Back in the UK getting my car through its annual MOT test was easy; I’d drop it off at a test centre and wait for their call. Usually it passed, but when it failed to get through I simply asked them to put right whatever was wrong.
However, as soon as I moved to Spain I found things were a little different.
Get more bookings for your holiday home
Rather than taking your car to an MOT station that is also operates as a regular garage, you’ll need to book a test at one of the dedicated ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) centres and show up at the appointed time with car and paperwork.
Not all cars need to take the test. Spanish registered cars that are less than 4 years old are exempt.
Those between the ages of 4 and 10 years must be inspected every two years. After 10 years the test is annual.
You should get notification by post, otherwise you need to keep an eye on when it needs to be renewed.
What paperwork do you need?
You will be asked to take the following documents along with you for the test:
Permiso de circulación original
The vehicle’s registration documentTarjeta de inspección técnica original
Technical papersNIF/NIE/CIF
Your identity document.Car insurance
This is a more recent requirement.
A Spanish driving licence will do for ID, as (probably) will your passport, although I’ve never actually been asked to show my ID.
With regard to insurance, the main thing is to show proof that you actually paid.
Most years I forget. They don’t fail you but make a note on your test results. The last time I had a car tested I showed proof of payment on my iPad, which was accepted. The document was a PDF downloaded from my bank.
Taking the test
Once you’ve paid for the test you’ll be told which door to queue at in you car and then wait until you are instructed to enter the first inspection shed (I’ve been to four or five different ITV centres and as far as I recall they all comprise of two sheds).
More recently you can pay online (at least at the centre I use) so you can skip the paperwork in the office. Be a bit careful of this though. If your car doesn’t have a catalytic converter (early 1990s) your emissions limit is different and you may need to speak to someone to ensure the test is done correctly. You’ll be able to tell because the amount charged is fractionally cheaper than the full test for a car with a catalytic converter.
In the first they’ll test your exhaust emissions, headlight alignment, seatbelts and will take a look under the bonnet of the car. After that you’ll be told to queue at one of the doors in the next shed where your lights will be tested and they may (but don’t always) test windscreen wipers and horn; then there are tests for brakes and steering, shock absorbers, wheel alignment, and an inspection of car’s underside.
At the end you’ll receive a test certificate and (hopefully) a sticker for your windscreen valid until the next test is due and you make your way home. The certificate may also indicate faults, categorised as defectos leves (small defects), defectos graves (grave defects) or defectos muy graves (very serious defects).
Your car will pass if it simply suffers from defectos leves (I once had this because of a failed reverse light), but otherwise you’ll need to have the defects put right.
What if your car fails the test?
If your car failed because of defectos graves (according to this source) you’ll be allowed to drive the car away and have it put right within two months. If you return to the same ITV station within 15 days they will check that those faults have been fixed for no charge; my one experience of this was when I had new tyres and (of all things) the garage put them on the wrong way.
In the case of defectos muy graves you’re going to need a taxi – you are not (legally) allowed to drive the car on the road any more; start looking for the nearest garage (or find a scrap dealer if it’s that bad).
How hard is it to pass?
It is difficult for me to directly compare Spain’s test with the UK test, as I’ve spent so many years living in Catalonia.
However, I can say that on one hand it is more formal, requiring an appointment and needing you to remain with the car as your car is checked; but on the other hand my first impressions were that it was less stringent that the UK. And I do have some evidence to back this up.
My car’s handbrake has not worked for years; it is absolutely useless. My driveway slopes relatively steeply, but there is no way I can ever think of leaving it there without it being in gear, it’ll simply roll down.
However, it has never even received a light defect for the handbrake.
Where to find an ITV centre on the Costa Brava
Unlike Barcelona, where there are a number of options, the Costa Brava has a few ITV test centres; serving the Costa Brava there is Blanes, Palamós, Girona, Celrà and Vilamalla.
See the list of test centres operated by Preven Control and book a test online
Recommended centres (and not)
I used the Vilamalla centre a couple of times when visiting l’Escala from Barcelona; it was large, quiet and with plenty of parking.
The first year I moved to the Costa Brava I drove to Blanes for the test. However, the centre was packed with people queuing for their test, really busy, and there was little or no parking in the centre so everyone had to either leave their car in the queue for the first shed (blocking anyone who was actually ready for their test) or on the street. It was a nightmare.
The year after that I went to Girona instead. There it has always been much better (I’ve now been there four times in two different cars). There is plenty of parking, the site is on the edge of town and easy to get to and whenever I’ve been there I’ve sorted the paperwork out within a few minutes and started the test immediately. In fact my car passed its ITV test today and it was over in 20 minutes; with travel time to and from the centre it took 90 minutes of my time.
