OCA inspections
Which installations need periodic electrical inspection in Spain?
ITC-BT-05 requires an inspection every five years for installations that were subject to initial inspection. Common electrical services in residential buildings with total installed power above 100 kW are inspected every ten years.
What to prepare
Have the project or MTD, CIE, previous report, maintenance record, current diagrams and safe access ready. A technical pre-check can identify labels, altered protection or test values that need attention.
If defects are found
Follow-up depends on defect classification and the regional process. Serious or very serious defects are not minor paperwork; they may affect continued operation and require corrective action.
For the next part of the decision, see the guides to OCA inspection and Electrical documents.
How to prepare for a periodic electrical inspection
Start with the previous inspection report, its date and the precise installation it covers. One resident’s or business’s contracted power is not enough to classify a building’s communal installation. If the inspection boundary is unclear, compare the technical file with the inspection body’s requirements and the regional procedure.
A preliminary review can address incomplete records, unlabelled circuits and maintenance defects before the OCA visit. It does not replace the statutory inspection; it helps the necessary checks take place and reduces predictable obstacles. Businesses should arrange access to boards and plant rooms and identify which equipment can be disconnected.
When the report arrives, record each defect, who will correct it and the applicable deadline. Keep evidence of remedial work alongside the inspection certificate. A five- or ten-year inspection interval does not remove the duty to keep the installation safe between inspections, or justify delaying repairs to a known hazard.
Which installation and which inspection date matter?
An electricity bill does not establish the due date for a periodic inspection. Find the previous report and check precisely what it covers: a building's communal services, a business unit and a special-purpose installation may have different files and schedules. ITC-BT-05 sets intervals by regulatory category; one occupier's contracted power cannot classify the entire communal installation.
If defects are identified, plan their correction and keep the evidence of resolution with the report. Preparing for an OCA inspection means having labelled circuits, available documents and a maintained installation throughout the period between inspections, not making cosmetic changes to the board on the day.
Frequently asked questions
Are public-access premises inspected every five years?
Yes. They require initial inspection and therefore fall under the five-year periodic rule.
Does every apartment building need a ten-year OCA?
ITC-BT-05 specifies common installations in residential buildings above 100 kW total installed power.
Does an extension restart the period?
A material extension may need its own inspection. Future timing should be coordinated with the inspection report and regional procedure.
Regulatory basis and official sources
Always check the current version of the rule and the administrative procedure that applies to the specific case.