Failed the APK (MOT) on the brakes: what does the RDW require and what do we do?

Your inspection report shows a rejection point on the brakes, with an article number and a short description. What does it mean, and what has to happen before the car passes? Below we translate the requirements from the APK manual of the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, into plain English and explain how we repair the rejection point and arrange the retest in Rotterdam.

By the team at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug, RDW-approved APK (MOT) test station since 1979 · Updated 8 November 2026

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The short answer

A car fails the APK (MOT) on the brakes when the braking force is too low, when left and right differ too much, when the parking brake does too little or when a part is worn, leaking or badly rusted. The requirements are in the RDW’s APK manual (article 5.2.31 and following of the Regeling voertuigen, the Dutch vehicle regulations). A passenger car registered after 2011 must reach a deceleration of at least 5.8 m/s², and the difference between left and right on one axle may not be more than 30 percent. After the repair the car has to be inspected again. If we repair the items that failed, we will also arrange the retest. We will tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance.

Brake service at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug: brake pads, discs, fluid, calipers, hoses and the handbrake or electric parking brake, for all makes, including hybrid and electric cars, vans and motorhomes up to 3,500 kg. We first measure what is worn, replace only that and show you the old parts. We tell you the price in advance based on your registration number, and we only do extra work with your approval. Call +31 10 479 00 00 or drop by. You bring the car and we call you when it is ready. A loan bike is free while one is available. Saturdays too. Our team speaks English. More about our brake service

On which points does the RDW fail the brakes?

The inspector looks at two things: how hard the car brakes and whether the parts are in order. He measures the braking force on the brake tester. He assesses the parts visually, with the car on the lift and without taking anything apart. These are the rejection points we see most often on an inspection report, with the article number you will find on the report:

Rejection point on the report What it means Article
Service brake deceleration too low Below 5.8 m/s² on the brake tester for cars registered after 31 December 2011, below 5.2 m/s² for older cars 5.2.38
Difference in braking force on one axle Left and right differ by more than 30 percent of the highest measured value 5.2.38 (article 61)
Parking brake insufficient Handbrake or electric parking brake reaches less than 1.6 m/s² (cars registered after 31 December 2017) or 1.2 m/s² (cars from between 1 July 1967 and 1 January 2018) 5.2.39
Brake disc too worn or rusted The effective braking surface per side is less than 50 percent of the width of the brake pad, or there is a risk of breakage 5.2.31 (article 54)
Brake line corroded After wiping away surface rust, pitting remains visible, or the line leaks 5.2.31 (article 53)
Brake hose damaged The reinforcement (the fabric in the hose) is visible, the hose chafes or is badly deformed 5.2.31 paragraph 5
Handbrake cable damaged The inner cable is damaged or broken, even if only one strand is broken 5.2.31 (explanatory note)
Brake lining worn out Metal on metal can be heard when the wheel is turned 5.2.31 paragraph 7
Dust boot of brake cylinder damaged The dust boot of the caliper or wheel cylinder is seriously damaged 5.2.31 paragraph 9
ABS warning light on On cars registered after 31 December 2017 the ABS warning light may not indicate a fault 5.2.31 paragraph 11
Brake fluid below minimum or cap missing The level in the reservoir is below the minimum mark, or the filler cap is missing 5.2.32

Source: RDW APK manual for passenger cars, chapter on the braking system. The article numbers are those of the Regeling voertuigen. Consulted on 6 November 2026.

Everything that is checked at the APK, from lights to tyres, is in the APK checklist: what does the inspector check.

Deceleration and left/right difference: what does the brake tester measure?

The brake tester measures per wheel how much braking force the car delivers. From those forces and the weight of the car, the inspector calculates the deceleration in metres per second squared (m/s²). The higher the figure, the harder the car can brake. According to article 5.2.38, a passenger car registered after 31 December 2011 must reach at least 5.8 m/s² with a pedal force of no more than 500 N. For cars from between 1 July 1967 and 1 January 2012 it is 5.2 m/s².

