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ITV inspection guide · Spain

How to Take an ITV Test in Spain

A practical, plain-English guide to booking the Spanish vehicle inspection, preparing your car, understanding the test and following the inspector’s instructions.

Read the ITV Guide View ITV Vocabulary

ITV Test Guide

Here is a simple guide to taking an ITV test. It is based on Malaga inspection centres, although most of the renewal process applies throughout Spain.

Before the test

Book Your ITV Appointment

  1. Visit the ITV appointment website, add the matrícula (registration number) and select Fecha Matriculación (registration date). You can find this in section B of the Permiso de Circulación.
  2. On the following page, click Siguiente.
  3. Choose the inspection station, date and time, then enter your personal details.
  4. You can pay in advance by card. ITV stations normally accept card payments rather than cash. Click Finalizar to complete the booking.

Useful to know: the online booking is usually the simplest part of the process. Keep the appointment confirmation available on your phone.

Prepare the Car and Documents

ITV inspection display screen

Pre-ITV Inspection

Before attending, make sure the car is in good working order. The inspector will normally check:

  • Lights, indicators and horn
  • Windscreen wipers and washer fluid
  • Tyres and wheel alignment
  • Brakes and handbrake
  • Shock absorbers
  • Exhaust emissions
If you are unsure about any of these items, ask a mechanic to inspect the vehicle before the ITV.
Documents needed for a Spanish vehicle procedure

Documents to Take

Requirements can vary by inspection centre. In Malaga, the documents may not always be requested, but take the following with you:

  • Ficha Técnica or Inspecciones Técnicas — the vehicle’s technical sheet
  • Permiso de Circulación — the green vehicle logbook
  • Proof of vehicle insurance payment
  • Identification, in case the centre requests it
Older technical sheets may be blue; newer versions are generally white.

ITV Test Service in Malaga

We can book the ITV appointment, take your vehicle to the inspection centre and return it after the test. This service is available in the Malaga area and is also offered as part of our EU vehicle registration service.

From €50 — a travel fee may applyAsk About the ITV Service

Have you just bought the vehicle?

The buyer is responsible for changing the registered ownership. We can complete the transfer online in English.

Car ownership transfer in Spain →

What Happens at the ITV Centre?

The precise order can vary between centres, but the inspection generally follows the stages below.

1

Check in and pay

At many Malaga centres, enter the registration number on a self-service screen. Pay by card if you have not prepaid, collect the ticket and watch the display for your lane. If the system refers you to an assistant, show the requested documents there.

2

Vehicle functions

The inspector checks items such as the lights, horn, wipers, indicators and seat belts. They may also ask you to open the boot and bonnet.

3

Emissions test

You may be asked to rev the engine and hold it at roughly 2,500 rpm while the emissions are measured.

4

Brakes and handbrake

Drive onto the testing equipment and follow the screen or inspector’s instructions. You may be asked to press the brake, slowly apply the handbrake and repeat the procedure for the rear wheels.

5

Steering and suspension

Drive over the inspection bay so they can 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.

After the Test

Park where directed and wait for the result. If the vehicle passes, you receive the inspection certificate and ITV windscreen sticker. Place the sticker in the upper-right corner of the windscreen.

What If the Car Fails Its ITV?

If the vehicle does not pass, the faults will be listed on the inspection report. A defect marked grave is serious and must be repaired. You are normally given one month to correct the faults and return, and the repeat test is usually not charged within the permitted period.

Plan ahead: you can book the inspection up to one month before the current ITV expires without changing the normal renewal date. This gives you time to arrange repairs if needed.

Complete List of ITV Defect Codes

Use the search box to find the code or component shown on an ITV report. The list contains the vehicle areas and defect-code meanings used by Spanish inspection centres.

