HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

The following comprehensive guide outlines the process of transferring ownership of a second-hand vehicle between two people in Spain.

Although some will prefer to hire the services of a Spanish Gestor to undertake this, it is quite simple to do yourself if armed with the correct documentation and if you can speak a little Spanish.

Before you Transfer a Vehicle

Before you transfer any vehicle, there are several things you will need to do including:-

• Make sure that the IVTM road tax has been paid for the previous year and that you have the receipt or record of payment.
• Paid any outstanding fines.
• Made sure that you can legally sell the vehicle and that there are no restrictions such as hire purchase agreements preventing the sale.

From the buyer's perspective, you must check with the DGT that the vehicle is fully legal. You can obtain a free standard report or a detailed report for €8.67 at the following address.

https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/vehiculos/informe-de-vehiculo/index.shtml

Create a Sales Contract

Firstly, the buyer will need to create a written sales contract between themselves and the seller of the vehicle which should include the exact date and time that they will become the new owner of the vehicle. Both parties will need to sign it.

It is important to do this if speeding or other fines can be attributed to the correct owner of the vehicle.

When selling your vehicle to another individual, you are also strongly advised to make sure you never deliver the vehicle without having a contract with you that is signed by both parties. Both sheets of the contract should also be signed by both buyer and seller.

You are also advised to get a photocopy of the buyer's ID for example their DNI, NIF or Residency certificate.

The Seller

The seller will need to provide the following documentation:-

• Original Permiso de Circulación (Logbook)
• Current ITV/MOT certificate - Inspección Técnica de Vehículos - If the vehicle is over 4 years old.
• The previous year's IVTM road tax receipts (Impuesto de Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica)

Within 10 days, the seller of the vehicle will need to notify the Jefatura de Tráfico office of the sale of the vehicle using the correct form here. If this is not done, the seller may be liable for any future fines, taxes, and overall responsibility for the vehicle.

There is a small fee of €8.67 to do this.

You can find the Jefatura de Tráfico for your region via the following page

https://www.dgt.es/conoce-la-dgt/donde-estamos/

The seller will also need to make sure that they inform their insurance company about the change of ownership.

The Buyer

After the sales contract has been signed by both parties and the vehicle has been handed over, the buyer will then have 15 days to provide the seller with a copy of the new Permiso de Circulación logbook, which will prove that ownership has changed hands.

It will be the buyer's responsibility to register themselves as the new owners of the vehicle. To do this they will need to make an appointment at the Jefatura de Tráfico office and provide the following documentation:-

• A sales contract signed by both parties - Download an example here or here.
• Application Form - Solicitud Cambio de Titularidad del Vehículo (Downloaded from DGT website here)
• Original Permiso de Circulación (Log book) and ITV/MOT (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) if the vehicle is over 4 years of age.
• The previous years IVTM road tax receipt (Impuesto de Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica)
• Photocopy of the buyer's and seller's ID

Once you have all of these documents you will need to make an appointment at your local Jefatura de Tráfico (Provincial Traffic Office) within 30 days. To do this you will need to call 060.

Before attending your appointment at the traffic office, you will need to go to the local tax office (Hacienda) to pay the transfer tax (Modelo form 620) which is around 4% of the official/fiscal value of the vehicle. 

When the transfer tax has been paid, you will need to attend your appointment at the Jefatura de Tráfico office and pay a fee and also provide them with the receipt/proof that the transfer tax has been paid. You will then need to present the official with the rest of your documentation listed in the buyer's section above.

How Much Does It Cost To Transfer the Vehicle?

Buyer

The current fee of €55.70 (mopeds €27.85) will need to be paid by the buyer at the local traffic office (Jefatura de Tráfico) for the transfer of the vehicle.

This is in addition to the 4% transfer tax that will need to be paid to the Hacienda tax office.

Seller

The seller will need to pay a small fee of €8.67 when informing the DGT traffic department of the sale of the vehicle.

If you are purchasing a vehicle from a local dealer, they will usually transfer the ownership of the vehicle to you.

All the information and documentation you need to transfer a vehicle can be viewed at the official DGT page at https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/ which has an English option.

Further reading: Spain's National Police Shares 5 Tips To Prevent Second-Hand Car Scams

Expat Health Insurance Spain

If you are an expat and are looking for private health insurance in Spain, please check out our range of health insurance policies. Our policies are in English, are underwritten by Bupa, and are ideal for Spanish residency visa applications.

Get a quick health insurance quote here https://www.healthplanspain.com/sanitas/sanitas-health-plans.html