Company vehicle inspections in Pirkkala – a practical guide to fleet inspections

When a company has just one vehicle, remembering its inspection date is still straightforward. Once the fleet includes several passenger cars, vans, trucks, trailers or special-purpose vehicles, inspections become part of fleet management. The priority is not only to have every vehicle inspected on time, but also to avoid unnecessary downtime, lost working days and last-minute pressure.

1. Start with a single fleet list

A company should not rely on drivers’ memories, emails or separate calendar entries to keep track of inspections. Create one list covering all vehicles.

You can check the next inspection deadline in Traficom’s My e-Services, on the inspection certificate or in the technical section of the registration certificate. Use the official deadline in the company calendar rather than an estimate.

2. Not every company vehicle follows the same inspection schedule

An ordinary company car or van does not have a different inspection schedule simply because a company owns it. The normal rule for passenger cars in category M1 and vans in category N1 in ordinary use is a first inspection no later than four years after the vehicle was first put into use, followed by inspections every two years, then annually once it is more than ten years old. Different requirements may apply depending on the vehicle’s use and category.

Your fleet may, however, include vehicles that require more frequent inspections. For example, passenger cars and vans used for licensed taxi transport, as well as trucks, are inspected annually. Trailers and other vehicle categories also have their own rules for inspection deadlines.

3. Do not book fleet inspections for the last possible day

For a company vehicle, the main practical risk is discovering that repairs are needed when the calendar is already full. The inspection itself takes time too, but the schedule should above all leave room for any repairs.

If a vehicle fails its periodic inspection, Traficom requires a re-inspection within one month of the inspection. If that deadline is missed, the vehicle must undergo a new periodic inspection in full. For a company, this is a good reason to leave some flexibility in the calendar rather than scheduling the inspection right at the deadline.

If the vehicle was inspected within its permitted inspection period and failed, it may be used for up to two months after the failed inspection once the defects have been repaired, provided that no driving ban has been imposed and the vehicle has not been taken out of traffic use. This does not extend the one-month deadline for the re-inspection. A vehicle under an imposed driving ban must not be used in ordinary traffic; moving it to repairs and back to the inspection requires permission from the inspector or a transfer permit. Do not make this extra time the basis of fleet planning: the practical aim should be to fix the defects and arrange the re-inspection promptly.

4. Carry out a ten-minute pre-inspection check

You cannot identify every inspection defect in advance, but some downtime is caused by very simple issues. Before a work vehicle heads to the station, check at least the lights, tyres, windscreen and wipers, seat belts, and whether any dashboard warning lights remain on after starting the engine.

The person responsible for the fleet should also check that the vehicle’s taxes and fees are up to date. According to Traficom, a periodic inspection checks not only the vehicle’s condition and registration details, but also that the taxes and fees relating to it have been paid.

If a vehicle has a known defect, it is better not to send it for inspection just to “see what happens”. Coordinating servicing and inspection can save an additional period of downtime.

5. What services are available at Jasperintie?

SK Katsastus’s Jasperintie station is located at Jasperintie 160, 33960 Pirkkala. The station is open Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 17:00 and on Fridays from 8:00 to 16:00.

In addition to passenger cars and vans, Jasperintie can inspect heavy vehicles and extra-long and extra-wide vehicles. Services include:

• periodic inspections
• heavy vehicle inspections
• registration inspections
• modification inspections
• VAK / ADR inspections
• vehicle registration services.

For heavy vehicles and specialist services, check the appointment arrangements and whether the station can accommodate the vehicle in advance. A periodic inspection of an ordinary passenger car or van usually takes around 15–20 minutes with a booked appointment and an on-time arrival. Waiting times for the drive-in service cannot be guaranteed, as they depend on how busy the station is that day.

6. A practical annual planning routine for your company

Fleet inspections are easy to keep under control with a dedicated annual plan. A simple routine could look like this:

1. Every three months: review the entire fleet list and check the inspection deadlines for the next four months.
2. 4–6 weeks before the deadline: book the inspection and assign a responsible person.
3. 1–2 weeks before the inspection: review known defects, servicing needs and previous repair notices.
4. On the inspection day: make sure the vehicle arrives on time and is not scheduled for a critical work assignment at the same time.
5. After the inspection: immediately record the result, next deadline and any repair notices in the same fleet list.

This makes the inspection part of the vehicle’s service and operating schedule rather than a separate event.

7. When should you contact the station directly?

Online booking is suitable for ordinary periodic inspections of passenger cars and vans. Contact the Jasperintie station directly for a heavy vehicle, trailer, VAK/ADR inspection, modification or registration inspection, or an extra-long or extra-wide vehicle, or if you are unsure which service your vehicle needs.