ITV Vehicle Roadworthiness in Spain

All vehicles on the roads in Spain must be roadworthy. It is up to the car or bike owner to ensure their vehicle has a valid ITV certificate. Vehicles must be tested at an authorised centre, just as for an MOT test in the UK

The ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) is the roadworthiness test for a motor vehicle in Spain. It is the equivalent of an MOT in the UK.

ITV tests are compulsory and may only be undertaken by an authorised garage. The aim of the test is to reduce the risk of accidents, to contribute to greater road safety and better quality of the environment. It is illegal to drive a car which does not have a current ITV certificate.

The price of the ITV test varies between provinces and according to the vehicle size.

·  New cars are first tested after four years and must be inspected and tested every two years thereafter until the age of 10

·  Any car over 10 years of age must be tested annually

·  Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes are first tested after five years, after which the test is due every two years

·  Caravans are first tested at six years, after which the test is due every two years

 If a vehicle has been involved in a serious accident, it should undergo an ITV test after repair to establish whether the repair was carried out correctly.

Taking the ITV Test

It is usually necessary to make an appointment for the test date.

 ·  Find an authorised testing centre on the website of the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) and then select a province - click here.

The vehicle's registration document (permiso de circulación), technical papers (ficha técnica) and proof of valid motor insurance must be taken to the testing centre. If the car is being tested after import, other documents will be necessary: for more information,

Obtaining an ITV certificate for an Imported Car

The procedures relating to importing and registering a foreign vehicle are complex. It is possible to complete the process independently, but companies which specialise in providing this service are available.

In order to register a car in Spain, a vehicle must undergo a safety inspection similar to the UK's MOT test. Import taxes as well as IVA may be payable on imported vehicles.

Taxes for vehicles from non-EU countries

Taxes for vehicles from non-EU countries include the following:

• 10 percent import duty (IPSI, Impuesto sobre la Producción, Servicios e Importación) based on the original market price with reductions based on age of the vehicle, payable at customs offices
• 21 percent VAT (IVA), payable at customs offices
• Registration tax (Impuesto sobre Determinados Medios de Transporte) of 4.75 to 14.75 percent based on the vehicle's CO2 emissions. Register with the Spanish Customs Office, most people choose to do so through an agent (gestor) to handle the procedure, since it must be done online and in the Spanish language.

Vehicles are inspected on the following items:

·  tyre tread

·  lights

·  emissions

·  shock absorbers

·  steering

·  brakes

·  wheel alignment

·  lighting

Cars will also be checked for the condition of the bodywork and mirrors, windscreen and wipers. For example if a door cannot open it may be considered a safety violation.

Inspection Results

When the tests are complete a document is issued detailing three categories of defect: minor faults (defectos leves), serious faults (defectos graves) and very serious faults (defectos muy graves). The presence of serious faults will lead to an inspection result of "unfavourable" (desfavorable), and very serious faults will result in an inspection score of "negative" (negativa). If the serious or very serious faults are found, the vehicle must be repaired before an ITV can be issued. If very serious faults are found, the vehicle cannot be driven away from the inspection station.

Faults listed in defectos leves are smaller faults which will not necessitate a retest, but should be repaired promptly as fines may be issued by the police if the problem is not resolved.

Failing the test

If a vehicle fails the test, the owner is issued a paper listing the faults. The repairs must be completed within two months of the test.

If the repaired vehicle is returned to the ITV centre within 15 days, the owner will normally receive a discount on the cost of the repeat test. Should the car not be retested during the two month period, notification will be sent to the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico, and the car may be deregistered.

Passing the test

An ITV card details the results of each test undertaken, and a certificate is issued as proof of roadworthiness. The certificate must be displayed in the top right hand corner of the windscreen. It shows the month and year of the next test due.

In the case of motorbikes and mopeds, the certificate may be carried with the vehicle's paperwork.

Not displaying the ITV certificate or driving without a valid ITV can incur severe fines.

Foreign Vehicles

Vehicle roadworthiness is not transferable across the EU countries. A car imported into Spain must pass the Spanish ITV test before it can be registered in Spain; likewise, the ITV of an exported Spanish-registered car will not be valid in another country.

Voluntary testing

An ITV testing station can carry out the roadworthiness test on a foreign-registered vehicle and issue a "voluntary certificate". In this case, the ITV station may not issue a sticker for the windscreen, but the certificate can serve as proof that the vehicle is roadworthy. A vehicle without a valid ITV is illegal; may not be safe to use on the road, and may invalidate insurance cover.

Note: a vehicle that is in Spain for a continuous period of more than six months is considered to be permanently imported and must be re-registered on Spanish plates.