In addition, left and right must brake evenly. The difference between the two wheels on one axle may not be more than 30 percent of the highest measured braking force, as long as the wheels do not lock. A car that brakes much harder on the left than on the right pulls to one side in an emergency stop. This is the rejection point we see most often. The cause is usually on the side that does too little: a seized caliper or slide pin, a rusted disc, or a brake pad that has been in contact with oil or brake fluid.

Slightly different figures apply to a van up to 3,500 kg. According to article 5.3.38, a commercial vehicle registered after 31 December 2011 must reach at least 5.0 m/s² with a pedal force of no more than 700 N. The 30 percent rule per axle applies here too. For a motorhome it depends on whether it is registered as a passenger car or as a commercial vehicle on the registration certificate.

When does the handbrake or parking brake fail?

According to article 5.2.39, the parking brake must work on at least two wheels and reach a minimum deceleration: 1.6 m/s² for cars first used after 31 December 2017 and 1.2 m/s² for cars from between 1 July 1967 and 1 January 2018. On cars registered after 2017, the parking brake must also work in reverse. An electric parking brake that cannot be measured on the brake tester passes when the wheels lock while you apply the brake with the car lifted off the ground.

A handbrake cable with a damaged or broken inner cable is a rejection point, even if only one strand is broken. A damaged outer sheath is not. The causes of a weak parking brake are usually a stretched or rusted cable, worn brake shoes or a seized mechanism on the caliper. More in handbrake or parking brake stuck or not working.

Discs, lines, hoses and ABS: what does the inspector look at?

Article 5.2.31 says in essence that all parts of the brake system must be securely fixed, must not be badly rusted, damaged, cracked or broken and must not leak. The inspector assesses that without dismantling anything. These are the rules behind most rejection points:

  • Brake discs: on each side, the smooth, rust-free part of the disc must be at least 50 percent of the width of the brake pad over the full circumference (additional requirement article 54). Small heat cracks in the surface are not a rejection point. Wear is only a rejection point when there is a risk of breakage. If the inspector is in doubt, he notes an advisory point. Note: the manual does not mention a minimum thickness in millimetres. The thickness of pads and discs is not measured at the APK.
  • Brake lines: surface rust is allowed, but after wiping it away no pitting may remain (additional requirement article 53). A badly corroded coupling of a brake hose is also a rejection point.
  • Brake hoses: rejection if the hose is badly deformed, chafes against other parts or is damaged so that the reinforcement is visible. Small cracks from drying out that do not yet expose the fabric are not a rejection point. The inspector looks with the wheels turned fully to the left and to the right.
  • Calipers and wheel cylinders: the dust boots may not be seriously damaged (paragraph 9). A wheel with a disc brake may drag lightly, a wheel with a drum brake must turn freely (paragraph 6).
  • ABS: the parts must be securely fixed and must not leak (paragraph 10). On cars registered after 31 December 2017, an ABS warning light that stays on is a rejection point (paragraph 11). More in ABS light on.
  • Brake fluid: only the level and the cap (article 5.2.32). The boiling point or water content is not measured at the APK.

On older cars, lines and hoses are a common rejection point, because rust and ageing work on them unnoticed. What you need to know about them is in brake hoses and lines: rust, leaks and the APK.

Rejection point, repair point or advisory point: what is on the report?

Not every remark about the brakes means a fail. A rejection point (afkeurpunt) must be repaired before the car is inspected again. An advisory point (adviespunt) is not a rejection point: the inspector expects that the part will probably no longer meet the requirements within a year. For the brake system there is advisory point AC5. The RDW describes it as: one or more parts of the brake system show wear and will need replacing in the short term. The inspector may only note it when he can see the wear without dismantling anything.

If you get an advisory point on the brakes, you do not have to go to the garage straight away, but waiting until the next APK is unwise. How to read the report is in rejection, repair or advisory point: how to read your APK report.

Can I still drive a car that has failed on the brakes?

