Guide

The ITV: Spain's vehicle inspection calendar, straight from the decree

By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026

Spain's periodic vehicle inspection (ITV) frequencies are set by Royal Decree 920/2017, Article 6. For passenger cars (category M1): exempt until 4 years old, then every two years until 10 years, then annual. The same article carries the timing protection: inspect within the 30 calendar days before your current certificate expires and the new validity is added to the old expiry date — you lose nothing by going early.

The frequency table for cars

Article 6 of Royal Decree 920/2017 sets the M1 schedule — vehicles designed for carrying up to eight passengers: hasta 4 años: exento; de más de 4 años: bienal; de más de 10 años: anual — exempt to four years, two-yearly from four to ten, annual beyond ten. Motorbikes, vans (N1) and buses (M2/M3) each carry their own rows in the same table, with heavier categories inspected more often.

Source: BOE — Real Decreto 920/2017, artículo 6 (consolidado), read 10 September 2026.

The 30-day rule: go early, lose nothing

The same article states that if the inspection date falls within the 30 calendar days before the current validity expires, the new validity period is added to the previous expiry date — not to the day you showed up. So book early inside that window: you keep your original anniversary and skip the expired-certificate risk. Driving with a lapsed ITV is a sanctionable offence with the certificate a routine check at controls.

Source: BOE — RD 920/2017, art. 6.5 (plazos), read 10 September 2026.

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ITV life as a foreign resident

The ITV attaches to the vehicle, not the owner: an imported car joins the Spanish calendar at registration, and the station stamps the card and issues the windscreen sticker. Book online with the operator in your region (stations are regional concessions), bring the permiso de circulación and ficha técnica, and pair the rhythm with the rest of Spanish car admin — the licence side runs on its own clock. The comparison point abroad: Portugal's IPO and Germany's TÜV run the same concept on different intervals.

Source: BOE — Real Decreto 920/2017, read 10 September 2026.

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Common questions

How often is the ITV for a normal car?

Per RD 920/2017, Article 6: exempt until the car is 4 years old, every two years from 4 to 10, and annual from 10 — counted from first registration.

Can I do the ITV early without losing time?

Yes — within the 30 calendar days before expiry, the article states the new validity adds to the old expiry date, so an early inspection costs you nothing.

What happens if my ITV expires?

Driving with a lapsed inspection is sanctionable and flagged at any control. The car can be driven to a booked inspection; the fix is booking, not waiting.

Does my imported car need the ITV?

Once registered in Spain it follows the Spanish calendar by the vehicle's age — the age bands run from first registration anywhere, not from the Spanish plate date.