The benefit of taking your roadworthiness ITV test early in Spain
Getting ahead of your car’s ITV due date in Spain is not only allowed, it actually has a distinct advantage
The Technical Inspection of Vehicles (ITV) is the Spanish equivalent of the MOT in the UK or the NCT in Ireland and must be carried out periodically as your car gets older. It’s essentially a type of preventative legal maintenance which verifies compliance with safety standards and polluting emissions.
Brand new cars only need to be booked for an ITV test after four years, but vehicles aged between four and ten years old need to be tested every two years and it’s an annual requirement for cars more than 10 years old. From the day your existing test expires, you’re not allowed to drive the vehicle and face a fine of 200 euros if caught.
The usual exception is if you’re actually travelling to an ITV test centre but regions differ on offering this leeway, so it’s best to mark the due-date on your calendar and stick to it.
Motorbikes follow the same ITV validity periods as passenger cars but for mopeds, brand new vehicles must be tested after three years rather than four.
But did you know that you can actually put your vehicle through the test up to 30 days in advance? Not only is there no downside, but it could actually prove to be an advantage.
If you book your car in for its ITV up to one month ahead of schedule, you won’t lose any of the original validity period. So, for example, let’s say your car is 10 years old and the ITV test is due on November 1. If you have it tested some time in October, your new sticker will still be valid until November 1 the following year.
The major benefit of passing your ITV test within this 30-day grace period, aside from maintaining the same original period of validity, is that you reduce the risk of forgetting or having to postpone your appointment and facing an unwanted fine.
Find all the latest motoring and travel news here or join our Driving in Spain Facebook group for regular updates
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