That depends on the rejection point and on whether your APK is still valid. What the law says after a fail is in failed APK: repairs and retest in Rotterdam. From a safety point of view we use this rule:

Can I still drive? Has the car failed on a leaking line or hose, on a brake fluid level below the minimum, on a pedal that sinks or on a large difference between left and right? Then do not drive any further and have the car brought in. Is the rejection point a weak parking brake, a torn dust boot, an ABS warning light or a disc whose smooth part is slightly less than half the width of the brake pad? Then you can drive carefully to the garage. If in doubt, call +31 10 479 00 00.

What do we do after a fail on the brakes?

We repair the rejection points and arrange the retest at one address. Bring the inspection report or take a photo of it: it says which article has failed and on which side. This is how it goes:

  1. Measuring: we measure the thickness of the brake pads and discs and compare it with the manufacturer’s minimum. We check the calipers, slide pins, hoses, lines and the fluid level.
  2. Price in advance: we tell you one price for your registration number in advance for the repair and the retest. That includes parts, labour, testing and disposal of the old parts. If anything comes up, we tell you first.
  3. We replace only what is worn: a disc that is still thick enough and not warped or pitted stays on. We replace brake pads and discs per axle, left and right at the same time, otherwise the car brakes unevenly again. You can see the old parts.
  4. Testing: after the work we test the car on the brake tester and take a short test drive.
  5. Retest and registration: we inspect the car again and register the result with the RDW. We do the APK from Monday to Friday.

We do this for all makes, including hybrid and electric cars (our mechanics hold the GMTO certificate, the Dutch qualification for high-voltage systems) and for vans and motorhomes up to 3,500 kg. Everything about brake pads, discs, calipers and brake fluid is on brake replacement in Rotterdam.

Frequently asked questions

What happens after the rejection points on the brakes have been repaired?

The car is inspected again and the result is then registered with the RDW. If we repair the items that failed, we will also arrange the retest. We will tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance. How long you have for that and what applies if your APK has already expired is in failed APK: repairs and retest in Rotterdam.

Does a car fail on thin brake pads?

No, not on the thickness alone. The APK manual does not mention a minimum thickness in millimetres and the inspector does not measure the pads. A fail only follows when the lining is worn out and metal on metal can be heard when the wheel is turned (article 5.2.31 paragraph 7), or when the braking force becomes too low or uneven as a result. Pads that are nearly worn usually get an advisory point.

Is rust on the brake discs a rejection point?

No, surface rust is not. A fail follows when the effective, smooth part of the disc on one side is less than 50 percent of the width of the brake pad over the full circumference, or when there is a risk of breakage. We see that mainly on cars that drive little and on electric cars. Read also rusty brake discs: when is it normal and when is it not.

What causes too great a difference in braking force between left and right?

Usually a caliper or slide pin that is seized on one side, a rusted or pitted brake disc, or a brake pad contaminated with oil or brake fluid. Sometimes a brake hose has swollen shut on the inside. We measure per wheel on the brake tester and look at the side that does too little.

Does old brake fluid fail the APK?

No. According to article 5.2.32, the inspector only checks that the level is not below the minimum mark and that the cap is on. The boiling point or water content is not measured at the APK. Old brake fluid is therefore not a rejection point, but it is a safety risk. We replace it according to the manufacturer’s schedule, usually every two years.

My ABS light is on, will I fail?

Yes, if your car was first used after 31 December 2017 (article 5.2.31 paragraph 11). On older cars an ABS light that stays on is not a rejection point, but the ABS does not work either. The cause is often a wheel sensor. We read out the fault and we tell you the cost of the repair in advance.

Do the same brake requirements apply to a van or motorhome at the APK?

No, not entirely. A commercial vehicle up to 3,500 kg registered after 31 December 2011 must reach at least 5.0 m/s² with a pedal force of no more than 700 N according to article 5.3.38, a passenger car 5.8 m/s² at 500 N. The rule of no more than 30 percent difference per axle applies to both. For a motorhome it depends on the vehicle category on the registration certificate.

Failed on the brakes? We repair and retest

Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number and the inspection report. We tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance.

You will find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We work by appointment. For a quick question or check you can walk in without an appointment.

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