The New Camper Van ITV Rules in Spain: Does the Six-Month Mandatory Inspection Affect You?

If you own a camper van or a motorhome in Spain, you have likely seen the recent, worrying headlines claiming that the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) is forcing all leisure vehicles over ten years old to undergo an ITV inspection every six months.

The source of this panic is the newly published DGT Instruction PROT 2026/04, which officially replaces the older 2023 guidelines. While the law has indeed tightened, the mainstream media has left out the most important detail: this rule does not apply to all campers.

Whether you need to visit the ITV station once a year or twice a year depends entirely on a hidden technical category on your vehicle’s paperwork. Let us break down the exact mechanics of the law so you can check your own vehicle today.

The Battle of the Categories: M1 vs. N1

To understand why the DGT has split the camper community in two, we have to look at how vehicles are classified by law. The new instruction draws a strict line between purpose-built passenger leisure vehicles and converted commercial cargo vans.

1. Factory Motorhomes (Category M1)

If your vehicle was built from the ground up by a commercial manufacturer as a motorhome, it is classified as an M1 passenger vehicle. The DGT recognizes that these vehicles are used strictly for private leisure. Their ITV inspection schedule remains completely unchanged:

• Up to 4 years old: Completely exempt.
• Between 4 and 10 years old: Inspected every two years.
• Over 10 years old: Inspected once a year.

2. Camperized Vans (Category N1 / “Furgón Vivienda”)

This is where the law hits hard. If your camper started its life as a commercial panel van—such as a standard delivery van—and was later converted, insulated, and fitted with beds and kitchens, it is legally classified as an N1 vehicle for goods transport, even if it has been fully homologated as a Furgón Vivienda.

The DGT’s stance is that a commercial chassis carries a different wear-and-tear profile, regardless of the furniture inside. Therefore, these conversions must follow the strict schedule of a commercial vehicle:

• Up to 10 years old: Inspected annually.
• Over 10 years old: Inspected every six months.

How to Check Your Vehicle Logbook ($Ficha\ Técnica$)

To find out exactly where you stand, pull out your vehicle’s green inspection sheet ($Ficha\ Técnica$) and look at the top left corner for the four-digit classification code ($Clasificación\ del\ vehículo$).

[3200] ➔ Autocaravana (M1)       ➔ 10+ Years Old ➔ ANNUAL ITV

[2448] ➔ Furgón Vivienda (N1)    ➔ 10+ Years Old ➔ SIX-MONTH ITV

• If your code begins with 32, your vehicle is legally a motorhome. Relax—your ITV remains an annual requirement even after a decade on the road.
• If your code begins with 24 or 25 (commonly 2448 or 2548 for customized conversions), your vehicle is legally a housing-van built on a commercial frame. If that chassis rolled off the line more than ten years ago, you are now legally required to clear the ITV grid every six months.

The Educational Takeaway

The sudden implementation of Instruction PROT 2026/04 highlights why maintaining meticulous vehicle records is so vital when living and driving in Spain. Many owners bought second-hand van conversions assuming they were treated identically to standard passenger cars.

Driving with an expired ITV in Spain carries a heavy fine, and with automated cameras now actively scanning registration plates across the network, missing a deadline is an expensive mistake. Check your four-digit codes, mark your calendars accordingly, and ensure your mobile home stays fully compliant before hitting the road this summer.