31, the company SGS will no longer have over the technical control of vehicles, but all this right will pass to the state. Thus, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has presented the changes that will be made to the Road Code, defining new deadlines for each category of vehicles. The published document clarifies that the new vehicles with zero kilometers will not need testing only after 3 years from the registration, then they will be checked once in two years. However, it is emphasized that a stricter and more frequent control for another category of vehicles will follow. Specifically, the draft law indicates that the vehicles used for public transport will be tested once a year, such as; urbanites, buses and vans. The validity of the test for ambulances, taxis and driving schools will be one year. "All vehicles that circulate and enter the territory of the Republic of Albania, are obliged to pass technical inspection. For new motor vehicles, the technical inspection will be performed within three years from the date of first registration. After this period this control is performed every two years. Category M1 vehicles, used as taxis and ambulances as well as vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2, N3, O3, and O4, perform technical inspection every year. New vehicles of category M1, used as taxis and ambulances as well as vehicles of categories M2, M3, N2, N3, O3, and O4, perform technical inspection within one year from the date of the first registration and then every year ", it is stated in the draft. While other vehicles will carry out a technical inspection of vehicles once every two years, including those vehicles that underwent testing in 2020, the next service will be taken in 2022. While it is emphasized that the case when the owner of the vehicle wants is never excluded do a voluntary car check even before the deadline.

Here are the other innovations

Among other things, the report states that, once a year, vehicles for transport of goods with a load greater than 3.5 tons as well as vehicles with trailers with a maximum weight of more than 3 will have to perform a technical inspection. 5 tons. These categories of vehicles, if new, will perform the technical inspection within one year from the date of first registration and then every year. According to the report, which accompanies the draft law, the extension of this service in time will facilitate citizens both in terms of payment, but also in terms of saving time, travel expenses, and many other facilities. According to the accompanying report, these changes also come as a need to approximate the legislation with that of the European Union, in addition to the objective they have in increasing vehicle safety. But in this draft is left open the possibility to license other private companies which can do the technical control of vehicles. Specifically, it is said that spaces for market liberalization will be created. “The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy will draft the criteria and conditions for licensing of technical control operators of vehicles, taking opinions from the business community in the field. The provision of this service by some operators will also bring the full liberalization of the monopolized market to date. This draft law also includes the supervision of technical control centers, which will be done by private companies that will compete to obtain a concession to supervise the testing process ", it is stated in the draft. It is further emphasized that, Technical control is part of a comprehensive regime designed to ensure that road vehicles are kept in a safe and environmentally acceptable condition during use. Also Technical control should be the main tool to guarantee the technical suitability of the vehicle. Roadside technical inspections of commercial vehicles should simply complement periodic technical inspections.