Glossary
STK (Czech / Slovak Periodic Inspection)
The Czech and Slovak roadworthiness inspection. Logs mileage at every test and is one of the more rollback-prone records due to historical paper-based reporting.
Definition
STK — Stanice technické kontroly — is the periodic roadworthiness inspection used in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The test cycle is four years for new cars, then every two years thereafter. Mileage is logged at each inspection and transmitted to the national vehicle register. The Czech and Slovak systems were historically more vulnerable to fraud than Western European equivalents because some testing stations accepted hand-written paper reports into the 2000s, and the central database has been progressively cleaned up since then. Coverage of pre-2010 inspections is uneven. Modern STK records (post-2015) are reliable and form a strong baseline against rollback. Both registers have moved towards better cross-checking with insurer and registration data.
Why it matters when buying a used car
The Czech Republic and Slovakia are major used-car import-export markets in Central and Eastern Europe. STK records before 2010 should be treated as informational; records after 2015 are robust enough to anchor a rollback check.
Often confused with
MOT
The UK's annual roadworthiness test, mandatory for cars over three years old. Records mileage and any defects on a public-access history.
HU
Germany's biennial roadworthiness inspection. TÜV is the largest of several authorised inspection bodies; HU (Hauptuntersuchung) is the formal name of the test.
APK
The Netherlands' periodic roadworthiness inspection, registered against the vehicle's number plate in the national registry.
Mileage rollback
Tampering with a vehicle's odometer to display a lower mileage than the car has actually covered. A criminal offence in every EU country.