This article covers the rules in Luxembourg. It matters to you if you ride a Luxembourg-registered motorcycle, for example as a resident or cross-border commuter, or if you are buying a used bike there. In Luxembourg, motorcycles must go through a regular roadworthiness test, the contrôle technique. One of the bodies that carries it out is the SNCT, the Société nationale de contrôle technique. The first test is due after four years, and from the sixth year on it is annual. Here is when your bike is due, how the test works, what it costs and what applies when you buy. All information is as of November 2026.
In short
- Who: all motorcycles registered in Luxembourg. Mopeds and light quadricycles are exempt.
- Interval: first test four years after first registration, second after six years, then every year.
- Price at the SNCT: €54.50, retest €38.50 (prices since 2 May 2025).
- Reminder: a letter arrives about eight weeks before your certificate expires.
- Fail: retest within 28 days.
- Buying used: if the bike is more than four years old, you need a valid test certificate to register it.
Which vehicles must be tested
In principle, all registered motor vehicles in Luxembourg must be tested regularly. Exemptions include mopeds, light quadricycles and historic vehicles first registered before 1 January 1950. These need a conformity sticker from the vehicle registration agency SNCA instead. A normal motorcycle of any engine size is therefore subject to the test.
If you ride through Luxembourg on a bike registered in the UK, Germany or elsewhere, this does not affect you. Your bike falls under the test of its country of registration, in Germany the TÜV inspection.
When the test is due
Motorcycles follow the same schedule as cars. The Ministry of Mobility lists it on its page (last updated in July 2025):
| Test | Due |
|---|---|
| first periodic test | 4 years after first registration |
| second periodic test | 6 years after first registration |
| all further tests | every year |
An example: a motorcycle first registered in May 2022 is due for its first test in May 2026, the second in May 2028 and every year after that. The government portal guichet.lu gives the same intervals, but its page dates from 2021. We were unable to access the consolidated legal text on Legilux for this article. The legal basis is the amended road traffic law of 14 February 1955 and the amended Grand-Ducal regulation of 26 January 2016 on roadworthiness testing.
Besides the periodic test there are special cases. You also have to go after major repairs following an accident, such as to wheels, suspension, steering or brakes, after a repair or modification of the frame, and before using a vehicle whose technical characteristics have been changed. The police or an insurance company's assessor can also summon you to a special test.
How the test works
About eight weeks before your certificate expires, you get a letter asking you to book an appointment. You book online with the SNCT or another approved body. Guichet.lu also lists DEKRA and Luerenzweiler Kontrollstatioun (LU KS). To keep your current due date, the SNCT says the test must not take place more than 56 days early.
According to the SNCT you need to bring:
- part 1 of the registration certificate (carte grise),
- a valid road tax sticker (vignette fiscale); without it, no test is possible,
- the last test certificate, if there is one,
- the certificate of conformity (COC), if there is one,
- proof of insurance.
For motorcycles the SNCT requires a high-visibility vest; a warning triangle is only needed for tricycles and quads. On bikes first registered from 17 June 2003, modifications such as grips, handlebars or brake hoses must be entered in the carte grise. Changes to the rear of the bike must always be entered, whatever its age. The test covers brakes, steering, lights, wheels, tyres and suspension, frame, as well as noise and exhaust emissions, among other things.
What happens after the test
A coloured box at the bottom of the certificate shows the result:
- Green: passed, with no defects or minor defects.
- Orange: failed. You must return for a retest within 28 days.
- Red: failed, and the bike may no longer be ridden.
With an orange result you may only make certain journeys in Luxembourg: between the test station, your home and the workshop. Once the repairs are done and the retest is passed, you get a new certificate.
Tip: according to the SNCT, most failed vehicles fail on brakes, tyres or suspension. Check your pads, tread depth and lights before the appointment. Our spring check checklist helps you cover the basics.
What the SNCT test costs
Each testing body sets its own prices. At the SNCT the following prices apply since 2 May 2025, including VAT:
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Motorcycle with or without sidecar, tricycle | €54.50 |
| Quadricycle | €55.50 |
| Retest motorcycle, tricycle, quadricycle | €38.50 |
| Duplicate test certificate | €16.00 |
We have not checked the prices of DEKRA and LU KS. Compare them on their websites if one of their stations is closer to you.
Buying used and importing
If you buy a used motorcycle that is more than four years old, the registration authority asks for a valid test certificate. Get it from the seller, otherwise you will have to have the bike tested yourself. If you buy from a dealer in Luxembourg, the dealer usually takes care of the test and the plates.
If you bring a bike in from another EU country or Switzerland, its foreign test is generally recognised, but it must not exceed the intervals that apply in Luxembourg. Under that rule, a bike older than six years whose last test was more than a year ago would need a new test, because Luxembourg's interval is annual at that age. For the viewing itself, our used motorcycle checklist helps.
A Luxembourg-registered motorcycle cannot be tested abroad; the test must be done by a body approved in Luxembourg. If your certificate has expired, you may ride to the test station within Luxembourg once you have an appointment.
Other rules worth knowing in Luxembourg
Traffic rules for riders in Luxembourg are explained in our article on motorcycle rules in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Next door it works very differently: Belgium only inspects motorcycles before a sale and after an accident, as our article on the motorcycle inspection in Belgium explains. French deadlines are covered in our article on the contrôle technique in France.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a motorcycle need testing in Luxembourg?
The first test is due four years after first registration, the second after six years. After that, every year.
How much does the SNCT test cost?
€54.50 for a motorcycle and €38.50 for a retest. These prices apply since 2 May 2025.
Do mopeds need a roadworthiness test?
No. Mopeds and light quadricycles are exempt from periodic testing. They need a conformity sticker from the SNCA.
How long do I have after an orange result?
28 days. During that time you may only ride between the test station, your home and the workshop.
Can I have my Luxembourg bike tested in another country?
No. The test must be done by a body approved in Luxembourg.
Sources
- Contrôle technique, last updated 15.07.2025 (Luxembourg Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, in French)
- Prices valid from 2 May 2025 (SNCT, in French)
- FAQ on the contrôle technique (SNCT, in French)
- Préparer son contrôle technique (SNCT, in French)
- Qui sommes-nous ? (SNCT, in French)
- Contrôle technique périodique pour véhicule, updated 16.08.2021 (Guichet.lu, in French)
Last checked: November 2026. Intervals and prices may change.
