This article covers the rules in Belgium. It matters to you if you ride a Belgian-registered motorcycle, want to buy or sell one there, or have moved to Belgium or commute across the border. Belgium has no regular roadworthiness test for motorcycles like the MOT or the German TÜV. Since 1 January 2023, however, a technical inspection has been required in two situations: before a used motorcycle is sold and after an accident. The three regions are responsible, so prices, test stations and some details differ between Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. In Flanders, the rules change again on 1 January 2027. All information is as of November 2026.
In short
- Who: motorcycles, tricycles and quads with a combustion engine above 125 cc, plus electric and hybrid models above 11 kW and above 45 km/h.
- When: before the sale to a new registered keeper and after an accident. There is no periodic test.
- Price 2026: Flanders €57.00 plus €5.20 for the registration application, Wallonia €51.90, Brussels €57.50.
- Validity: the registration application issued after the pre-sale inspection is valid for two months (Flanders, Wallonia).
- Flanders from 2027: the mandatory pre-sale inspection is abolished, except for imported vehicles.
Which motorcycles must be inspected
All three regions use the same threshold. The rule covers category L motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles with a combustion engine above 125 cc. For electric and hybrid models it applies if the power exceeds 11 kW and the top speed exceeds 45 km/h. Lighter vehicles, so most 125s and scooters, normally do not need to go. In Wallonia, however, the police can send smaller vehicles for inspection too.
The rule applies to vehicles on Belgian plates or about to be registered in Belgium. If you ride through Belgium on a bike registered in the UK, Germany or elsewhere, it does not affect you. Your bike falls under the test of its country of registration, in Germany the TÜV inspection.
Inspection before a sale
When a motorcycle changes keeper, it must be inspected first. In Flanders the inspection must take place before the bike reaches the new owner. In Wallonia the pre-sale inspection is required for every change of registered keeper, regardless of when the bike was bought. Buyer and seller can agree between themselves who takes it in. If you sell to a dealer, Wallonia leaves it to the agreement between you. If you deregister your own bike and later register it again in your name, no pre-sale inspection is needed there.
Watch the deadline that follows. The test station issues a registration application that is valid for two months in Flanders and Wallonia. If the bike is not re-registered within that time, a new full inspection is required. According to the Walloon administration, the inspection certificate itself does not expire. The official Brussels page does not state a time limit.
In Wallonia, a bike whose plate has been cancelled may be taken to the station under another valid and insured plate, for example that of another vehicle you own, together with that plate's registration certificate. Tell your insurer first. Without a plate, the bike has to come on a trailer.
Inspection after an accident
After an accident, the inspection checks that the repairs are sound. In Wallonia it is required if an expert reports the bike as accident-damaged, even if a professional workshop has repaired it. There is no fixed deadline, but the bike must pass before it goes back on the road. What to do in the first minutes after a crash abroad is covered in our article on motorcycle accidents abroad.
The post-accident inspection costs more if the frame and wheel geometry are measured: €128.00 in Wallonia and €127.20 in Brussels according to the 2026 fee schedules. If only the wheel geometry is checked, it is €64.30 and €57.50 respectively.
The three regions compared
| Flanders | Wallonia | Brussels | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | €57.00 | €51.90 | €57.50 |
| Pre-sale inspection per fee schedule | €62.20 incl. registration application | €51.90 | €57.50 |
| Technical retest | no motorcycle-specific fee | €16.50 | €16.40 |
| Test stations | 27 stations | 7 stations | Schaerbeek only |
| Pre-sale inspection in 2027 | abolished (except imports) | no change known | no change known |
All prices apply from 1 January 2026 and include VAT. Belgian fees are indexed every year on 1 January, so expect slightly different amounts in 2027.
Flanders
Inspections take place at 27 stations, including Antwerp, Bruges, Mechelen, Ypres and Zwijnaarde, by appointment only. Inspectors check brakes, steering, lights and reflectors, suspension, frame, emissions and noise, which is judged by ear.
From 1 January 2027 Flanders drops the mandatory inspection when a used bike is sold. It remains mandatory for imported vehicles, and a voluntary inspection is still possible. The Flemish government's page on motorcycle inspections still describes the old rule; the new one is on the page about the reform.
Wallonia
In Wallonia, the approved bodies AIBV and Autosécurité inspect motorcycles in Mons (Cuesmes), Eupen, Fleurus, Habay-la-Neuve, Marche-en-Famenne, Couvin (Mariembourg) and Wanze, by appointment. Bring the registration certificate, the certificate of conformity (COC) or an equivalent and, if you have one, the previous inspection certificate. Minor defects lead to a green certificate, major or critical defects to a red one.
Brussels
In the Brussels-Capital Region, motorcycles are inspected only at the Schaerbeek station. You book via autocontrole.be. Here too you get a green or red certificate. If there are serious defects, the certificate states that the bike may not be sold.
Tip: checking brakes, lights, tyres and loose parts yourself before the appointment often saves a retest. Our used motorcycle checklist is also useful as a buyer, even when the seller shows you a green certificate.
Noise: the inspection and the Brussels noise radars
In all three regions the inspection also assesses emissions and noise. Noise limits for motorcycles are set at federal level in Belgium. In 2023 the Brussels environment agency tested two prototype noise radars for research purposes, one of them in Schaerbeek. The finding: motorcycles and lorries were on average louder than other vehicles. We found no official source saying that such radars issue fines in Brussels. The agency refers complaints about motorcycle noise to the local police. Stationary noise limits and riding bans are covered in our article on motorcycle noise and riding bans.
Other Belgian rules worth knowing
Protective gear, filtering and fines are explained in our article on motorcycle rules in Belgium. For a neighbouring country with a periodic test, see our article on the contrôle technique in France.
Frequently asked questions
Does my motorcycle need a regular test in Belgium?
No. None of the three regions has a periodic test for motorcycles. An inspection is only required before a sale and after an accident.
Does a 125 cc scooter need an inspection?
Normally not. The rule applies above 125 cc, or above 11 kW and 45 km/h for electric and hybrid models. In Wallonia, however, the police can send smaller vehicles for inspection.
How long is the pre-sale inspection valid?
In Flanders and Wallonia the registration application is valid for two months. If the bike is not registered within that time, a new inspection is needed.
How much does the inspection cost in 2026?
Flanders €57.00 plus €5.20 for the registration application, Wallonia €51.90, Brussels €57.50. After an accident, with frame and geometry checks, it is €128.00 in Wallonia and €127.20 in Brussels.
Is the pre-sale inspection being abolished in 2027?
Only in Flanders, from 1 January 2027, and not for imported vehicles. We found no announced change for Wallonia and Brussels.
Sources
- Technische keuring van motorfietsen (Flemish government, in Dutch)
- Nieuwe regels voor de technische keuring vanaf 1 september 2026 (Flemish government, in Dutch)
- Tarieven 2026 (GOCA Vlaanderen, in Dutch)
- Contrôle technique des motos lors de la revente ou après accident (Wallonia, in French)
- FAQ contrôle technique motos (SPW Mobilité et Infrastructures, PDF, in French)
- Motorcycle fee schedule from 1 January 2026, Wallonia (Autosécurité, PDF, in French)
- Contrôle technique des motos (Brussels-Capital Region, in French)
- Motorcycle fee schedule 2026, Brussels (Autocontrôle, PDF, in Dutch and French)
- Bruit routier : mesures et actions (Brussels Environment, in French)
Last checked: November 2026. Rules and prices may change.
