ES · Expiry & renewal tracking
Don't let a lift go out of service because an inspection is overdue
Lifts in Spain are inspected by an inspection body every two years in industrial buildings or places open to the public, every four with more than twenty dwellings or four floors served, and every six otherwise (ITC AEM 1, Royal Decree 355/2024, Article 11.4). Once overdue, the lift is taken out of service.
Spain's technical instruction ITC AEM 1 on lifts, approved by Royal Decree 355/2024, sets minimum intervals for periodic inspections, which are carried out by inspection bodies (organismos de control): every two years in industrial buildings or places open to the public; every four years in buildings with more than twenty dwellings or more than four floors served; and every six years in all other cases (Articles 11.1 and 11.4 of the ITC).
The owner must book the inspection in good time; the maintenance company may never book it (Article 4.5). The maintenance company notifies the owner of the next inspection date at least three months in advance and, if the deadline passes without an inspection, must take the lift out of service and report this within 24 hours to the owner and the regional authority (Article 7.6 and 7.7).
A lift may only be used while a maintenance contract with a lift maintenance company is in place (Article 4.1). On-site maintenance visits take place every four months for single-family homes and for lifts with a CE or EU declaration of conformity in residential buildings with up to three stops serving no more than 20 dwellings; for all others, every month, with no fewer than 20 and no more than 45 days between visits (Article 5.4).
At a glance
| Industrial buildings or places open to the public | Inspection every 2 years (Article 11.4.a) |
|---|---|
| More than 20 dwellings or more than 4 floors served | Inspection every 4 years (Article 11.4.b) |
| All other lifts | Inspection every 6 years (Article 11.4.c) |
| Notice from the maintenance company | At least 3 months before the inspection date (Article 7.6) |
| Maintenance: single-family homes and CE/EU lifts with up to 3 stops and 20 dwellings | Every 4 months (Article 5.4.a) |
| Maintenance: all other lifts | Every month, 20 to 45 days between visits (Article 5.4.b) |
Places open to the public include, among others, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, airports and enclosed, covered car parks for more than 5 vehicles, and, with an expected occupancy of more than 50 people, offices, shops and schools (Article 11.4).
Who is responsible?
The lift owner: books maintenance and inspection, gives the inspection body access, keeps the certificate of the last inspection available and has a maintenance company fix any defects within the deadlines set (Article 4.1, 4.5 and 4.6). The owner also keeps the lift's documents, including the maintenance record, the maintenance contract and the periodic inspection certificates (Article 4.8).
If the deadline passes
If the periodic inspection deadline passes without an inspection, the maintenance company takes the lift out of service and reports this within 24 hours to the owner and to the regional industry authority (Article 7.7). Breaches of the ITC are classified and penalised under Title V of the Industry Act, Law 21/1992 (Article 14).
Inspection results
Favourable without defects: a green label in the car. Favourable with minor defects: these must be fixed within six months. Unfavourable with serious defects: the deadline to fix them may not exceed six months, and the inspection body inspects again. With very serious defects the lift is taken out of service and only returns after a new full periodic inspection (Article 11.9). Certificates are delivered within 15 days of the inspection (Article 11.10).
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add each lift and record the deadline for its next periodic inspection: 2, 4 or 6 years depending on the building.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day itself, in addition to the notice the maintenance company must send you.
- The inspection body or the maintenance company can upload the new certificate through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
- Assign a responsible person to each lift, such as the property manager; if a date passes, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- How often is a lift in a residential building inspected in Spain?
- Every four years if the building has more than twenty dwellings or more than four floors served; otherwise every six years. In industrial buildings or places open to the public, every two years (Article 11.4).
- Does this apply to older lifts?
- Yes, for maintenance, inspections and modifications. Lifts already registered keep the rules that applied to them for essential safety requirements, but ITC AEM 1 governs their maintenance, inspections and modifications (First Transitional Provision, paragraph 1).
- Can the maintenance company book the inspection?
- No. The periodic inspection may never be booked by the maintenance company (Article 4.5).
Sources
Last checked: Sep 30, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.
Made for lift periodic inspection (2, 4 or 6 years) (Spain)
A ready template for lift periodic inspection (2, 4 or 6 years) (Spain) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.
Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each lift periodic inspection (2, 4 or 6 years) (Spain) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
Assign an owner
Give each lift periodic inspection (2, 4 or 6 years) (Spain) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.