The mere existence of a certificate is not enough; three things are read together. The model certificate in the ATP Agreement gives the issuing authority, the type of equipment, the plate or chassis number, the make, model and serial number of the insulated body, the class it is approved in, and a 'valid until' line with month and year.
- Identity: the plate or chassis number on the certificate and the body's serial number must belong to the vehicle in front of you.
- Class: the class and regime on the certificate must cover the temperature your product needs; a shipment outside that scope is not compliant even with a valid certificate.
- Validity: it is written as month and year and repeated on the ATP plate on the body in the 'VALID UNTIL' line.
Under the Turkish regulation, periodic inspection is made within 6 years of the date of manufacture (Article 12). If the result is satisfactory the certificate is valid for 3 years; if the inspection decides the type test is repeated and the test passes, for 6. An accident or impact calls for an exceptional inspection, and the equipment owner or operator books the appointment. The certificate is issued on the proviso that the body is kept in good condition and no material alteration is made to the thermal appliances.
The certificate is carried with the equipment and produced when inspected. Rented and subcontracted vehicles get the same check: a photocopy is not enough, the plate and certificate must match. The certificate shows what the equipment can do; the temperature record shows that the regime was held on the trip, and an inspection asks for them separately.