La Rioja liberalizes the ITV and repeals the decree in effect since 2012

The Governing Council of La Rioja approved Decree 23/2026 on October 20, which regulates the Technical Vehicle Inspection in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja and replaces the regulations in force since 2012. The regulation is published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja number 204, dated October 22, 2026, with the official reference BOR-A-20261022-I–84 and file number 202610200125097. The text enters into force on October 23, one day after its publication in the gazette.

Decree 23/2026 repeals Decree 26/2012, of July 6, and adapts the regional regulation to Royal Decree 920/2017, of October 23, as amended by Royal Decrees 750/2022 and 892/2024. The preamble justifies the reform based on the need to unify criteria with state regulations and to “advance in the liberalization of the sector,” and expressly cites the reports of the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) and the doctrine of the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the necessity and proportionality of restrictions.

The regulation is structured into seven chapters and three annexes: general provisions, authorizations, mobile units, operating conditions, obligations, supervision and control, and the sanctioning regime. The decree was signed in Logroño by President Gonzalo Capellán de Miguel and the Councilor for Economy, Innovation, Business, and Self-Employment, María Belinda León Fernández, following the opinion of the Consultative Council of La Rioja.

A model open to private enterprise

Article 4 establishes that the technical inspection service shall be provided “preferably by private companies with their own personnel,” although the regional Administration may provide it directly or through mixed-economy companies. In any case, it will be essential to obtain the operating authorization from the competent body in industrial matters, which must resolve and notify within a maximum period of three months, with positive administrative silence and publication of the operative part in the Official Gazette of La Rioja.

Article 8 establishes a regime of incompatibilities: ITV stations, their managers, and their personnel may not be part of or have links to entities whose activity is land transport by road or the trade of motor vehicles. The sole transitional provision grants one year from the entry into force for already authorized stations to submit an express declaration stating they are not affected by these incompatibilities.

Technical requirements, personnel, and mobile units

Annex II requires a technical manager or technical director with a technical engineering degree or higher and two technical inspectors for each inspection line, in addition to the necessary administrative staff. The facilities must have one line for light vehicles (MMA equal to or less than 3,500 kg) and another for heavy vehicles (greater than 3,500 kg) or a universal line, as well as means to inspect motorcycles, mopeds, quadricycles, and quads.

Minimum surface areas increase with the number of lines:

• One line: 2,000 m² of land, 200 m² of warehouse and 40 m² of offices.
• Three lines: 3,000 m² of land, 500 m² of warehouse and 50 m² of offices.
• Six lines: 6,000 m² of land, 950 m² of warehouse and 80 m² of offices.

Each station must also have a mobile unit for agricultural vehicles, mopeds, and special vehicles; their routes and schedules will be authorized annually, and stations must communicate their proposals before November 30 of the previous year.

Schedules, rates, and complaints

The minimum opening hours shall be 40 hours per week, with service on non-holiday Saturdays between nine and thirteen hours, and in-person service, telephone appointments, and internet appointments must be offered. Rates shall be public and regulated by Order of the department competent in ITV matters, following a report from the Department of Finance, and may be updated according to the actual cost of the service.

Stations must undergo an annual external audit in accordance with the UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17020 standard and an internal audit, submit an activity report before January 31, and an economic-financial audit before June 30. User complaints shall be resolved within a maximum period of three months, and the sanctioning regime shall be that of Title V of Law 21/1992, of July 16, on Industry.

The new framework directly affects Riojan drivers, who gain in terms of schedules and appointment channels, but also workshops, dealerships, and transport companies, which see the incompatibility regime expanded and must prove their independence within one year. For operators interested in entering the sector, the decree opens the door to private initiative under regional authorization and control through audits.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 204, October 22, 2026, section I. General Provisions, page 17721 (official reference: BOR-A-20261022-I–84).