Spain's roadworthiness test (ITV) and what happens if you fail

Terms used

• Ficha técnica — The ficha técnica is the car's technical data card, also called the ITV card or tarjeta ITV.
• Desfavorable — A desfavorable ITV result means serious defects: you must repair the car and have it re-inspected.
• Negativa — A negativa ITV result means the car is a danger to traffic and may not be driven except to the repair shop.
• ITV — The ITV is Spain's mandatory periodic roadworthiness inspection for vehicles.

Key rules

• Schedule: Your first ITV is due at four years, then every 2 years, then every year once the car is 10 years old.
• Fail window: After a desfavorable result you have 2 months to repair and re-inspect.
• Expired ITV fine: The fine is 200 euros, with no loss of points and 50% off for prompt payment.
• Negativa: Do not drive a car with a negativa result except to the repair shop.

When does your car need an ITV?

A private car needs its first ITV four years after first registration. After that it needs one every 2 years until it is 10 years old, and every year after that.

Later dates count from the expiry date of the previous ITV, not from the day you actually passed. Passing early or late does not move your cycle. Early-inspection rules differ a little by region.

Your due date is on the ITV sticker on the windscreen, on the ITV card (the ficha técnica) and in the stamped inspection record.

How do you book and pass it?

1. Book with your region's ITV operator, online, by phone, or by app if your region has one. The law does not require an appointment, but most stations want one. Some still take walk-ins, depending on region and operator.
2. Bring the documents listed below. Insurance is checked in the DGT database, but carry your policy anyway.
3. Pay the fee at the station, or bring proof you have already paid.

What does it cost?

Each region sets its own tariff, and it is usually revised every year. Typical prices are 30 to 50 euros for a petrol car and 38 to 60 euros for a diesel car. Madrid is roughly 35 to 45 euros and Catalonia roughly 40 to 55 euros. Check your operator's current price when you book.

What do the results mean?

• Favorable: you pass. Minor defects may be noted.
• Desfavorable: serious defects. You have 2 months to repair the car and have it re-inspected. In some regions you may keep driving until then.
• Negativa: the car is a danger to traffic. Do not drive it except to the repair shop.

The first re-inspection inside the 2 months is usually included in the fee if you go back to the same station. A later one may be charged. If the car fails the re-inspection, the time limit and fee depend on your region, so ask the station.

What if your ITV has expired?

Driving with an expired ITV carries a fine of 200 euros, with no loss of points, and 50% off for prompt payment. If the car has a negativa result and is driven, the fine can be higher and the car can be immobilised.

To fix it, book the inspection straight away and pay the normal fee. Some regions charge no extra late fee. You may drive to a booked appointment, so keep the booking confirmation as proof. Rules on this can vary by region and by officer. The new expiry is counted from the previous expiry date.

If you were already fined, passing does not cancel the fine. You still have to pay it.

The checklist, documents list and warnings below cover the practical steps. The yearly calendar shows where ITV fits among your other car tasks.

Yearly car admin calendar (ITV, tax, insurance, licence)

Dates to put in your yearly car calendar

• Book the first ITV: four years after first registration. The date is on your ITV card (tarjeta ITV).

• Book each following ITV: every 2 years until the car is 10 years old, then every year. Count from the expiry date of the previous ITV, not the day you took the test. Check the date on the windscreen sticker.

• Know who owes the IVTM (annual circulation tax): the registered owner on 1 January owes the full year.

• Pay the IVTM: in your town's payment period, often a two-month window in spring such as March to May. Some towns use other months and offer instalments. Ask your town hall.

• Review your car insurance: every year before the renewal date. The policy renews automatically for another year unless you give notice.

• Cancel or change insurer, if you want to: give written notice at least one month before the renewal date, in a way that leaves proof, such as registered mail. Arrange new cover first so you have no gap.

• Renew your driving licence: every 10 years for a car or motorbike licence while you are under 65, and every 5 years from age 65. Professional licences last 5 years. You can renew up to a few months before expiry.

• Get the medical certificate for licence renewal: before you apply to renew. An authorised driver recognition centre tests you and sends the result to the DGT, then you request renewal online or by appointment.

Documents you need

• Permiso de circulación (the car's registration certificate), the original.

• Ficha técnica (the ITV card, also called tarjeta ITV), the original.

• Your ID.

• Proof of payment, or a card to pay the fee at the station.

• The report from your previous ITV, if the station asks for it.

• Your insurance policy document. The station checks insurance in the DGT database, but carrying the policy is sensible.

Checklist

• Look at the ITV sticker on the windscreen, or the ITV card, to find your due date.

• Put your permiso de circulación, ficha técnica and ID in the car, and have a way to pay the fee at the station.

• If you get a desfavorable result, repair the defects and book the re-inspection at the same station within the repair deadline.

• If your ITV has already expired, book the inspection straight away, pay the normal fee, and keep the booking confirmation with you on the way to the station.

• If you have already been fined for an expired ITV, pay the fine as well as passing the inspection.

What to watch out for

• Driving with an expired ITV: If you drive with an expired ITV, you can be fined 200 euros, with no loss of points. Driving to the station without any appointment can also be fined. Book the inspection as soon as you notice the date has passed, and keep the booking confirmation with you.

• Passing does not cancel a fine: If you have already been fined, passing the ITV afterwards does not cancel it. Pay the fine promptly to get the prompt-payment reduction, and then regularise the ITV.

• A negativa result means the car is a danger: With a negativa result, you may not drive the car except to the repair shop. Driving it otherwise can bring a higher fine, and officers can immobilise it. Arrange a tow or drive straight to the workshop, repair the defects, then book the re-inspection.

• Missing the repair deadline after a desfavorable result: A desfavorable result gives you a limited time to repair and re-inspect. In some regions you may keep driving until then, but not everywhere, and a car that stays unrepaired risks being treated as having no valid ITV. Ask the station how your region handles driving in the meantime, and book the re-inspection straight away.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ITV cost for an ordinary car?

An ITV for an ordinary private car typically cost 30 to 50 euros for petrol and 38 to 60 euros for diesel in 2025. Each region sets its own tariff.

Do I need an appointment for the ITV?

No, the law does not require an appointment for the ITV, but most stations require or strongly prefer one.

Is my next ITV counted from the day I pass or from the previous expiry date?

Your next ITV is counted from the expiry date of the previous ITV, not from the day you took the test. This also applies if your ITV had expired and you passed late: the new expiry still counts from the previous expiry date.

Do I pay again for a re-inspection after failing?

No, the first re-inspection is usually included in the fee when you do it at the same station within the repair period. A later re-inspection may be charged.