In Cyprus, the periodic technical inspection — commonly called the MOT, carried out at authorised private test centres (IKTEO) or the public centres run by the Road Transport Department — is required for passenger cars from their fourth year on the road and every two years after. Commercial vehicles, taxis and rental cars are tested more often.
It's a useful piece of safety regulation. It's also where a lot of Cyprus drivers waste a morning, a re-test fee and a tow because they turned up unprepared.
Updated October 2026: the MOT fee and the 2025 fee law
The latest official MOT fee for a passenger car that we can verify from a published source is €35 at a private test centre and €40 at a government-run (KEMO) centre (source dated April 2026). On 6 November 2025 parliament voted, by 40 votes to 1, to raise the fees for passenger cars (M1) and light commercials (N1) to €43 at private centres and €46 at government-run centres — the first increase since 2007. President Christodoulides referred the law back to parliament on 27 November 2025 over a clause limiting fee reviews to once every eight years, and on 4 December 2025 the plenary accepted that referral, removing the disputed clause. We have found no public confirmation that the higher fees are in force, so confirm the current fee with the test centre when you book. For our own MOT service in Paralimni, we take your car to its MOT for €43 — that is our garage's fee, not the official test fee.
Driving a car or van without a valid MOT carries a €150 fine — and it can give your insurer grounds to dispute a claim. If the car fails, a retest within 30 days is charged at a reduced fee (around €10) rather than the full amount.
How to check when your MOT is due
Your first test falls four years after the car's first registration, then every two years — the due date follows the expiry of your current certificate, and you can test up to 30 days early without losing the remaining validity. To see your exact date, sign in to the gov.cy service "Display details of vehicle and driving license" with CY Login — it shows your vehicle's MOT status. The Road Transport Department is also reported to send SMS reminders to owners whose contact details are registered, so keep yours up to date.
What gets checked
- Brakes — front and rear effort, parking brake, balance side-to-side, fluid condition
- Suspension & steering — play in track-rod ends, condition of bushes, leaking shock absorbers
- Lights — all bulbs working, headlight aim, indicators, hazards, reverse, plate lights
- Tyres — minimum tread depth (1.6 mm), no sidewall damage, matched on each axle
- Emissions — petrol: CO at idle and at raised RPM; diesel: smoke opacity test
- Bodywork & underside — corrosion, exhaust leaks, fuel-tank security
- Wipers, washers, horn, seat belts, mirrors
- Vehicle identity — VIN, registration plates legible, document checks
The most common Cyprus-specific fails
Suspension bushes
The combination of Cyprus heat and pothole-prone back roads destroys rubber bushes far faster than European averages. When you ask us for a pre-MOT inspection, we check every bush — replacing a worn one before the test is better than failing it.
Headlight aim
Left-hand-drive cars brought in from continental Europe have dipped beams set up for driving on the right, so in Cyprus, where we drive on the left, they dazzle oncoming drivers instead of lighting the verge. Headlight aim is on the test checklist, so make sure the beams are set up for left-hand traffic before the test. When you book a pre-MOT inspection, we check and adjust headlight aim as part of it.
Emissions on neglected diesels
An overdue service — old air filter, blocked DPF, tired injectors — will throw the smoke opacity test off. We do a Forte hydrogen carbon clean and a quick service before MOT for many diesels and pass first time.
Tyres past the wear bar
Easy fail, easy fix. Check yours the week before. While you're at it, look for cracks in the sidewalls — Cyprus's UV punishes rubber.
Pre-MOT checklist: the week before
- Walk around the car — every bulb, indicators, hazards, plate lights
- Tread depth on all four tyres (1.6 mm minimum) and a look for sidewall cracks
- Windscreen chips in the driver's line of sight, wiper smearing, washer jets working
- Horn, seat belts clicking and retracting, mirrors intact
- Any warning light on the dash — get it diagnosed, not taped over
- Diesel? A long motorway run before the smoke test — or a proper service and carbon clean if it's overdue
Documents to bring
- Vehicle registration document (logbook)
- ID or passport
- Previous MOT certificate, if you have one
- Proof of motor tax payment if your station asks for it
What we offer
We're not a test centre — the test itself is carried out at our partner MOT centre, and the certificate comes from there. What we do is handle the rest for you: we can book your MOT in Paralimni, drop the car at the partner centre ourselves and, if it fails, repair the failure items once you approve them and take it back for the re-test. If you'd like the car inspected before the test, ask and we'll do a pre-MOT inspection with manufacturer-level scan tools and a proper ramp check; if it's with us for a service anyway, it's inspected as part of that service.
If a car can't pass on safety, we don't let it leave the workshop in that condition — MOT or not. A KTEO certificate is the legal minimum; "safe to put my own family in" is the real bar.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the MOT cost in Cyprus in 2026?
The latest official fee we can verify is €35 for a passenger car at a private test centre and €40 at a government-run (KEMO) centre, from a source dated April 2026. Parliament voted in November 2025 to raise them to €43 and €46; the President referred the law back, and parliament accepted that referral in December 2025. We have found no public confirmation that the higher fees are in force, so confirm the current fee with the test centre when you book.
How do I check when my MOT is due?
First test four years after first registration, then every two years. For your exact date, sign in to the gov.cy "Display details of vehicle and driving license" service with CY Login, which shows your vehicle's MOT status — and keep your contact details registered with the Road Transport Department so their SMS reminders reach you.
What is the fine for driving without an MOT in Cyprus?
€150 for a car or van — and an expired certificate can also give your insurer grounds to dispute a claim after an accident. Cheaper all round to test on time.
Book your MOT or a pre-MOT check
Send us your reg, the MOT due date and a sentence about anything you've noticed. We'll book the car in for its test at our partner centre. If you'd like a pre-MOT inspection first, say so: we'll document anything that needs doing and quote you in writing before any spanner turns.