The Global Roadworthiness Report

Between rising fuel prices, insurance costs, and vehicle registration, the inflated cost of car ownership has many Australian households feeling the pinch. As these expenses add up, it’s easy to see why more drivers feel anxious about extra car repairs and inspections further weighing on their wallet.

The financial burden and stringency of mandatory vehicle inspections varies across the world. While some countries enforce annual tests, others impose inspections every other year, or not at all. In Australia, the costs and requirements can differ dramatically by region, too.

With this in mind, the car insurance comparison service iSelect conducted an international study to find out where drivers face the highest and lowest mandatory vehicle inspection costs. By reviewing the frequency and local cost of roadworthiness inspections, as well as any unique inspection requirements, our insights reveal the average 10-year cost of car maintenance around the globe.

Read on to explore the true cost of being road legal and how your location can impact long-term car maintenance bills.

Most expensive regions for roadworthiness inspection costs

Discover the top five most expensive regions to keep your car roadworthy below:

1. Japan

At ¥100,000 JPY per inspection, Japan is the most expensive region for car inspection costs by country. Over 10 years, this equates to $5,250 AUD. As one of the strictest and most costly vehicle inspection systems worldwide, the cost of upkeep is almost more than five times than that of car inspections in the UK.

Japanese car inspections, known as Shaken, are mandatory tests that car owners must complete every two years once the car turns three years old. However, cost of inspection also includes taxes and car insurance.

Rather than pay renewal costs, the financial pressure of this system leads many drivers to scrap or export their cars, which has helped to fuel Japan’s used car export market over the years.  

2. UK

While vehicle inspection in the UK is legally capped at £54.85, this doesn’t keep it from being one of the most financially draining systems in the world. In the UK, drivers need to complete a MOT (Ministry of Transport) test every year once the car is three years old, contributing to an approximate 10-year cost of $1,037 AUD.

Although MOT costs in the UK pale in comparison to those in Japan, they don’t include insurance, taxes or the cost of repairs – which will inevitably add to the cost of car ownership.

3. Hong Kong

Closing out the top three most expensive regions, the average 10-year cost of car inspections in Hong Kong is $994 AUD. In Hong Kong, drivers must take their car for inspection every year once the car reaches six years old.

It might not be the most expensive region, but it remains one of the strictest. Car owners can only book car inspections at designated car testing centres and must provide a legal form of ID. Official fees sit at HK$585 (approximately $99 AUD).

4. Germany

Renowned for their reputation for scrutinous car inspections, Germany ranks fourth with an approximate 10-year cost of $990 AUD. The German TÜV inspection is mandatory for all vehicles over three years old, taking place every two years.

Drivers must get their cars tested at authorised centres, typically charging around €120 to check areas such as brakes, emission checks and corrosion. Like MOT tests in the UK, any failed vehicles must be repaired and rechecked in addition to the cost of the inspection.  

5. Norway

Finally, the EU-kontroll earns Norway fifth place among the most expensive vehicle inspection systems in the world. Norwegian car owners must take their vehicle for inspection every two years once the car reaches four years old, amounting to an approximate 10-year cost of $750 AUD. Based on EU roadworthiness standards, the local cost of EU-kontroll inspections can vary between 800 to 1,000 NOK (around $80 to $150 AUD).

Most affordable regions for roadworthiness inspection costs

If you’re comparing car maintenance costs in 2025 and wondering where in the world might land you cheaper bills, we’ve got the results right here. Naturally, roadworthiness inspection costs vary from country to country, but costs and regulations can also vary by region, too.

Here are the cheapest regions in the world for getting your car roadworthy:

1. Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia

When it comes to car inspection costs, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) offers the most bang for your buck with an approximate 10-year cost of $86 AUD. To put this into perspective, the average cost of a car inspection in Australia sits at around $124 AUD.

Car maintenance remains affordable in the ACT because $86 is the average cost of booking a car inspection, and there’s no mandatory annual test. New cars are exempt from inspection for up to six years, and drivers need only book an inspection once they transfer ownership of the car or move from interstate. This means inspection costs depend on how frequently you change your car.

But car inspections aren’t created equal, and nowhere proves this more than New South Wales, where you can expect to front $510 AUD over a 10-year period. Compared to other countries, car maintenance bills in Australia are still a fraction of the cost of those in Japan and the UK.

2. Queensland, Australia

The next-best region to book your car inspection is Queensland, Australia, costing an estimated $101 AUD over a 10-year period. Car inspections in Queensland are standardised to a government-set fee and are only required when selling or transferring a registered vehicle.

This saves car owners from the financial burden of mandatory tests, but like in the ACT, leaves the responsibility in the driver’s seat.

When we compare car inspection costs around the country, vehicle inspection tests in Queensland cost less than half of what drivers in South Australia spend over ten years ($234 AUD).

3. Ontario, Canada

Heading over to North America, the third most affordable region for getting your car roadworthy is Ontario, Canada. The estimated 10-year spend for drivers in Ontario is $108 AUD – which is the cost of a single car inspection.

Like Queensland and the ACT in Australia, there are no periodic inspections for private vehicles in Ontario, meaning drivers only pay for car inspections after they transfer ownership, or register a car from outside the province. Therefore, the onus is on the driver to keep their car in roadworthy condition.

But there’s no doubt that the lack of regular tests can make a significant cost difference. While it may only cost around $35 CAD for a car inspection in Prince Edward Island, Canada, the yearly cadence of vehicle tests adds up over time – the equivalent of $378 AUD over 10 years.

4. Texas, USA

Ranking fourth, our insights show that Texas offers some of the cheapest car inspection costs in the world. The Lone Star State scrapped mandatory safety inspections in 2025 and replaced it with an annual $7.50 emissions test. If you live in a metro county, this rises to $18.550 to meet federal air quality standards.

Nonetheless, the estimated 10-year spend for drivers in Texas is $112 AUD. Compared to the cost of car inspections in Pennsylvania and New York, which sit at $675 and $555 AUD respectively, living in Texas could offer drivers significant savings on their car bills over time.

5. Tasmania, Australia

Finally, rounding out our top five most affordable places to get your car inspected, drivers in Tasmania may only front an estimated $120 AUD over a 10-year period thanks to a lack of regular testing.

In Tasmania, car inspections are only required when transferring an interstate or out-of-state registration, or once the car has been unregistered for more than three months, checking the car’s safety and roadworthiness. 

How global car inspections vary: from rust to respite

It’s not only the cost and frequency of car inspections that can vary across regions. Our insights also found that some regions penalise drivers for different issues, requiring car owners to be conscious of different regulations depending on where they’re based.

For instance, many regions focus on mandatory checks that combine safety and emissions standards, while others, such as Texas, focus predominantly on emissions. Likewise, the scope of checks varies dramatically, such as in Germany and Norway, where drivers may find that rust buildup could cause them to fail their inspection.

When we consider the cost of mandatory car maintenance, the frequency of car inspections can make a significant difference for new car owners.

Despite being on opposite ends of our affordability rankings, Hong Kong and the ACT offer the longest exemption benefits for new car owners, with car inspections taking place after six years. This offers new car owners some breathing room before mandatory tests are introduced. Meanwhile, in many regions of the US and Canada, all vehicles must be inspected annually, with no exceptions.