ES · Expiry & renewal tracking
Transport authorisation visado in Spain: keep your authorisation valid
A Spanish transport authorisation has no fixed term, but its validity depends on the visado the authorities carry out every two years of their own motion to check the conditions of Article 43 LOTT (Article 51.1 of Law 16/1987; Article 42.1 of Royal Decree 1211/1990). A requirement not proven within ten days voids it.
Spanish transport authorisations are granted without a fixed term, but their validity can be made conditional on a periodic endorsement (visado), which the authorities carry out of their own motion to check that the conditions of Article 43 of the Land Transport Act are still met (Article 51.1 of Law 16/1987, LOTT). Its implementing regulation (ROTT) states that the authorities must endorse all transport authorisations every two years, following the deadlines set by the Directorate-General for Land Transport, which may set a different frequency for some types (Article 42.1 of Royal Decree 1211/1990).
The conditions checked include having an address in Spain, having vehicles and meeting tax, employment and social security obligations; and, for bus passenger transport or goods transport with vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, the requirements of establishment, good repute, financial standing and professional competence (Article 43 LOTT).
If the visado shows that a condition is not met, the competent body asks the holder to prove compliance within ten days. If the holder does not, the authorisation automatically loses its validity (Article 42.2 ROTT).
At a glance
| Term | No fixed term; validity depends on the visado (Article 51.1 LOTT) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Every two years, following the deadlines set by the Directorate-General for Land Transport (Article 42.1 ROTT) |
| Who carries it out | The authorities, of their own motion (Article 51.1 LOTT) |
| If a requirement is missing | Ten days to prove compliance (Article 42.2 ROTT) |
| No visado in time | Automatic loss of validity, including any permits that depend on it (Article 51.1 LOTT) |
| Reinstatement | Possible if requested within one year of notification and all conditions are proven (Article 42.3 ROTT) |
Who is responsible?
The authorisation holder, who must keep meeting the conditions and prove them when asked (Article 42.2 ROTT). The authorities can check them at any time, also outside the visado (Article 43.1 ROTT). Payment of financial penalties for transport offences imposed by a decision that ends the administrative procedure is a prerequisite for the visado (Article 46 ROTT).
If the deadline passes
Authorisations that must be endorsed but are not endorsed in time automatically lose their validity, without any formal declaration, and so do any other permits obtained on condition that they are valid (Article 51.1 LOTT). Carrying out public transport without the required authorisation is a very serious offence; for this purpose, authorisations not endorsed when required have no validity (Article 140.1 LOTT and Article 197.1 ROTT).
Checks outside the visado too
If the authorities find outside the visado that a condition of Article 43 is not met, they suspend the authorisation until the holder remedies it. If it is not remedied before the next visado period ends, the authorisation loses its validity (Article 52.1 LOTT). For authorisations covering several vehicles, if only one vehicle fails the requirements, only that vehicle is removed (Article 42.2 ROTT).
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add each authorisation and record the end of its visado period as the date.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day itself, giving you time to check that tax, employment and social security obligations and the other conditions are in order.
- Assign a responsible person, such as the office manager or the transport manager; emails arrive in each recipient's language.
- If the date passes, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a Spanish transport authorisation expire?
- It has no fixed term, but it loses its validity if it is not endorsed in time (Article 51.1 LOTT).
- How often is the visado carried out?
- Every two years, following the deadlines set by the Directorate-General for Land Transport, which may set a different frequency for some types (Article 42.1 ROTT).
- Do I have to apply for the visado?
- The law states that the authorities carry out the visado of their own motion (Article 51.1 LOTT). If they find that a condition is missing, they will ask you to prove it within ten days (Article 42.2 ROTT).
- Can an authorisation invalidated at the visado be recovered?
- Yes. Public transport authorisations invalidated because the visado requirements were not proven can be reinstated if this is requested within one year of the notification and all conditions are proven (Article 42.3 ROTT).
Sources
- Ley 16/1987, de Ordenación de los Transportes Terrestres (LOTT), artículos 43, 51, 52 y 140 (BOE, texto consolidado)
- Real Decreto 1211/1990, Reglamento de la LOTT (ROTT), artículos 42, 43, 46 y 197 (BOE, texto consolidado)
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 transport authorisation endorsement (tarjeta de transporte) (Spain)
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Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each transport authorisation endorsement (tarjeta de transporte) (Spain) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
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