All in all the ITV test is a nuisance, but a necessary one all the same. If you have a foreign registered car that has spent more than six months in Spain you’ll be required to re-register it and go through a while inspection as part of the procedure and I’ll cover that another time.
While many people didn’t bother until a few years ago, they do seem to be cracking down on this, so just because you may have got away with it until now doesn’t mean you always will.
Need some advice about living on the Costa Brava?
If so contact me and I’ll find the answer to your question.
Last updated: 15 December 2017
77 Comments
My husband is terminally ill and needs a liver transplant. We have driven to the UK in our Spanish car but unfortunately it needs an ITV. Is it possible to get an ITV in the UK as I am unable to return to Spain at present due to the need to be within so many hours from Birmingham hospital at all times. Do you know of any way round my predicament?
Janet
Sorry to hear about your husband. As far as I know you can’t get the ITV done in the UK. You’d need to import the car into the UK and get it MOTed locally.
My Spanish car became overdue for ITV whilst we were in the UK. I arranged a local garage in Winchester to give my car an MOT to make the car legal in the UK. Some small work was needed and it passed. Upon return to Javea I presented to car for ITV to Ondara and it passed. No questions or penalty for being several months overdue.
My car failed its ITV. Defective tyres and headlights glass sun damage. I had the headlights polished and two new tyres fitted and returned to the same ITV station within four hours for a retest which then passed. The ITV station was in Torrevieja, Alicante province.
I was charged €54 for the test. Then €22 for the retest, which was not even put back in the shed, just looked at in the queue. Is this restest price correct?
I also believe you have to have the test at an ITV station in the province the car is addressed, is this correct?
In the past I lived in Barcelona and had my car tested in Girona province with no problem. Perhaps it must be tested in the same autonomous community, I don’t know.
€54 sounds expensive. We pay around €38 for a test here and the retest is free provided it is within two weeks of the original test date.
I hope that helps.
Anyone know about the U.S. to Spain transition? I am a dealer looking for information for a customer. Can she buy a diesel BMW in the States and down the road, take it to Spain with her and register and title it there?
What is the ruling for tinted windows to pass the itv test
My car has 4 months ITV left on it. However I want to ITV it now is that possible.
My ITV was due on the 8th of the month, took it out on the 5th only to discover the hazard lights were not working, took it to the garage for repair, it is now the 11th and the spare part has still not arrived, if I pre book an appointment can I drive to the ITV station?
It’s a bit late to comment on this, but do not attempt to drive your vehicle in case you’re missing ITV even by a day. Learned it the hard way and now I owe the government some 200 euros (100 with their 50% early payment reduction). In most cases it’s easier and cheaper to just tow it to the ITV station. (Motril, Andalucia — they’re clearly in debt and need all of the money they can take from you)
Does a pre-1983 car have to have an emissions test here in Spain as in UK it does not, this even applies to cars made before 1992!!!!!!!!
Yes, all cars have to take an emissions test in Spain, the difference is whether they test for a car with or without a catalytic converter. I understand that all cars in the UK are tested for emissions in a similar way. You need to make sure they know your car doesn’t have a catalytic converter. There is a small difference in cost, so when you pay you should be able to confirm. This actually happened to me!
We have a car in Spain it was due a ITV in july 2017 but we have not been back in spain for some time and missed the due date for the ITV can we just book it in to the ITV station when we get back and take it to the ITV station or can we just take the car to the ITV station and get a ITV done on that day and does it give us problems in that the ITV is 6months behind the car will be insured before we get back but we did not renew the insurence as the car was parked in our own villa grounds and secured.
It doesn’t matter that the ITV has expired from the point of view of having it re-tested. They don’t care at the testing station.
You’ll be able to go and get it done (if they have a slot available) or book an appointment, no problem.
But… you can’t legally drive you car to the ITV station without a valid ITV. You’ll get fined if the police pull you over.
If you want to do things by the book you need to get a tow truck to take your car to the ITV station. But if it’s not far from your villa then you might want to risk it anyway.
I have a car purchased in Spain which remains in Spain with test due, can my fully licensed daughter take it to ITV for me while she’s in Spain?
kind regards
Jeanne
Hi Jeanne, there shouldn’t be any problem if you daughter takes your car for the ITV.
Hi.
Our car failed one component of the ITV and we’ve had it repaired and are ready to take it in again. Do we have to return to the same ITV centre or can we go to a more convenient location? Not worried about the fees, just the driving distance and time.
Thanks in advance.
I think you probably do have to take it back to the original centre, although I’m not 100% sure on that.
My car’s is on UK plates but Mot run out so I took it to a garage that checked it over and took it for ITV and it passed . I have the pass sheet and emissions sheet but no sticker for window should I have any other proof of ITV pass.
