The V-16 warning beacon in Spain: who must carry it, what it must do and how to use it
Reviewed on 11 October 2026 · sources: BOE (Reglamento General de Vehículos, RD 159/2021, Reglamento General de Circulación)
Short answer. The V-16 is the flashing yellow light that replaces the warning triangles in Spain. Since 1 January 2026 only the connected V-16 counts: a self-contained light visible all round that also sends its activation and position to the DGT, Spain's traffic authority. Cars, vans up to 3,500 kg, buses, heavier lorries and vehicle combinations must carry one. The rules are in annex XII of the Reglamento General de Vehículos (the vehicle regulation), the V-16 section of its annex XI and the first transitional provision of Royal Decree 159/2021.
If you drive a Spanish-registered vehicle, or a foreign one in Spain, check the beacon in your boot: an old non-connected beacon, or a triangle, no longer meets the rule that the regulation sets out.
Who must carry it
Annex XII lists the V-16 in the equipment of:
- cars, mixed vehicles and goods vehicles of up to 3,500 kg maximum mass, except three-wheelers and quadricycles (paragraph 1.a);
- buses, mixed vehicles and goods vehicles over 3,500 kg, and non-special vehicle combinations, which must also carry an approved fire extinguisher (paragraph 2).
Motorcycles are not on that list. Since 1 October 2026 their obligation is to carry a high-visibility reflective vest (paragraph 3, added by Royal Decree 518/2026).
What a valid V-16 must meet
From the V-16 section of annex XI:
| Requirement | What it says |
|---|---|
| Light | Yellow, visible through 360 degrees, intensity kept for at least 30 minutes, flashing between 0.8 and 2 Hz |
| Build | Protection at least IP54, stable in an air flow of 180 Pa, works between minus 10 and 50 degrees Celsius |
| Connectivity | Reports activation, deactivation and position to the DGT; the position is sent every 100 seconds |
| Power | Its own battery, which must still work after 18 months |
| Communications | Included in the price and guaranteed for at least 12 years; the service expiry date is printed on the box and the device |
| Independence | Everything inside the casing; it must not depend on a phone app |
| Single purpose | It only makes the vehicle visible and reports its position; no other functions |
The DGT publishes the list of valid makes and models at dgt.es/v16 (paragraph 7).
What to do in a breakdown: a worked example
Your car stops at night on a dual carriageway and you cannot continue.
- If you can move, leave the traffic lanes and go to the first exit or the right-hand shoulder (RGC, art. 130.2).
- Switch on the hazard lights and, where relevant, the position lights; then use the warning device. The V-16 goes as high as possible on the stopped vehicle so that it is seen as widely as possible (art. 130.4 and annex XI).
- Occupants leave on the side away from traffic, provided there is a safe place off the carriageway, without walking or standing in lanes or on shoulders. If they cannot leave safely, they stay inside with seat belts fastened (art. 130.3).
- An accident report is not filled in on the carriageway but in a safe place (art. 130.5).
The trap. The V-16 is not the old triangle under a new name. Until 1 January 2026 devices that met the earlier specification could still be used as a V-16; that grace period is over, and a beacon without connectivity does not comply. Buying one is not enough either: it carries a connectivity expiry date printed on the box and on the device, and it must be on the DGT list of valid models.
A similar-sounding signal
The V-27 signal, the virtual triangle, is voluntary and is seen only on vehicles connected to the DGT traffic platform: it warns of a nearby hazard when somebody has reported it (annex XI). It does not replace the physical V-16.
A word on fines
The provisions cited here do not set a fine of their own for not carrying a V-16, and this page does not state one. Where to leave a broken-down vehicle is covered in the Spanish page on stopping and parking.
Keep going
- The topic in the syllabus: journey preparation and required equipment.
- Related: car lights and ITV inspection.
- Practise: today's free 30-question DGT exam, available in English.
Reviewed against the consolidated BOE text on 11 October 2026. DrivingLingo is independent and is not endorsed by the DGT. This page is not legal advice.