Roadworthiness[1] or streetworthiness is a property or ability of a car, bus, truck or any kind of automobile to be in a suitable operating condition or meeting acceptable standards for safe driving and transport of people, baggage or cargo in roads or streets, being therefore street-legal.
In Europe, roadworthy inspection is regulated by:
A Certificate of Roadworthiness (also known as a ‘roadworthy’ or ‘RWC’) attests that a vehicle is safe enough to be used on public roads. A roadworthy is required in the selling of a vehicle in some countries. It may also be required when the vehicle is re-registered, and to clear some problematic notices.[3]
Roadworthy inspection is designed to check the vehicle to make sure that its important auto parts are in a good (not top) condition that is enough for safe road use. It includes:[3]
18 of 27 EU member states have required motorcycle owners to have their vehicles checked for road-worthiness. The directive 2014/45/EU defines obligations and responsibilities, minimum requirements concerning road-worthiness tests, administrative provisions and cooperation and exchange of information.
Minimum requirements concerning road-worthiness tests encompass date and frequency of testing, contents and methods of testing, assessment of deficiencies, road-worthiness certificate, follow-up of deficiencies and proof of test.