Spain’s ITV car inspection goes fully digital

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Spain's ITV car inspection goes fully digital
ID 183613228 © Álvaro Bueno Lumbreras | Dreamstime.com

Spain recently brought its ITV inspections into the digital age. This means you no longer have to search for crumpled technical documents.

The Spanish ITV (the equivalent of the MOT for our British readers) has taken a technological leap with the introduction of the eITV, an innovative digital system that revolutionizes the way your car is roadworthy.

The eITV, supported by the Spanish Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), isn’t just a technical improvement—it represents the biggest change in Spanish car inspection since the days of carburetors and cassette decks.

What is the new eITV?
The eITV stands for “Electronic Technical Inspection of Vehicles.” This means your vehicle’s technical information, inspection history, and modification records are now securely stored in a national digital database. Paper documents? A thing of the past. Clicks and cloud data? A thing of the future.

If your vehicle was registered in 2016 or later, you probably already have a digital file under the hood. But now drivers of older models are also being integrated into this new standard.

How ​​does it work? Big Brother under the hood
Forget printing documents or panicking about missing technical certificates. With eITV, it all starts when you book your ITV appointment. The system accesses the DGT database, retrieves your vehicle’s information, and prepares everything for the inspection team.

When you arrive at the inspection center, the ITV staff already have all the information they need. No paperwork. No fuss. A quick tap in the system is all it takes, and the inspection can begin.

You no longer need to bring your “permiso de circulación” or the physical “technical certificate.” The only thing you need is your car. Finally, an administrative process that makes sense.

Who is affected? Everyone
If your vehicle has been registered for road use since 2016, you’re probably already part of the eITV revolution—even if you haven’t realized it yet. The rollout will be gradual for older cars, but starting April 28, all stations in Spain will be ready for the digital transformation.

Don’t have eITV yet? No problem. You can either activate it immediately at your next ITV appointment or stop by a Provincial Traffic Inspectorate to get ahead of the game.

Why should you care? Because time is money—and so is a clean balance sheet
This is a digital upgrade that actually makes life easier. The benefits?

  • No more scavenger hunts—just show up and drive in.
  • Less fraud—shady sellers and their stories are easier to spot.
  • Greater transparency—buyers can access a verified vehicle history without having to rely on the seller’s statements.
  • Faster inspections – With digital recording, ITV stations can run tighter schedules and reduce waiting times.

If you’ve ever stood in the Spanish sun behind a line of irritated grannies waiting to hand over photocopies, this is the miracle you’ve been waiting for.

What’s next? Your entire car could soon live in the cloud
The eITV is just the tip of the digital iceberg. Spain’s transport authorities are going full throttle into the future.

The miDGT app will already allow you to carry your digital driver’s license on your phone if everything works out. Now, there’s talk of electronic license plates – meaning your vehicle’s identity, status, and even unpaid fines could be visible in real time.

The verdict: A rare win for the Spanish administration?
Let’s face it: Spain isn’t exactly known for its bureaucratic efficiency. But maybe they’ve nailed it this time.

The process is faster, smarter and – dare we say it – almost pleasant?