How often does a car in Peru need its technical inspection, and what is the fine without one?

What it is and which rule governs it

The revisión técnica vehicular is the vehicle technical inspection carried out by an MTC-authorized Vehicle Technical Inspection Center (Centro de Inspección Técnica Vehicular, CITV). If your vehicle passes, you get a certificate with an expiry date. The governing rule is the National Vehicle Technical Inspection Regulation, approved by Decreto Supremo 025-2008-MTC. The MTC is Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications.

A warning: we read the text published in August 2008. The norm’s gob.pe page lists fifteen supreme decrees that amended it, the latest from 2019. So, on frequency and vehicle age, we show you the two official sources we found.

Which vehicles need it

Every vehicle registered in the Vehicle Property Registry that uses public roads must pass it periodically. Only vehicles that passed may circulate (art. 6).

Exempt, according to the regulation and the MTC’s gob.pe page:

• Category L1 and L2 vehicles (mopeds, small motorized bicycles and low-power scooters).
• Foreign-plated vehicles.
• Collector vehicles.

From what age and how often

The two official sources do not match here. We do not pick one.

What the MTC’s gob.pe page says today (last change: 16 January 2022):

What the regulation said in 2008 (art. 8.1), in selected rows:

In that text, vehicle age «se cuenta a partir del año siguiente de fabricación consignado en la Tarjeta de Propiedad» (is counted from the year after the manufacture year shown on the registration card). We cannot confirm whether the regulation’s «third year» and the gob.pe page’s «fourth year» lead to the same date. Check your certificate’s expiry date in the MTC system.

Schedule by last digit of the plate

According to the MTC’s gob.pe page, the first inspection follows the last digit of the plate:

Where to go and what it costs

• You choose the center (art. 12.1). Only authorized CITVs count; the list is on gob.pe.
• There is no national price. Each CITV sets its price under free-market criteria and must display it where customers can see it (art. 47).
• Bring the registration card (tarjeta de propiedad) and a valid SOAT or CAT: the center must ask for and check them (art. 15.1). SOAT is Peru’s mandatory traffic accident insurance; what it covers and what happens without it is in SOAT: mandatory car insurance.

According to an MTC press release of April 2025, the inspection has three stages: documents, visual (bodywork, mirrors, windshield, seat belts and more) and mechanical (brakes, suspension, steering, lights, exhaust gas and noise emissions).

If you fail

The 2008 text sorts findings into three groups:

• Minor: no new inspection needed. You fix them before the next one (art. 19).
• Serious: the inspection is failed. You get a re-inspection of only the listed defects within 30 calendar days of the report date. If you do not return in time, or fail, you take a new full inspection (art. 20).
• Very serious: the inspection is failed and the vehicle must be taken to a maintenance workshop (art. 21).

The fine for driving without a certificate

In the National Traffic Regulation infraction table published by the Lima tax and fines office (SAT de Lima):

• M27: driving a vehicle without a technical inspection pass certificate. Fine of S/ 2,750, 50 points and impoundment of the vehicle. The MTC’s gob.pe page gives the same fine (50% of a UIT), the same points and impoundment.
• M42: the same for category L5 vehicles (for example, mototaxis). Fine of S/ 275, 50 points and impoundment.

The UIT is Peru’s tax unit used to set fines. The SAT table rates M27 as very serious (muy grave). An MTC press release of April 2025 calls it serious (grave). The fine is the same in both.

How to appeal a ticket or what happens if you do not pay is in traffic tickets. For your license, see driver’s license. If you are selling or buying, also check transferring a vehicle and the tarjeta de propiedad.