Many people choose to use the services of a Gestoria (official paperwork administrators) when buying a car in Spain. However, it is not compulsory, you can do it yourself.
Please note, foreign buyers must satisfy certain criteria to purchase a car in Spain. You must have:
- An NIE number.
- You will also need to show the escritura of your property or provide a rental contract with a term of 12 months.
- You will also have to provide a copy of the Certificado de Empadronamiento which confirms you are registered in the
town. This document is obtained from the Town Hall and should be dated within the last three months.
If you buy a car in Spain you have 30 days to register it with the Regional Traffic Office.
Before buying a car in Spain you may wish to check that the car is in order that the taxes are paid and the ITV up to date. A basic report is free but you may also want a more detailed report which will reveal if there are any finance, embargoes or other judicial charges. Click this link for step by step instructions to get vehicle information for a car in Spain.
You will need several documents to complete to transfer of ownership of a vehicle in Spain:
- A sales contract, known as a compraventa, signed by both parties.
- An application from the Regional Traffic Office to change the ownership details of the vehicle. You can download the the
“Solicitud cambio de titularidad y notificacion de venta de vehículos”. - Confirmation that you have paid the appropriate taxes to the Regional Traffic Office. You can pay the relevant fee online using a digital certificate or Cl@ve. You can pay by credit or debit card. Alternatively, you can pay the fee at the Regional Traffic Office but remember
they do not accept cash payments. Finally, you can pay at the bank using modelo 791. Follow this link to see a step by step guide on how to download, complete and pay the relevant tax using modelo 791. A list of the banks that accept payments can be found
here. - A copy of your Identification and that of the previous owner
- You will also need your DNI/NIE document
- The original permiso de circulación, and the last ITV test certificate (unless the car is less than 4 years old in which case it will not have undergone an ITV test)
- The receipt for the annual road tax (IVTM)
- You will also need to provide proof of payment of the car transfer tax. The car transfer tax in Spain is called Impuesto de transmisiones patrimoniales (modelo 620 or 621). This tax varies from one autonomous region to another but is based on the official value of the vehicle. Your region may have its own calculator for this tax.
Once you have all the paperwork ready you will need to make a pre-booked appointment with the Regional Traffic Office to formalise all the documentation.
Don’t forget to get a quote for your car insurance in Spain.
