Efforts by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism to end the ITV bottleneck are beginning to bear fruit. Staffing boosts and changes in how appointments are requested have allowed seven ITV stations in Alicante province to offer slots this August. Not all locations are equal, however. The Benidorm ITV remains the most strained, with inspections continuing to require a wait until October. In Alicante city, Elche, and Pilar de la Horadada, appointments are available in September.
Vehicle owners across the Valencian Community have endured a difficult period, struggling to secure a prior appointment for an ITV in recent months. The government explains that the problem stems from a legacy left by the previous regional administration, which handed back control at a hectic moment before elections and failed to adopt the necessary measures or provide adequate resources.
First, authorities addressed a pledge made by former managers to equalize salaries across all stations. They then moved to reinforce staff through a temporary employment pool, bringing 221 workers to the Valencia province this summer, 23 to Castellón, and 59 to Alicante.
Additionally, a new online platform now requires payment of fees to streamline service and curb fraud associated with third parties that did not belong to the public company Sitval, which runs the ITV network. They also agreed to enable new service lines where possible, allowing some inspections to proceed without a prior appointment.
All of these measures are delivering relief, though about one third of the ITV network still faces a lack of available dates. The main difficulties concentrate in Valencia and Castellón, where fixed staff take vacations by agreement between July and September, leaving several stations with reduced capacity.
The outlook is notably better in Alicante province, where there is no contractual clause restricting staffing, enabling larger teams to work. The new appointment platform has also proven effective by eliminating fraud and preventing bookings for slots that later prove unused, which had clogged the system.
Overall, the ITV situation in Alicante has improved significantly, with up to seven stations in mid-August offering appointments. These locations include Alcoy, Novelda, Orihuela, Redován, Villena, Ondara and Torrevieja. A second wave of stations, located in Alicante city, Elche, and Pilar de la Horadada, is seeing dates pushed into September.
Yet the Benidorm station remains the worst offender, with wait times extending to October. This station has faced relentless pressure from both its coastal location and peak summer traffic, which intensifies demand. Its site location beside a major road and limited space prevent the installation of additional inspection lines, since queues would spill beyond the ITV facility itself.
Plan strategic
In parallel, the regional department notes ongoing work to improve the service. This is outlined in the strategic plan for 2024-2034 approved by Sitval’s board of directors. The document spells out a series of measures aimed at addressing detected inefficiencies.
In the first five years, the plan calls for a 20 percent increase in the number of inspection lines, currently totaling 96 across 27 fixed stations and nine mobile units. This expansion would be phased in as resources allow.
According to the minister, Nuria Montes, the time and money required to add lines mean beginning with portable lines, which will be gradually replaced in the medium to long term by fixed ITV stations. The objective is for Alicante province to have five new fixed facilities, supplementing the current eleven.
Additionally, all vacancies in Sitval’s organization chart will be filled, addressing a staff shortfall of 109 positions linked to contracts that expired in June 2023. These roles will become permanent, strengthening the overall workforce.
Finally, efforts to restore normalcy include ensuring all steps are in place to provide reliable, efficient service while preventing recurrence of the earlier bottlenecks. These reforms form part of a broader push to deliver better, faster ITV experiences for residents and visitors alike. [Source: Conselleria de Innovación, Industria, Comercio y Turismo; Sitval plan documentation].
With these measures in place, the intention is to sustain progress and continue expanding capacity so that more stations can accommodate demand without undue delays, even as seasonal peaks recur. The ongoing assessments and adjustments will be monitored by the regional administration and Sitval to ensure the system remains responsive to travelers and vehicle owners across the Valencian Community.
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