Bus ITV inspection in Spain: how often and how not to miss it
In Spain, a bus or coach has its ITV (periodic roadworthiness inspection) every year until it is five years old, and every six months after that. This is set by article 6 of Real Decreto 920/2017 (the Spanish royal decree regulating vehicle technical inspection), for categories M2 and M3: vehicles for carrying passengers with more than eight seats, not counting the driver's. Age is counted from the date of first registration.
Here you will find the table, how the first inspection is counted, how to bring it forward without losing days, what the inspection checks in addition on a bus, and how Bus Center keeps an eye on the date.
How often a bus has its ITV
Once a year up to five years of age; after that, every six months. This is the frequency that Real Decreto 920/2017 assigns to categories M2 and M3, which are motor vehicles designed and built mainly for carrying people and their luggage, with more than eight seats not counting the driver's (our translation).
| Age of the bus (M2, M3) | ITV frequency |
|---|---|
| Up to 5 years | Annual |
| Over 5 years | Every six months |
In a fleet with coaches of different ages, that means a different calendar for each one: the four-year-old coach goes to the station once a year and the twelve-year-old one twice. That is why the date of the next ITV is best kept on each vehicle's record, not in anybody's memory.
The first ITV and how age is counted
Age is counted from the date of first registration or entry into service recorded in the Vehicle Register of the Spanish traffic authority (Jefatura Central de Tráfico), which may appear on the registration document (our translation).
Unlike cars, buses have no exempt years at the start. In the decree's table, a category M1 car is exempt until it is 4 years old; a bus of category M2 or M3, on the other hand, has an annual frequency from the first band of the table, the one running up to 5 years.
Each favourable inspection sets the next one. The validity period is obtained by adding the applicable frequency to the date on which the inspection result was favourable.
Bringing it forward without losing days: the 30-day rule
You can have the ITV up to 30 days before it expires without losing those days. The royal decree says that if the date of the favourable inspection falls within the 30 calendar days preceding the expiry of the previous inspection's validity period, the new period is obtained by adding the frequency to the expiry date, not to the date of the inspection (our translation).
In practice, those 30 days are the window for booking an appointment and organising that coach's work without leaving it parked in the middle of the season. What you do not want is to discover the date the day before.
School minibuses and changes of use
The general table has an exception that affects passenger transport: category M1 vehicles used for school transport and for carrying minors do not follow the frequency for cars. They have their ITV on the same pattern as a bus: annually up to five years and every six months after that.
If a vehicle's use changes and that requires a stricter inspection frequency, the royal decree calls for an inspection and for the new use and the new date to be noted on the ITV card. The requirements specific to school transport, beyond the ITV, are covered in school transport requirements.
What the ITV checks in addition on a bus
Besides what is checked on any vehicle, annex I of the royal decree has a section of supplementary tests for vehicles carrying people in categories M2 and M3. Going over it before you go avoids surprises. These are its points:
- Entry and exit doors, and emergency exits.
- Demisting and de-icing system, and ventilation and heating system.
- Passenger seats, including those for attendants, and the driver's seat.
- Interior lighting and navigation devices.
- Gangways, standing areas, stairs and steps.
- Passenger communication system and signs.
- Requirements relating to the carriage of children and of people with reduced mobility.
Two examples of defects that the annex itself lists for emergency exits: illegible or non-visible signs and the absence of a hammer for breaking the glass. These are easy to check before you go. Day-to-day maintenance is covered in preventive maintenance for coaches and buses.
How Bus Center keeps an eye on the date
In Bus Center each coach's record holds the ITV and maintenance, fuel and kilometres, and the vehicle's documents. With those dates, the dashboard gathers everything that expires in 30 days or less: the coaches' ITV, maintenance and insurance, and also the drivers' licence, CAP (Spain's Driver CPC, the certificate of professional competence) and tachograph card.
Each alert comes out as overdue, urgent if 15 days or fewer remain, or warning. Alerts are shown on the dashboard. How Bus Center gathers all the fleet's and drivers' expiry dates is covered in fleet and driver expiry date tracking, and you will find a summary in the Bus Center features (in Spanish).
What it does not do: it does not book the appointment at the station and does not know the inspection result unless it is logged. When an inspection is recorded, the date of the next one is noted, and the coach's record is updated with it; the program does not work out that date by itself.
Sources consulted
Checked on 11 October 2026. We link to the original source so that you can consult the current text.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a bus have its ITV?
Once a year up to five years of age and every six months after that. This is the frequency set by the Spanish ITV royal decree for categories M2 and M3.
When does a new bus have its first ITV?
Age is counted from the date of first registration, and for buses the table provides no exempt years at the start, as it does for cars: the frequency is annual from the first band.
Can I have the ITV before it expires without losing days?
Yes, if you have it in the 30 calendar days before expiry: the new period is counted from the expiry date of the previous one, not from the day of the inspection.
Does Bus Center warn me about the ITV?
Bus Center's dashboard gathers everything that expires in 30 days or less, ITV included, and marks each alert as overdue, urgent or warning. Alerts are shown on the dashboard.