84 defect codes
Type of defectCodeReason for the defect
01 · Vehicle identification
Vehicle identification01.01Documentation
Vehicle identification01.02VIN number
Vehicle identification01.03Number plates
02 · Exterior condition, bodywork and chassis
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.01Front underride
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.02Body and chassis
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.03Coupling devices (towbar)
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.04Mudguards and anti-spray devices
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.05Windscreen wipers and washers
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.06Side protections
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.07Rear protections
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.08Doors and steps
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.09Mirrors
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.10Signs on vehicles
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.11Exterior spare-wheel carrier
Exterior, bodywork and chassis02.12Safety glass
03 · Interior condition
Interior condition03.01Seats and their anchorages
Interior condition03.02Safety belts and their anchorages
Interior condition03.03Child restraint device
Interior condition03.04Demisting and defrosting
Interior condition03.05Anti-theft system and alarm
Interior condition03.06Direct field of vision
Interior condition03.07Load-retention devices
Interior condition03.08Speed indicator (odometer)
Interior condition03.09Interior protrusions
04 · Lighting and signalling
Lighting and signalling04.01Dipped-beam and main-beam headlights
Lighting and signalling04.02Reversing lights
Lighting and signalling04.03Direction-indicator lights
Lighting and signalling04.04Hazard-warning signal
Lighting and signalling04.05Brake lights
Lighting and signalling04.06Rear registration-plate light
Lighting and signalling04.07Position lights
Lighting and signalling04.08Fog lights
Lighting and signalling04.09Clearance lights
Lighting and signalling04.10Retro-reflectors
Lighting and signalling04.11Interior lighting
Lighting and signalling04.12Audible warning
Lighting and signalling04.13Parking lights
Lighting and signalling04.14Door-opening warning
Lighting and signalling04.15Special lighting and signalling
05 · Polluting emissions and noise
Emissions and noise05.01Noise
Emissions and noise05.02Spark-ignition engine vehicles
Emissions and noise05.03Compression-ignition engine vehicles
06 · Brakes
Brakes06.01Service brake
Brakes06.02Secondary (emergency) brake
Brakes06.03Parking brake (handbrake)
Brakes06.04Overrun brake
Brakes06.05Anti-lock braking device
Brakes06.06Deceleration device
Brakes06.07Brake pedal
Brakes06.08Vacuum pump or compressor and reservoirs
Brakes06.09Low-pressure warning indicator
Brakes06.10Hand-operated brake control valve
Brakes06.11Brake valves
Brakes06.12Accumulator or pressure reservoir
Brakes06.13Trailer-brake connection
Brakes06.14Brake servo and master cylinder (hydraulic systems)
Brakes06.15Rigid brake pipes
Brakes06.16Flexible brake hoses
Brakes06.17Brake linings
Brakes06.18Brake drums and/or discs
Brakes06.19Cables, rods, levers and connections
Brakes06.20Brake-system cylinders
Brakes06.21Load-sensing valve
Brakes06.22Automatic slack adjusters
07 · Steering and direction
Steering07.01Wheel alignment
Steering07.02Steering wheel and column
Steering07.03Steering box
Steering07.04Steering linkages and ball joints
Steering07.05Power steering
08 · Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension
Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension08.01Axles
Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension08.02Wheels
Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension08.03Tyres
Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension08.04Suspension
09 · Engine and transmission
Engine and transmission09.01General condition of the engine
Engine and transmission09.02Intake system
Engine and transmission09.03Exhaust system
Engine and transmission09.04Transmission
Engine and transmission09.05Vehicles using LPG as fuel
10 · Other inspections
Other inspections10.01Transport of dangerous goods
Other inspections10.02Transport of perishable goods
Other inspections10.03School and minor transportation
Other inspections10.04Tachograph
Other inspections10.05Speed limiter
Other inspections10.06Unauthorised alterations or modifications
No matching defect code found.

Source reference: itv.com.es. The wording is provided as an English guide; always follow the official result issued by the inspection centre.

What Are You Doing With the Vehicle?

The ITV may be only one part of the process. Choose the service that matches what you need to do next.

Bought a vehicle in Spain

Change the Registered Owner

If you have just bought the vehicle, it is the buyer’s responsibility to complete the ownership transfer. We handle the DGT process online in English for €50 plus official fees and taxes.

Car Ownership Transfer
Bringing an EU vehicle to Spain

Register an Imported Vehicle

The ITV inspection is one stage of Spanish registration. We manage EU vehicle imports in Malaga from €625 plus taxes and can arrange temporary plates where appropriate.

EU Vehicle Import Service

Need help with the ITV itself? Email info@simpleenglishadvice.com or WhatsApp +34 951 74 51 68 .

Useful ITV Vocabulary

Keep this list open on your phone during the inspection. These are the instructions and vehicle terms you are most likely to hear.

English → Spanish
IndicatorsIntermitentes
Hazard lightsLuces de emergencia
HeadlightsLuces / faros
Brake lightsLuces de freno
Rear lightsLuces traseras
Fog lightsFaros antiniebla
Reversing lightsLuces de marcha atrás
HandbrakeFreno de mano
LeftIzquierda
RightDerecha
ReverseMarcha atrás / atrás
Steering wheelVolante
Seat beltCinturón de seguridad
Windscreen wipersLimpiaparabrisas
Move the steering wheelMueva el volante
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