As long as you have proof your car passed you should be ok. Any reason for not having the sticker though?
To clarify, Unless it is an ITV for Importation and matriculation onto Spanish Plates, a UK car with no MOT performed in the UK is illegal on Spanish roads and will be impounded if you are stopped! This Importation ITV is far more stringent and costs approx. double the price of a normal ITV
My test is due on 27 June but unable to take it for 2weeks is there a grace period?
Unfortunately not. If the testing station isn’t too far I wouldn’t worry though.
My car in spain was due an itv test in march i was diagnosed with a serious illness and could not go to spain at all for this year at least, can my son take it for a test in september and will it then be due again next september or will it need to be done again next march a year from when it was due
You son can take it for you, no problem. It’ll then be due the following September.
Hi
I am looking at buying a particular left hand drive car I have seen here in England and driving it to my property in Spain. However it has most of the paperwork but not have an up to date ITV test. Any suggestions?
Regards
ALAN BACCHUS
Returning a Spanish car to Spain for ITV test. Can the test be carried out anywhere in Spain rather than in the area of purchase?
Yes, that’s no problem.
Hi, I have brought my English car over and it’s MOTed and taxed but I want to get an ITV on it. What do I need to do to do this as I want the car legal and eventually I will import it, many thank Mark.
You can’t get a valid ITV on it without importing it first. If it doesn’t have a valid MOT it’s not legal in Spain.
As part of the import process your car will go through an extended ITV. They check to make sure you car is fitted with correct spec tyres are stuff like that. Afterwards you’ll get a temporary green number plate and then a permanent one.
Our car is at our place in Spain but we cannot recall the date the ITV is due.
We are stuck here in England waiting for the house purchase to complete.
Is there any way we can find this information on line?
I’m not aware of any way to find the ITV due date online.
Hi David, reading through all the messages, some time ago a writer said they had like an advisory regarding a non working reversing lamp, I have a UK smart diesel fortwo 2010 I have rewired the fog lamp over to the passengers side but now have no reversing lamp, this will be it`s first test to go onto Spanish plates, I have done the paperwork incl the COC would you think they would just issue a “leve” if all else is ok? thanks Barry.
I honestly don’t know Barry!
I am trying to get my car in Spain from needing a 6 month ITV to a 12 month I am told I need to go to a main dealer and get it changed, I live in Almoride but do not know where a main dealer is for Chrysler near me.
I’ve no idea where Almoride is and can’t find it on Google. There is a Chrysler dealer in Girona and Figueres, but no idea if those are close or not.
This is all very new to us as we have had our Spanish car for coming up to a year. The ITV is due in July, can we have it done in June or does it have to be July?
Does anyone know of an English speaking ITV in or near Baza, or Huescar in Granada?
Also where do you take the car to be serviced, and what is it called?
You can take it to the ITV centre any time, June won’t be a problem for an ITV that expires in July.
Regarding English speaking ITV centres – I’ve never encountered one here. I’ve no idea if it’s different in the south, but I doubt it.
Hi,
Moving to Palma for a year (maybe longer) with work. Cannot decide if to take our UK car over or to buy a second hand one there and keep the UK one at home for when we return for birthdays, Xmas etc?? Is the car insurance is as expensive as in UK and where do you apply for it? I insure both myself and my partner in the UK so she does not have any no claims….can I do the same in Spain?? TIA
I’ve don’t know how it compares as I’ve lived outside the UK for nearly 2 decades now. You should be able to insure the car in your name so your partner can drive it too.
Hi will my campervan pass a itv with a cracked wing mirror
I’m not sure if that will cause it to fail or not.
I’ll see if I can find out.
OK, I think you’ll need to get your mirror fixed before you take the ITV.
You can get replacements with an adhesive backing that you attach over the old one.
Will a missing wing mirror cover (but intact mirror) pass an iTV, does anyone know, please?
Thanks in advance for any replies.
I think you’ll be ok with that but not 100% sure.
Is it usual for a car to get an itv certificate for 18 months?
I’ve never heard of that and a quick search on Google doesn’t reveal anything either. The requirement for cars is:
Interesting site
I moved to La Palma, canarias in October, just tetirned tonthe UK to retrieve my cars and been told I need a COC and also said he thinks he can’t do ITV as it’s right hand drive!?
Seriously? I asked DGT before I went back and they said nothing about it
I have no idea what a COC is but you do need to import your car before it can have an ITV. Part of the import process is a special ITV test which is more rigorous than the standard one. After that, assuming it passes, you’ll have no problems with a right hand drive car. I’ve been told you can’t import RHD commercial vehicles such as pickups though.
