what you should look at to differentiate them from the approved ones

Let’s tell you how to check that the V16 beacon is not a fake when you go to buy one. It’s good to know what to look for in a V16 beacon when you go to buy it, but we are going to try to focus above all on distinguishing the fakes that there is already beginning to be at much lower prices.

Failure to carry one of these beacons after January 1, 2026 may result in a financial fine. And if you carry one of the old ones without eSIM connection or a counterfeit one, then it will be as if you were not carrying any, and you will be exposed to the same fine of 80 euros.

Differentiate approved beacons from false ones

The first thing you have to do is pay attention to where you buy. If you want to buy them in a physical store, try to go to one that offers you guarantees about their approval, because buying them at El Corte Inglés or Leroy Merlin is not the same as buying them at your neighborhood bazaar, for example.

Better to go to a specialized store or large store where they have the knowledge to guarantee that what you buy is approved. And it will be even safer if they give you the option to return it in the event that when you open it and inspect it you realize that it is not what you are looking for.

If you are going to buy in an online store You are going to have to take extreme precautions, and it is essential to go to one with a good return policy. Even in large stores like Amazon or AliExpress there are many beacons, and some of them are not approved.

The price is also a good cluebecause the approved beacons have a price that ranges between 30 and 50 euros. Come on, if you see a V16 in a store for 15 or 20 euros, then you should be distrustful by default.

One of the most important things is review the certification code that is printed on them. It must have an alphanumeric combination that begins with the letters LCOE or IDAE. If in doubt, you can review the DGT database where are all the approved models.

In Xataka Basics | Check if your V16 beacon works well without alerting the DGT: how to do it and what time limit you have