> Short answer: The new 2026 lift regulations are based on the RD 355/2024, which approves the ITC AEM 1 “Lifts” in force since July 1, 2024. It requires periodic inspections every 2, 4 or 6 years depending on the building, and it requires existing lifts to incorporate the safety measures in Annex VII, each with its own deadline, which almost always starts counting when a periodic inspection finds that it is missing. The inspection is contracted by the owner, not by the maintenance company.
If you manage a community, run a hotel, or own a building in Mallorca, this is the question we receive at our office every week: what really changes with the new 2026 lift regulations? The short answer is above. We explain the long answer here, in clear language and without fine print.
The framework is set by Royal Decree 355/2024, of April 2, which approves ITC AEM 1 and replaces the previous one, approved by Royal Decree 88/2013. It is no minor tweak: it standardises how lifts are put into service, maintained, modified and inspected throughout Spain, and for the first time it sets out a specific plan to bring older lifts up to date. At Eleva Balear we have spent months adapting lifts to these requirements in Palma, Inca and across the island, so we know where the problem usually lies.
What are RD 355/2024 and ITC AEM 1 for lifts?
Royal Decree 355/2024 is the royal decree that approves ITC AEM 1 "Lifts," the technical instruction that regulates the entire life cycle of a lift in Spain: commissioning, maintenance, modifications, and inspections. It came into force on July 1, 2024 and its big new feature is that it requires the safety of the existing lift stock to be improved, not just that of new lifts.
Until now, scattered rules coexisted and many old lifts were still running with safety standards from decades ago. ITC AEM 1 brings order. It defines who is the holder (the community, the hotel, or the property owner), what obligations the maintenance company has, and what role the authorised inspection bodies (OCAs) play in carrying out the inspections. You can consult the official guide and explanatory fact sheets in the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.
An important nuance that almost no one reads: the standard distinguishes between modification e safety improvement. Adapting your lift to the mandatory measures does not always imply a major renovation; in many buildings in the Balearic Islands we are talking about limited interventions on doors, levelling or communication.
Since when has the new lift regulations been in effect?
ITC AEM 1 has been in force since July 1, 2024, but it is being applied gradually. Since that date, any new lift or any major modification must comply with the full regulation. For existing lifts, periodic inspections are the mechanism that detects what is missing and starts the clock on the deadline for each measure.
The truth is that there is a lot of confusion about this. It is not that all old lifts suddenly became illegal on 1 July 2024. What happens is that, from that date, each periodic inspection assesses the lift against the new criteria and indicates which Annex VII measures have to be implemented. The deadline for having them all in place is firm, as we will see.
If your building passed inspection just before July 2024, don't worry: you don't need to redo it. However, it's advisable to plan the necessary upgrades before the next inspection, as that will determine the deadlines.
Who is affected by the new 2026 lift regulations?
It affects every owner of a lift in service: communities of owners, developers, hotels, residential homes, offices, commercial premises and private individuals with their own lift. The legal responsibility for complying with the regulation and requesting the inspections always lies with the owner, not with the technician who maintains the lift.
Each situation has its own specifics. In a homeowners' association, the association itself, represented by the administrator or president, is responsible. In a hotel on the Mallorcan coast, the property owner is responsible, and its lift falls under the category of a public building, subject to more frequent inspections. If you manage tourist accommodation, you'll be interested in our guide on lifts for hotels in Mallorca, where we detail the sector's requirements.
And watch out for a common mistake: many owners believe that, because they have a maintenance contract, the maintenance company takes care of everything. It doesn't. The maintenance company maintains; it is the owner who must commission the inspection and approve the improvements.
How often does the lift have to be inspected according to RD 355/2024?
The frequency of the mandatory inspection depends on the use and size of the building. ITC AEM 1 establishes three deadlines: every 2 years for lifts for industrial or public use, each 4 years for buildings with more than 20 dwellings or more than 4 floors, and each 6 years for the rest of the residential buildings.
For a quick overview, here is the inspection timeframe table that we use at Eleva Balear:
| Type of building | Examples | Inspection period |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial or public assembly | Hotels, hospitals, shopping centres, offices | Each 2 years |
| Housing >20 units or >4 floors | Large blocks in Palma or Inca | Each 4 years |
| Remaining residential buildings | Small communities and single-family homes | Each 6 years |
In addition to these periodic inspections, there are also extraordinary inspections: these are compulsory after a serious accident, a major modification to the lift or a long period out of service. If you want to look more closely at the warning signs and the procedure, we have a specific article on when a lift inspection should be carried out. And remember: the result is shown on a label as favourable, with defects or unfavourable; a serious unfavourable result can leave the lift out of service until it is fixed.
Who arranges for the lift inspection, the owner or the maintenance company?
The inspection is always contracted by the owner of the lift or their representative (property manager, hotel manager, owner), never by the maintenance company. The owner chooses an independent authorised inspection body (OCA), separate from the company that maintains the lift, to guarantee impartiality. If the inspection is not carried out on time, the lift may be taken out of service.
Follow these steps to avoid failing the inspection:
- Identify which category your building falls into and calculate the deadline for the next inspection.
- Locate the certificate of the last inspection (it is held by the administrator or is recorded in the CAIB industrial register).
- Hire an accredited OCA and schedule the inspection in advance.
- Provide access to the machine room and the pit on the day of the visit.
- Receive the report with the result and the list of defects, if any.
- Entrust your lift company to rectify the detected issues before the indicated deadline.
- Keep all documentation: it's your proof of compliance.
