The Periodic Technical Inspection (ITP) is not a minor bureaucratic formality; it is a legal condition for a vehicle to operate on public roads. In Bucharest—where intense traffic and infrastructure wear constantly test a vehicle’s safety components—an expired ITP is not treated as a trivial oversight. The sanctioning framework is explicit, and the procedure applied by the police is standardized, regardless of the reason the vehicle is being driven without a valid inspection.

The first step is establishing the offense. Driving a vehicle with an expired ITP is punishable with a class IV fine, meaning a high number of penalty points and a substantial financial sanction. At the same time, the police will confiscate the vehicle’s registration certificate. This is not symbolic; the administrative measure takes effect immediately. The vehicle may no longer circulate until a new inspection is completed.

Confiscation of the certificate triggers the obligation to take the vehicle to an authorized ITP station and obtain a passing result. This is not a superficial check. The station must confirm the vehicle’s technical condition in the national electronic system, and only then can the owner request the return of the registration certificate. To recover the document, the driver must go to the same police unit that confiscated it, with proof of the completed inspection and all required paperwork. Without a validated technical inspection, circulation remains prohibited.

The consequences escalate if the vehicle continues to circulate after the certificate has been confiscated or if the driver is repeatedly caught without a valid ITP. In such cases, the police may apply additional measures, including immobilizing the vehicle on the spot. Repeated violations indicate intent, not negligence, and the administrative response reflects that.

Another overlooked aspect is the impact on RCA insurance. If an accident occurs while the vehicle’s ITP is expired, the insurer may seek reimbursement from the driver. Police handle the contravention independently, but the insurer can pursue recovery of the amounts paid to victims, based on the absence of a mandatory condition for lawful circulation.

In Bucharest, traffic checks are more frequent than in many other regions, and automatic systems (ANPR) allow identification of vehicles with expired inspections. Confiscation of the certificate is not exceptional—it is routine.

An expired ITP does not only mean a fine. It triggers a chain of administrative procedures, suspends the vehicle’s right to circulate, and can lead to additional legal consequences if an incident occurs. In a city with dense traffic, these risks are not theoretical; they are part of the everyday functioning of the legal framework.