Possibly as the car becomes 10 years old during the ITV, therefore requiring one at 11 years old?
I think so.
I know you need your car insured before you take it for itv but I’m not sure if having only 2 weeks insurance left on the car is long enough or do you need longer thankyou
Should be OK. They won’t fail you if you don’t show insurance but they’ll note it.
Hi. I purchased my car in October 2013 in the Canary Islands where i lived for 5 years before moving to Mainland Spain in February 2018. I registered my car on the mainland in October 2018 and have a section that says i cannot sell,rent or transfer the car for 12 months from October 2018. As i provided proof of my residence in Gran Canaria and also proof of new residence in Spain i did not have to pay any import Tax/VAT as i provided the information i provided was enough to satisfy the authorities that i was not trying to make a quick buck as i had no intention of selling my Car. Unfortunately due to my partners health we are returning to the UK and have our property on the market. What am i able to do for selling my car. My ITV runs out on 14th October 2019 and the 12 month restriction ends on October 23rd. So its a catch 22 situation. Does this restriction on selling only apply for tax/VAT should i sell within the 12 months of registration in Spain and then have to pay what is due or is it a complete restriction preventing me selling at all untill after the 12 month period. If our property sells before October what do i do?Obviously if my property sells after this time and i am still in spain then no problem as i would have up to date ITV and then just sell after October 23rd. Sorry for long question but this is the situation.
I think you need to take professional advice on this.
my car is booked in for its ITV, but whilst it was in the car park it has received a hefty bash in the corner of the bumper. Will the mean a fail or will I have to get a new bumper before the ITV?
Difficult to say without seeing it. You’ve got 2 weeks to sort your car out unless they consider it undrivable, so maybe take the test and see what happens.
Hello David, we have an English registered car in Spain, the MOT runs out in October. So far we have been told we can only get a punta voluntaria which is not a legal document. Are there certain areas of Spain which will issue a proper ITV for an English car and if so, do you know where they are.
Thank you
No, you’d need to import the car before you can get an ITV.
You can read out how to do it here.
I have an Uk registered car of 2 years old. Do I still need an ITV to register it in Spain if it is as new as that ?
If you don’t have a valid MOT from the UK then your car isn’t legal on Spanish roads. If you live in Spain permanently you’ll need to go through the import process and get Spanish plates.
Hi my Citroen is due for its ITV and i have checked it over only to find that bothe my rear brake lights work perfectly but my high level one is not working at all. Will it fail?
I don’t know if it will or not. You can try taking the test and see if they fail it. Get it fixed if you need to and re-test it for free.
I am getting an ITV.
I am being told by the garage I am taking it into that I need the declaration responsible that the gestor should have given me.
The company I have used says I don’t
What do you think ?
I don’t know. Maybe ask the gestor to speak to the garage if you can.
Hi, I have just brought a car and it only had 3 weeks itv left on it. I am still waiting for the log book from traffico. Can I go to the itv without the registration document?
You need to take the following documents:
I’ve arrived without both NIE or insurance with no real problem. I’m not sure what would happen if you don’t have the other 2 documents though.
I have imported a 44 years old mini from Spain it has old ITV s and original log book ect but no chassis plate number is stamped in slam panel is this right
It doesn’t sound right.
I have a Spanish Registered Fiat Ducato booked in for ITV in Spain. If I get it checked over here in Scotland, prior to driving it back for ITV are the standards the same?
I don’t know if the emissions standards are the same or not. But broadly your car needed to be roadworthy wherever it is checked.
Our ITV is due in May.. we will not be back until July ,due to the 90 rule. Would we be allowed to ITV the car two months before it’s due ….???..
That shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi David
I have purchased a Jaguar MK2 on historic Spanish plates from a dealer in Holland which has been delivered to my house in France which I am in the middle of selling. We are then moving permanently to L’Escala and the car will be coming with us. I have the original registration documents and old ITV etc but the car is not yet in my name nor registered at my Spanish address. I have of course a receipt for my purchase and a bill of sale. Can I insure the car in Spain so that I can drive it down, I can get a French Controlle technique even with the car on a Spanish plate so it would be legal for me to drive to the border, or will I have to get the car transported to Spain?
Ian
I have to say, I don’t know but I’d be wary of driving the car in Spain without a valid ITV. Even if technically it is legal (and I’m not sure it is) you may end up with problems due to the way the law is interpreted. On the other hand you probably wouldn’t be stopped.
Hi David , I had a itv done inNovember 2019 ,The car was 10 years old in January 2020 , does my itv cover me until this November which is the 2 years, thanks John
Hi John, your ITV should be good until November this year as it was under 10 when last tested. The sticker on your windscreen should show when it is due to be re-tested.