As a lift company in the Balearic Islands, we at Eleva Balear support you throughout the process: we let you know when deadlines are coming up, coordinate with the OCA and carry out the improvements. Our lift maintenance and regulatory adaptation service includes this monitoring, so the community doesn't have to keep an eye on dates.
What does Annex VII require for existing lifts?
Annex VII of ITC AEM 1 is the heart of the regulation for old lifts: it lists the mandatory safety measures that all existing lifts must implement, each with its own deadline: for the door detector, two-way communication or load control, one year from the periodic inspection that finds it missing; six months after an accident; and three to ten years to replace old guide rails and counterweights, depending on the year of installation. These are improvements designed to reduce the most frequent accidents in equipment that has been in service for many years.
These are the measures in Annex VII that we review in each adaptation:
- Levelling accuracy in cabin, to eliminate the step that causes tripping when entering and exiting.
- Protection against automatic door closure, with photoelectric barriers or detection curtains.
- Protection against uncontrolled movements from the cabin with the doors open.
- Two-way communication permanent with a 24-hour emergency service.
- Load control system that prevents movement with excess weight.
- Replacement or reinforcement of guides and other obsolete items where applicable.
Most of these measures coincide with the lift safety measures: what are they which we already recommended before the standard. The difference is that now they are no longer just recommendations, but mandatory. In lifts older than 25 or 30 years, more than one is usually required; in modern equipment, hardly any.
How much does it cost to adapt a lift to the 2026 regulations?
There is no single figure: adapting a lift to the new 2026 regulations can range from a one-off intervention costing a few hundred euros to a complete modernisation costing several thousand, depending on the condition and age of the lift. What is constant is the saving that comes from planning ahead rather than racing against the clock once the inspection has already set the deadline.
And here's the key: adapting doesn't always mean a complete renovation. In many buildings in Mallorca, we meet the Annex VII requirements with specific work on doors and communication, without replacing the lift. In others, if the existing equipment is already on its last legs, it's worth taking the opportunity to modernise. If you're comparing maintenance and adaptation quotes, it will help to read about how much lift maintenance costs. We study each project on-site and provide a transparent budget, tailored to the community.
A note for new construction: if your project is a newly constructed building, in addition to ITC AEM 1 you must comply with the accessibility requirements of Technical Building Code. We developed it in lifts in new construction and their regulations.
When you DON'T have to worry about the new regulations
Not every building with a lift is in trouble. There are situations where adaptation is minimal or unnecessary:
- Lifts installed or modernised in recent years: if your lift already has precise levelling, a light curtain and two-way communication, it probably complies with almost all of Annex VII.
- Buildings that have just passed a favourable inspection without defects: you don't need to redo it; just plan the next one so that it is done on time.
- Newly installed lifts under the current Directive: they met current standards from the start.
However, even in these cases a condition check is advisable. It's the cheapest way to confirm you're compliant and avoid surprises when the official inspection comes round.
Frequently asked questions about the new lift regulations 2026
Is it mandatory to adapt my old lift to the new 2026 lift regulations?
Yes. ITC AEM 1 of Royal Decree 355/2024 requires existing lifts to incorporate any missing safety measures listed in Annex VII. These measures are not all implemented at once: periodic inspections identify what is missing in each lift, and the implementation period for each measure begins from that point. The older the lift, the more measures it is likely to require. Adapting it in advance avoids rushing, additional costs, and the risk of it being taken out of service.
What happens if my lift doesn't pass the compulsory inspection on time?
If the owner does not arrange for the periodic inspection within the corresponding period (2, 4 or 6 years), or if the inspection yields an unfavorable result with serious defects, the lift may be out of service until it is rectified. Furthermore, the holder assumes civil liability for any incident. Therefore, it is advisable to keep a schedule of expiration dates and act before the certificate expires.
Who is responsible for complying with the new lift regulations in a community?
The community of owners is responsible, as the owner of the lift, represented by the property manager or the president. It is the community that must contract the inspection, approve the Annex VII improvements and keep the documentation. The maintenance company takes care of the technical maintenance, but that does not replace the owner's legal obligation to request inspections and order the adaptations.
Does the new 2026 lift regulation require the installation of a lift where there is none?
No. Royal Decree 355/2024 regulates lifts that are already installed and their safety; it does not require a lift to be installed where there is none. Installing a new lift in an old building is governed by the Horizontal Property Act and its voting majorities. If you are considering installing one, at Eleva Balear we can advise you on the technical feasibility and the procedures in your community of owners.
How much time do I have to adapt the lift to Annex VII?
It depends on the measure: for the door detector, two-way communication or load control, one year from the periodic inspection that finds it missing; six months after an accident; and three to ten years to replace old guide rails and counterweights, depending on the year the lift was installed. Planning the upgrade two or three years ahead lets you budget calmly, spread the cost and choose the best technical solution for your building. For what each of these measures costs, item by item, see the price of modernising a lift in Mallorca.
Adapt your lift to the new regulations with Eleva Balear
The new 2026 lift regulations don't have to be a headache. At Eleva Balear we have installed more than 100 lifts, have a 99% satisfaction rate and our own 24/7 technical service throughout Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. We check your lift, tell you clearly which Annex VII measures it needs and carry out the adaptation with complete transparency in the quote.
Experience the peace of mind of being in good hands. Call us at +34 971 17 81 51 or write to us at quierosercliente@elevabalear.com and ask for a no-obligation check of your lift. We make sure your community, hotel or building has its lift in order at every inspection. We have also explained how Royal Decree 355/2024 affects periodic inspection in the Balearic Islands, with the deadlines and control bodies of the islands.
