CIVAM

What CIVAM does

CIVAM is a privately held Portuguese vehicle technical inspection center headquartered in Meirinhas, Portugal, founded on 12 November 1994 by five partners. The company operates a single physical facility with three inspection lines — two dedicated to light vehicles and one mixed line handling light vehicles and heavy vehicles with trailers — enabling walk-in service with no prior booking required. Its core offering consists of four inspection services: periodic mandatory technical inspections for all motor vehicles under Portuguese law, optional owner-initiated inspections, motorcycle inspections for vehicles with engine displacement of 250cc or more, and trailer inspections for vehicles with gross weight of 750kg or more.

CIVAM generates revenue through per-inspection transaction fees at tariffs regulated by Portuguese legislation (Deliberação n.º 95/2017 establishes reference values). The customer base comprises individual vehicle owners as the primary segment and fleet operators and commercial vehicle owners as a secondary segment, all served through direct walk-in traffic. The company is a grouped center within ANIVAP (Agrupamento Nacional de Inspecções Automóveis ACE), which provides regulatory alignment, standardization support, and industry coordination.

The business operates within a tightly regulated framework under Lei n.º 11/2011, which restricts legally valid vehicle inspections to authorized and accredited centers. CIVAM has maintained continuous operation for over 30 years, with the most recent material capital event being a 2014 expansion that added a third inspection line, modernized the facility, and introduced accessibility accommodations. Marketing and customer acquisition are conducted through a functional website (civam.pt) and a Facebook page, with no evidence of digital advertising, partnerships outside ANIVAP, or external investment.

Name

CIVAM

Legal name

CIVAM | Centro de Inspecções

Website

https://civam.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CIVAM is a Portuguese vehicle technical inspection center in Meirinhas, Portugal, operating three inspection lines to deliver mandatory periodic, optional, motorcycle, and trailer inspections to individual vehicle owners and fleet operators under regulated Portuguese tariffs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vehicle Inspection Services

NAICS

Automotive Repair and Maintenance (8111)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Emissions Testing (I/M Programs) & Smog Check Stations (TLAKANAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

DOT / Regulatory Compliance Inspections & Certifications (FMCSA/State) (TLAKAGAC)

Keywords

• Vehicle inspection services
• Technical vehicle inspections
• Mandatory vehicle inspections
• Motorcycle inspection services
• Trailer inspection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Meirinhas

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Inspection Services: CIVAM generates revenue through one-time fees for mandatory periodic vehicle inspections, optional inspections, motorcycle inspections (for vehicles 250cc+), and trailer inspections (for vehicles with gross weight 750kg+). Each inspection type has regulated tariffs as established by Portuguese legislation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

CIVAM provides mandatory periodic and optional technical vehicle inspections for cars, motorcycles, and trailers at its licensed inspection center in Meirinhas, Portugal. Operating three inspection lines without requiring prior booking, CIVAM offers fast, regulated inspection services to individual vehicle owners and fleet operators in compliance with Portuguese legislation. The services cover light vehicles, heavy vehicles, motorcycles (250cc and above), and trailers (750kg and above) under ANIVAP network standards.

Product overview

CIVAM is a vehicle technical inspection center offering four core inspection services. The company operates three inspection lines (two for light vehicles and one mixed line for light and heavy vehicles with trailers). Services include periodic mandatory technical inspections for all motor vehicles, optional/facultative inspections initiated by owners, motorcycle inspections for vehicles with 250cm3 or larger displacement, and trailer inspections for vehicles with gross weight of 750kg or more. No appointment is required for service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inspeções Técnicas (Periodic Technical Inspections) Mandatory periodic technical inspections for all motor vehicles conducted according to legal parameters as required by Portuguese law. These inspections verify vehicle roadworthiness and compliance with regulatory standards for passenger vehicles.
• Inspeções Facultativas (Optional Inspections) Optional inspections initiated by vehicle owners to safeguard safety and verify the technical condition of their vehicles on a voluntary basis, independent of mandatory periodic requirements.
• Inspeções a Motociclos (Motorcycle Inspections) Technical inspections for all motorcycles with engine displacement of 250cm³ or more, performed to verify roadworthiness compliance for two-wheeled motor vehicles under Portuguese regulations.
• Inspeções a Reboques (Trailer Inspections) Periodic technical inspections for trailers with gross weight equal to or greater than 750kg, performed to verify roadworthiness and regulatory compliance for towed vehicles.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ANIVAP (Agrupamento Nacional de Inspeções Automóveis ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIVAM is a grouped center of ANIVAP, a national organization of vehicle inspection centers. ANIVAP provides support in maintaining, updating, and standardizing all aspects related to inspection activity in accordance with current legislation and regulations. This partnership ensures CIVAM operates within the regulatory framework and benefits from industry coordination and best practices.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Broad incumbents

• DEKRA Automobil GmbH: DEKRA is a large global inspection organization headquartered in Germany that operates periodic vehicle inspection networks across multiple European countries (DEKRA Automobil). Directly comparable as a competitor performing legally mandated periodic vehicle inspections through licensed centers, but at vastly greater geographic and operational scale.
• TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH: TÜV SÜD runs vehicle inspection stations performing mandatory periodic technical inspections (HU/PTI equivalents) for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Comparable because both operate accredited centers that issue legally required roadworthiness certificates, though TÜV SÜD has a much broader service portfolio and global footprint.
• UTAC CERAM: UTAC CERAM is a French technical inspection group that operates CT (Contrôle Technique) centers and homologation/testing services for vehicles. Directly comparable operating model: licensed centers providing periodic technical inspections on passenger and commercial vehicles with regulated tariff structures.
• Applus+ ITV: Applus+ operates ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) centers in Spain and similar vehicle inspection networks elsewhere. Comparable because both run licensed centers performing mandated periodic vehicle inspections, although Applus+ operates at considerably greater scale across Iberia.

Direct peers

• Controlauto: Controlauto is a Portuguese vehicle inspection center network performing mandated periodic inspections (IPO) for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles. Directly comparable as a domestic peer operating under the same Portuguese regulatory framework, with a multi-site model that contrasts with CIVAM's single-site footprint.
• CCDR / ITP certified centers (Portugal, ANIVAP network): The ANIVAP (Agrupamento Nacional de Inspeções Automóveis) grouped inspection centers across Portugal, of which CIVAM itself is a member, constitute the most directly comparable peer set. These centers operate under identical Portuguese legal authorization (Lei n.º 11/2011) and tariff regime, competing for the same regulated inspection volume.

Regional players

• ATUE / Auto-Test: Auto-Test is another licensed Portuguese vehicle inspection center operator. Comparable because it offers essentially the same regulated periodic technical inspection service for light vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers under identical Portuguese legislation and is part of the broader domestic inspection landscape.
• EURO CONTROL LOGIC: EURO CONTROL LOGIC is a Portuguese vehicle inspection operator. Comparable because they perform the same legally mandated periodic technical inspections under identical Portuguese law, and they illustrate the multi-site licensed competitor group that CIVAM sits within.
• KBA / DVLA MOT-equivalent operators: UK MOT operators (authorized MOT testing stations) provide a directly comparable service model: legally mandated periodic vehicle inspections performed at licensed centers with regulated tariffs. Comparable as a peer model even though operating under UK not Portuguese law.

Emerging players

• Norauto Portugal (Centro de Inspeções): Norauto's Portuguese network includes authorized vehicle inspection centers within an automotive service retail concept. Comparable because they offer periodic vehicle inspections alongside broader vehicle services, representing a partially-overlapping, retail-anchored competitor profile in Portugal.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/civam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CIVAM