When you enter the ITV centre go to one of the computer screens and enter your licence plate number. In Malaga if there are no problems you will then be shown how much to pay and you pay by card (if you haven’t pre-paid). You then receive a ticket that says go straight to the line. You wait outside and look at the large display until your number comes up and you see which line to go to.
If there is a problem or maybe in other regions, you will be given a ticket and you wait for one of the assistants. You then show them your documents, pay and wait outside. Once your number comes up you drive to the designated lane and follow the instructions given you by the inspector.
Useful vocab below.
The order may change in other regions but generally the checks go as follows:
- Car functions – lights, horn, wipers, indicators, belts etc.
- Open boot and check oil etc.
Next they will ask you (or sometimes they do it themselves) to rev the engine and keep it about 2500 rpm to check the emissions.
Then they ask you to drive forward onto a machine. They will ask you to push the brake and keep the mark in the yellow on a screen. Then when finished, apply the handbrake slowly. You then drive forward so your back wheels are on the machine and repeat.
Then you drive over a bay and they check your brakes, shock absorbers etc. They will put a walkie talkie on your window and bark barely audible instructions at you 😂. Basically, they are asking you to move the steering wheel and press the brakes.
Once this ordeal is over they ask you to move the car outside and wait. After a while they come and give you your ficha back and a little sticker (if you passed) and your ITV certificate. You put the sticker in the top right corner of the windscreen and drive off with a sigh of relief.