Car Inspections to Start in March
It's been too good to be true! But, beginning in March, all vehicles older than four years will have to pass a mandatory car inspection at a cost of 60 to 70 euros. The inspection must be done every two years for personal vehicles and every year for commercial vehicles. Failure to pass will invoke a 135 euro fine and possible retention of the owner's carte grise (equivalent to the car's title in the U.S.) If the car fails inspection, the owner has two months to make repairs and try again. Any car that has not passed inspection cannot be sold because a new title will not be issued to the prospective buyer. The first inspection station is scheduled to open in early March in Lorient. With an estimated 8000 cars on this small island, it may take a while to get things under control. Let's just hope they aren't checking for rust!
