Want to buy, sell or import a car in Spain? Make sure you read this first!

Save yourself time, money and unwanted surprises with the experts at Car Registrations Spain

The second-hand car market in Spain is generally more expensive than in the UK, and there are legal procedures which must be followed, so it is important to be well-informed in order to avoid potentially costly pitfalls.

Whether you are looking to buy or sell a vehicle here, or are considering importing one instead, the professionals at Car Registrations Spain have a decade of experience of helping people to make the process “as seamless as possible, saving you precious time and unnecessary stress,” they say.

Buying a used car

Once you have found a vehicle that seems reasonably priced for its model, age and condition, and before you sign a contract or hand over any money, you should always check with the authorities to ensure there are no taxes, fines, embargoes or outstanding finance.

This information can be obtained from the Spanish Traffic Department (DGT) and a basic report (‘informe reducido’), which informs whether there is anything that could prevent the transfer or may need checking, is free with a simple number plate search.

More detailed checks are highly recommended and are also available for a small fee, including the vehicle’s technical details, ownership history and even its ‘ITV’ technical inspection (similar to the MOT in the UK) history. Car Registrations Spain can obtain and interpret these for you and the cost of the search will be knocked off the transfer price.

Transferring vehicle ownership

To ensure that this vital procedure is completed correctly, Car Registrations Spain has a simple, automated system that will save you any unnecessary paperwork, stress and journeys.

All this requires is to fill in the details of the buyer, the seller and the vehicle, then to upload the required documents to accredit this information.

An email will be sent with a completed sales agreement, which both parties can sign online, and a payment link to cover fees and taxes (typically 4-8% of the vehicle’s value), the charge by the DGT and the company’s fee, which is typically €99 including IVA.

The price includes a digital temporary registration document, a new Permiso de Circulación in a Car Registrations Spain document wallet, a free environmental sticker (if your vehicle qualifies) and courier service of your new documentation to any address in Spain.

Confirmation will be sent once the transfer has been completed, and their dedicated team is always ready to assist with any problems or questions.

Insurance

Car Registrations Spain can also usually find you extremely competitive vehicle insurance if required, including breakdown cover, English documentation and complete management of your policy and any claims by their own in-house staff.

“Take the hassle out of transferring vehicle ownership and let us make the process straightforward and easy for you,” the company says.

“Trust Car Registrations Spain to take care of the registration of your vehicle with the minimum of fuss. Fill out the web form today for the fastest, most innovative and best value vehicle registration experience.”

Importing a vehicle

If you have a UK or foreign registered vehicle you wish to bring to Spain, at the lowest possible cost, then you should bear the following information in mind.

If you are non-resident, then you can drive a foreign/UK registered vehicle for up to 6 months before you are legally obliged to change it onto Spanish plates, but if you are a Spanish resident then this period is just 30 days.

In the meantime, your car must still be taxed and have a valid MOT in the country of registration, and insured whilst on UK registration plates. Be aware that the Spanish authorities, including the Guardia Civil, Policia Local and Policia Nacional, all have online access to check these details on the UK DVLA database.

Changing your UK/foreign registered vehicle to Spanish plates may cost less than you think, depending on its value and carbon dioxide emissions, aside from the other, generally standard taxes and fees.

The procedure can be fairly complex and involves quite a bit of paperwork, which could be especially difficult if you are not fluent in Spanish, but the friendly and experienced professionals at Car Registrations Spain can take care of all this with a simple, low cost and fully legal service.

To obtain a free, no obligation quote, just call or email them with your contact details and the vehicle’s registration, year of manufacture, make and model, and CO2 emissions.

More information is available on the Car Registrations Spain website but you are welcome to email them and they’ll respond in a timely fashion, or if you’d like any questions answered straight away, please don’t hesitate to call. They’ve had thousands of satisfied customers since 2015!