19/10/2026
๐โ๏ธ ๐๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ โฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ก ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐? ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ก๐ข!
Here's an interesting ruling that could have implications for thousands of motorists in Spain.
A court in Oviedo has overturned a โฌ200 fine issued to the owner of a vehicle that was parked on a public road with an expired ITV (Spain's equivalent of an MOT).
The vehicle wasn't being driven. It was simply parked when the police issued the fine.
The owner challenged the penalty... and won!
โ๏ธ ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ?
The court ruled that Spanish traffic legislation penalises ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ง๐ฉ, but does not expressly make simply having that vehicle parked on a public road a punishable offence under the same provision.
In other words, there's an important legal distinction between a vehicle being driven and one that's simply sitting stationary.
๐จ ๐ฆ๐ข ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฉ?
Not quite!
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The ruling provides a strong argument for challenging fines issued solely because a parked vehicle has an expired ITV.
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Driving with an expired ITV can still result in a โฌ200 fine.
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The decision doesn't automatically cancel other fines or mean every court will reach the same conclusion.
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Other requirements, including insurance and local parking regulations, still apply.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time a Spanish court has questioned fines issued to stationary vehicles with expired ITV certificates.
๐ช๐ธ ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ฅ?
Many foreign residents in Spain have vehicles they only use occasionally, perhaps leaving them parked for weeks or months while they're away.
For those motorists, the distinction between ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด and ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด could be particularly important.
๐ฌ ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐?
Should the police be allowed to fine a vehicle with an expired ITV even when it's not being driven?
Or do you agree with the judge that penalties should only apply when the vehicle is actually being used on the road?
๐ We'd be interested to hear your views!
Car Registrations Spain ๐ช๐ธ
Helping motorists navigate Spanish vehicle regulations.
