Fees for passenger car technical inspections will increase by approximately PLN 50, to PLN 149, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Stanisław Bukowiec announced at a press conference on Monday. He added that fees for other types of inspections will increase proportionally.
The current rate for a passenger car technical inspection is PLN 98 and has not changed since 2004.
“We propose that the fee for a passenger car technical inspection be increased by approximately PLN 50, to PLN 149. Fees for other types of inspections will increase proportionally,” said the deputy minister.
He added that the new rates should come into effect from September this year.
Bukowiec said that when realigning fees for technical inspections, the ministry used 2020 as the base year, and the calculations were based on inflation rates.
The Deputy Minister stressed that for many years, various organizations bringing together entrepreneurs running vehicle inspection stations have been requesting that this fee be made more realistic, but for over two decades no one wanted to raise this issue.
“If this fee were indexed gradually, even if only for inflation, this problem would not exist. (…) While we understand the demands of entrepreneurs in the vehicle inspection station industry, we cannot ignore the interests of Polish drivers, who are required to have their vehicles inspected every year. The most important goal we set for ourselves when amending the regulation was to maintain a balance between the interests of entrepreneurs and the interests of Polish drivers – a balance that would allow vehicle inspection stations some respite, but would not place an excessive burden on the wallets of Polish car owners,” he added.
Bukowiec noted that the current fee for a technical inspection in Poland was among the lowest in Europe; after the adjustment, it will still be significantly lower than, for example, in Germany, Italy, Slovakia or Estonia, and will be at the level of Hungary, Finland, Portugal or Greece.
The Deputy Minister also announced that the Ministry of Infrastructure has plans to improve road safety, which will be reflected in the draft amendment to the Road Traffic Law.
“This project aims to tighten the vehicle technical inspection system and create consistent oversight of its proper conduct,” Bukowiec pointed out. Among other things, a new training system for diagnosticians will be introduced, allowing them to periodically upgrade their skills and qualifications to meet the challenges of constant technological progress, he added.
The project will also propose the possibility of a technical inspection 30 days before the scheduled date without shortening the validity period of the next inspection – e.g. for people who plan to travel during the period in which the inspection is due – he said.
Bukowiec said that one of the assumptions of the amendment to the act will be to introduce the requirement to prepare photographic documentation during a technical inspection. The act will also provide for the periodic indexation of fees for technical inspections.
Jolanta Źródłowska, president of the Polish Chamber of Vehicle Inspection Stations, attended the conference, said that realigning fees for technical inspections will improve their quality and provide an opportunity for modernization and the purchase of modern diagnostic equipment. “We are also very committed to raising the prestige of the diagnostic profession and encouraging young people to choose this career path, as we are currently experiencing a generational shift in this profession,” she added. (PAP)
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