Knowledge base · APK
The APK spot check: what it means and how much time it costs
You are at the test centre, the inspection is done — and then comes the announcement: "Your car has been selected for the steekproef." It sounds like something is wrong, but the opposite is true: it is not your car being checked, it is the inspector. Here is how it works.
What the spot check is
The RDW supervises the quality of APK inspections. A share of all inspected vehicles is therefore randomly selected for a re-check by an RDW auditor. The auditor comes to the test centre and assesses whether the inspector carried out the inspection correctly: do the measured values add up, were the right points assessed, is the result justified.
The selection is random and automated. It says nothing about the condition of your car and nothing about the centre — it is simply quality control of the APK system.
What it means for you
- Waiting. The car must remain available at the centre for up to ninety minutes after the notification, so the RDW auditor can look at it. Allow for extra time.
- No costs. The spot check itself costs you nothing.
- Nothing to prepare. You don't need to do or bring anything; the audit is about the inspector's work.
Can the result still change?
Yes, in both directions. If the RDW auditor finds a defect the inspector missed, an approved car can still be rejected — and conversely, a questionable rejection point can be corrected. In practice the result usually stands. If your car does get rejected after all, the same route applies as with any failure: read the report, repair, re-inspect. That route is in our step-by-step plan after a failed APK.
Practical tips
- Don't book the inspection right before an appointment or departure. The chance of a spot check is small, but if it happens you can lose an hour and a half.
- Arrive with a prepared car. A car that comes to the centre after a thorough APK preparation also sails through a re-check — there is simply nothing to find.
- Keeping an eye on your expiry date is easiest with the free APK check on our homepage.
Frequently asked questions
Is the spot check a sign something is wrong with my car?
No. The selection is random and concerns the inspector's work, not your vehicle.
Can I refuse the spot check?
No — the availability requirement is part of the APK system. If you drive off before the re-check, the inspection cannot be registered, so you would gain nothing.
Are you involved in the spot check?
No — the spot check happens between the RDW and the test centre. We take care of the APK preparation and repairs; the inspection itself, including any spot check, happens at an RDW-approved centre.
Failed on this point? See APK preparation and repair in Tilburg.