Rejection, repair or advisory point: how to read your APK (MOT) report
After every APK, the compulsory Dutch vehicle inspection, you receive an inspection report. The report is in Dutch and often lists terms such as afkeurpunt, reparatiepunt and adviespunt. In this article we explain what each point means and what you need to do about it.
By the team at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug, RDW-approved APK (MOT) test station since 1979 · Updated 4 November 2026
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The short answer
A rejection point (afkeurpunt) is a defect that means your car does not meet the APK requirements, so the car has failed. A repair point (reparatiepunt) is a defect that was fixed during the inspection, so the car does meet the requirements. An advisory point (adviespunt) is not a failure but a warning that a part will probably need repair within a year. A car can therefore pass and still have repair points and advisory points on the report.
Which points can appear on the APK report?
The APK report lists three main types of point: rejection points, repair points and advisory points. The inspector (in Dutch: keurmeester) can also note a repair advisory point. Each point comes from a fixed list set by the RDW (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer), the Dutch vehicle authority. This list is called the keuringsaspectenlijst. The inspector chooses the points from that list when registering the inspection with the RDW. That is why the same descriptions appear on every report in the Netherlands, whichever garage carries out the inspection.
| Type of point | What it means | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Rejection point (afkeurpunt) | A defect that means the car does not meet the APK requirements | Have it repaired and the car inspected again before the expiry date |
| Repair point (reparatiepunt) | A defect that was fixed during the inspection | Nothing, the point has already been dealt with |
| Advisory point (adviespunt) | A part that still meets the requirements but will probably need repair within a year | Have it checked or replaced in good time, for example at the next service |
| Repair advisory point (reparatieadviespunt) | A fault in a safety system or too much leakage, on a car first registered before 1 January 2018 | Have it investigated. It is not a rejection point. |
Source: RDW APK manual (APK-handboek), instructions for completing the APK report
The report shows the result: passed (goedgekeurd) or failed (afgekeurd). According to the RDW, the report also shows the APK expiry date and the repair points, rejection points and advisory points. You also receive the report when the car fails. If you do not receive it, ask for it. The RDW explains this in English on its page about the Periodic Technical Inspection, its English name for the APK.
What is a rejection point?
A rejection point is a defect that means your car does not meet the APK requirements. Your car has then failed. On the report these points appear under the Dutch sentence “In het kader van de APK zijn de volgende gebreken geconstateerd”, which means “For the APK, the following defects were found”. That sentence tells you the car did not pass on those points.
Examples of rejection points are tyres with less than 1.6 mm of tread in the main grooves, a tyre with a bulge, or brakes that do not have enough braking force. On a car first registered after 31 December 2017, a warning light from the tyre pressure monitoring system that signals a fault is also a reason to fail. You can read more about tyres in our article on tyre tread depth and the APK.
After a failure, the car must be repaired and inspected again before the APK expiry date. If you do not drive the car, the RDW allows the APK to lapse for a maximum of 2 months. After that you receive a fine from the CJIB, the Dutch government agency that collects fines. You are free to choose which garage does the repair. What to do after a failure is explained on our page failed APK: repairs and retest.
What is a repair point?
A repair point is a defect that was fixed during the inspection, so the car then meets the APK requirements. On the report these points appear under the sentence “In het kader van de APK zijn de volgende gebreken hersteld”, which means “For the APK, the following defects were repaired”. There is nothing left for you to repair for a repair point.
Think of a broken bulb that the mechanic replaces on the spot, or a wiper blade that no longer clears the windscreen properly. Your car can pass with repair points like these. A car that fails can also have repair points. In that case some of the defects have already been fixed and others have not.
Why does a defect that has been fixed still appear on the report? Under the RDW rules, the inspector also records defects that are fixed during the inspection. For you it is a useful record of what was done to the car.
What is an advisory point?
An advisory point is not a rejection point. The part still meets the APK requirements, but the inspector expects it to stop meeting them soon. According to the RDW, such a point will probably need repair within a year. It is advice to you as the owner, not an obligation.
The RDW has five fixed advisory points:
| Code | Part | When the inspector notes it |
|---|---|---|
| AC1 | Tyres | One or more tyres have a tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm inclusive |
| AC2 | Shock absorbers | One or more shock absorbers are leaking (sweating does not count as leaking) |
| AC3 | Rust | Parts have considerable rust damage, but not yet enough to fail (for example more than 15% rust damage on parts without an E-value) |
| AC4 | Steering and suspension ball joints | A ball joint has play due to wear, but no more than 1.0 mm |
| AC5 | Braking system | Brake parts are worn and due for replacement, but not yet bad enough to fail |
Source: RDW APK manual (APK-handboek), advisory points
An advisory point gives you time to plan the repair. If you wait until the next APK, there is a good chance the point will then be a rejection point. With a leaking shock absorber or worn brakes, your safety is also at stake. We can replace brake pads and discs or replace shock absorbers. You receive a quote in advance.
What is a repair advisory point?
A repair advisory point is a warning about a safety system that is not working properly, or about too much leakage of a fluid. It is not a rejection point. The RDW uses these points for cars first registered before 1 January 2018 where a warning light or warning sound signals a fault.
On a car first registered after 31 December 2017, a fault like this can lead to a failure. For the tyre pressure monitoring system, this is part of the APK requirements for tyres. If a warning light is on in your car, have it checked before the inspection.
How do you read the report step by step?
Read the report from top to bottom and check these five things:
- Registration number and mileage: check that they match your car and your dashboard.
- Result: does it say passed (goedgekeurd) or failed (afgekeurd)?
- New expiry date: if you have the car inspected in the 2 months before the old expiry date, the new date is the old date plus 1 or 2 years, according to the RDW. If you have it inspected earlier, you get a new APK date.
- Defects found (geconstateerde gebreken): these are the rejection points. They must be fixed before the expiry date.
- Defects repaired (herstelde gebreken) and advisory points: the repair points have already been dealt with. The advisory points are your plan for the coming year.
If you do not understand a point, ask the inspector to explain it. The inspector can show you on the lift where the defect is. Everything the inspector checks is listed in our APK checklist, and the points inspectors note most often are in the most common APK findings in 2025. How the APK works at our garage is explained on our page about the APK inspection for your car.
What can you do if you disagree with the report?
If you disagree with a failure, tell the inspector straight away during the inspection. According to the RDW (page in Dutch), you can only object at the time of the inspection. You fill in the box at the bottom right of the APK report and the inspector contacts the RDW. An RDW employee then comes to the garage and checks whether the failure is correct. The car must not be moved or repaired after the inspection. If the failure turns out to be wrong, the garage pays the costs. If the failure is correct, you pay the costs yourself. The RDW gives an amount of € 57.50 for this.
Do you think your car passed when it should have failed? Then, according to the RDW (page in Dutch), you can object to the most recent pass within one year of the inspection. Do not have the points you have doubts about repaired yet, because the RDW assesses the car as it was inspected. If you would like a second opinion from another garage first, we offer a second opinion for € 145, including up to one hour of investigation.
Read more
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- RDW: APK-handboek: Reparatiepunt(en) en afkeurpunt(en) (in Dutch)
- RDW: APK-handboek: Adviespunt(en) (in Dutch)
- RDW: APK-handboek: Reparatieadviespunt(en) (in Dutch)
- RDW: Gevolgen van een afkeuring (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid (Dutch government): Krijg ik een keuringsrapport van de algemene periodieke keuring (APK)? (in Dutch)