Obtaining an ITV Certificate for an Imported Car

Documents needed to obtain an ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) Certificate for an imported car in Spain...

Before being registered in Spain, foreign vehicles have to pass an official control test (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) at an ITV station. Inspections are made by appointment.

  • To find an ITV station in any region of Spain. The DGT  has a list of regional ITV stations.(in Spanish)

New vehicles

The following documents will be needed for an ITV test:

  • The vehicle's technical specifications (provided by the vehicle manufacturer or representative), as well as a Spanish translation
  • Previous ITV card, if applicable
  • Receipt of payment of duty (original and photocopy)
  • Purchase receipt (original and photocopy)
  • Driving licence
  • Proof of vehicle insurance
  • Identity document, for validating foreign ownership paperwork
  • Unic Certificate (Certificado Unico or Certificado de Adeudo), obtainable from the Traffic Department
    Note    : The Unic Certificate is not necessary for vehicles coming from other EU countries

Used vehicles

The following documents will be needed for an ITV test:

  • The vehicle's technical specifications (provided by the vehicle manufacturer or representative), as well as a Spanish translation
  • Previous ITV card, if applicable
  • Receipt of payment of duty (original and photocopy)
  • Purchase receipt (original and photocopy)
  • Vehicle registration papers
  • Driving licence
  • Proof of vehicle insurance
  • Identity document, for validating foreign ownership paperwork
  • Classic cars (coches clasicos) require a special ITV, as well as an authenticity certificate from the regional government (comunidad autónoma)

Once the vehicle passes the ITV test, a Technical Test Certificate Card (Tarjeta de Inspección Técnica) will be issued.

Note: Registering a right-hand drive vehicle in Spain could prove to be difficult as the Spanish government is increasingly considering them to be unsafe due to limited visibility. It is important to note that a person who is already a resident of Spain who buys a foreign, right-hand drive car with the intention of importing and registering it in Spain may be able to go through the importation process, but then be refused an ITV test. This would make the car illegal to drive. Residents of Spain considering importing a right-hand drive foreign car should consult a local ITV station for advice.