The waiting time to get an appointment at the ITV in Ibiza has shot up again, now reaching almost four months. A search carried out this Tuesday on the official website shows the first available date as 4 March. This situation forces drivers to book well in advance and avoid oversights, as driving without a valid ITV can result in a 200-euro fine.
The Consell de Ibiza told this newspaper that it is “fully aware” of the increased waiting time to obtain an appointment for the Technical Inspection of Vehicles (ITV) and assured that it “is working on several measures to improve the situation as soon as possible”.
The island authority recalls that the tender for the new contract to manage the second mobile ITV station is already underway. The file is currently in the Contracting department, with a base budget of 1,463,259 euros and an initial one-year duration, extendable for up to three. “Once awarded, it will increase operational capacity and reduce waiting times”, the Consell explained.
New regulations
At the same time, the Consell is developing new operating regulations for the service in order to modernise its structure and optimise available resources. Among other measures, the new framework will allow companies specialising in ITV to open their own facilities on the island to complement the current public-only service, as previously reported by Diario de Ibiza. The public consultation process, open from 18 August to 9 September, received input from 40 entities and five formal submissions, which are now being analysed for inclusion in the final text.
Regarding the temporary rise in waiting times, the Consell attributes the situation to a combination of seasonal factors and the continuous growth of the island’s vehicle fleet, which has increased significantly in recent years. Data from IbizaPreservation’s Sustainability Observatory revealed that the total number of vehicles on the island reached 160,835 in 2023. According to the Ibiza Sustainability Report 2023, this amounts to 1,010 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants.
The Consell also stresses that staffing problems persist. Many vacancies remain unfilled due to the shortage of qualified professionals on the island and the legal requirement to demand Catalan, an issue the institution says it has repeatedly raised with the regional government. Currently, there are three mechanics in the job pool who have been contacted to join immediately if available, according to the Consell. In addition, another mechanic is taking part in the competitive exam process to obtain a permanent position.
‘The ITV pirate’
Regarding the well-known case of the “ITV pirate”, the Consell says it cannot provide further information as the matter has been reported to the Guardia Civil. However, it reiterates its “zero tolerance” for any irregular practice. The Ibiza ITV pirate blocked up to 700 appointments in order to defraud users, according to the Consell’s estimates at the time.
Finally, the authority clarifies that there is no ongoing privatisation process of the service, but rather a tender for the implementation of the second mobile ITV station, whose management “will strengthen the public service and improve user attention”.
The ITV service in Ibiza has been a hot potato for years. In 2020, the two lines of the mobile ITV at the Recinto Ferial were launched to reinforce the Santa Gertrudis station. Their opening reduced a waiting list that had exceeded six months. Five years later, the service is once again overwhelmed.