The controversial contr么le technique (CT, roadworthy test) for motorbikes will remain in place in France, the high court has ruled, despite many protests from biking representatives.

The Conseil d鈥櫭塼at (the French administrative supreme court) handed down the ruling on March 12, in a final ruling against an appeal that had been seen as opponents鈥� 鈥榣ast hope鈥� to cancel the CT requirement. 

CTs for motorbikes have been compulsory since April 15, 2024, despite strong opposition and many U-turns from the government in the months and years before then.

Riders鈥� appeal

The motorcycle lobby group La F茅d茅ration fran莽aise des motards en col猫re (FFMC, the French federation of 鈥渁ngry motorcyclists鈥�) had lodged an appeal against of October 23, 2023, which lays out the procedures for motorbike CTs.

The group has said that it believes CTs for motorbikes are unnecessary, costly and only useful for the inspection companies. It has added that CTs for bikes are inefficient when it comes to maintaining two-wheeled vehicles, and will not make biking safer.

In , it has stated: 鈥淭his CT makes no sense, as it will simply carry out, for a fee, a visual check of the vehicle's safety features, which a reasonably well-informed [motorbike] user can easily carry out for free.鈥�

The FFMC claims that 鈥渁lternative鈥� measures on the roads (speed cameras, for example) are more effective as a means to lower the death rate of motorcyclists.

The group has encouraged a 鈥榖oycott鈥� of the CT, and claims that the majority of riders have failed to attend the checks since their introduction.

Read more: Motorbike contr么le technique tests in France boycotted by most riders

Conseil d鈥橢tat decision

The Conseil d鈥橢tat did not agree with the FFMC appeal. It stated: 

• A CT for motorbikes is required according to the European directive of April 3, 2014 and that France cannot avoid it 

• The so-called 鈥渁lternative measures鈥� suggested by FFCM are 鈥渢oo ad hoc and manifestly insufficient to achieve the road user safety objectives provided for in the directive鈥�

• The first inspections carried out since the mandatory introduction of the CT (between 15 April and 29 May 2024) have found that 45% of the 123,043 two-wheelers inspected had technical faults that threatened the safety of road users 

What are France's contr么le technique rules for motorbikes?

As a result of this, it stated that CTs will remain in place for motorbike users.

Read more: New French contr么le technique test: 1 in 5 motorcyclists failed to attend

How will the CT be implemented now?

The CT for motorbikes will continue to be gradually introduced. 

• Since January 1, 2025, vehicles aged seven years or more have been required to have a CT.

• From 2026, all users will be required to have a CT for their bike in the six months before the fifth anniversary of the vehicle's registration. 

After that, a CT must be repeated every three years. 

In the event of sale, a CT must be carried out at least six months before the vehicle is handed to the new owner. 

Read also: How will new contr么le technique tests work for motorbikes in France?

This applies to all 鈥榗ategory L鈥� vehicles, namely:

• Motorised two or three-wheelers;

• Cars that do not require a licence (e.g. mini electric cars such as the Citro毛n Ami)

• Scooters

Read also: Do non-licence cars need a contr么le technique in France?

The average price for a motorbike CT is around 鈧�60. The fine for non-compliance is 鈧�135.