How do I re-register my car when I move to Spain?

When you move to Spain, you may decide to take your car from your home country with you. If so, you will need to re-register it with Spanish number plates and import it. This is also the case if you are already living in Spain and decide to buy a car abroad.

You may decide to import your car yourself. But as this is a complex process, we recommend you pay a financial and legal advisor (known as a gestor or asesor)to do so on your behalf. This may cost a little more, but will mean you avoid lengthy transactions and potential mistakes.

When do I need to re-register my car?

If you are visiting Spain in your own car, but do not live there, you do not need to import your car. You can use it in Spain for up to six months per year. This includes people who own a holiday home in Spain and visit regularly, but who do not intend to live there.

If you have decided to live permanently in Spain, you must re-register your car within 30 days of becoming resident. To find out about becoming resident in Spain, you might like to read our article How to obtain residency in Spain.

Documents you will need

• Proof of residence: If you already owned the car in your country of origin and are importing it due to moving to Spain, you will need to show proof of residence. A padrón certificate from your town hall, not less than three months old, will be necessary. To find out what this is and how to apply for it, take a look at our article What is the padrón and how to register on it?
• Identification: You will also need your identification (ID). For the purposes of re-registering a foreign car, your Spanish driving licence is accepted as ID, if you have one. If not, you can use your national ID card from your home country, your TIE (non-EU citizens), or your NIE accompanied by your passport. You can find out what these are in our article What is the difference between Residencia, padrón, NIE and TIE?
• Vehicle registration document: You will need your original vehicle registration document, and a sworn translation from a registered legal translator. You should also complete the necessary paperwork in your home country to show you intend to import your car. This differs by country, so you should contact your national vehicle licensing organisation for information on how to do this. A gestor may be able to help you find a sworn translator, or even arrange this for you.

European Conformity Certificate (CoC)

All cars registered within the European Union (EU) from 2002 onwards will have a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) with a passcode. This proves they meet the manufacturing standards required for being driven on EU roads. The CoC will normally accompany your vehicle registration document.

If you do not have one – perhaps because it has been mislaid – you can request a duplicate from the manufacturer.

Cars registered prior to 2002 will not have a CoC, nor will cars registered outside the EU. You will need to contract a qualified motor engineer to arrange an inspection and issue a CoC. The manufacturer of your vehicle, or your gestor, will be able to advise you on how to do this.

The next step: A technical inspection (ITV)

All cars in Spain of four years old or more must have a valid technical vehicle inspection (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos, or ITV). This is carried out at official, State-run inspection centres every two years, or annually for cars of 10 years old or over. After your car has passed the test, you will be given a sticker which you must display in your windscreen.

You must take your car for an ITV, and must stipulate that this is for importing your vehicle. The inspection criteria are different for a foreign car destined to be re-registered. For most cars from European Union (EU) countries, the process is straightforward. But your vehicle may need adjustments if it is from some other countries. For example, if the car is from a country which drives on the left-hand side of the road, the driver's seat will be on the right-hand side of the car. You may need to have headlights adjusted on these cars.

To arrange an ITV test on a car destined for importing, you must show your CoC certificate. For all ITV tests, including compulsory tests on Spanish cars, you must show your vehicle registration document. If you are importing your car, you must also show the sworn translation of your vehicle registration document.

Arranging an ITV test usually means booking an appointment. You can do it online or your gestor can arrange this for you if you are not familiar with doing so.

Once your car is re-registered, you will need to ensure its ITV is up to date.

Taxes you will need to pay

All residents in Spain who own a vehicle have to pay Mechanical Traction Vehicle Tax (Impuesto sobre Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica, or IVTM, commonly known as Impuesto de Circulación, or Road Use Tax) to their local council once a year. The sum payable differs from town to town, and can range from as little as €20 to over €200.

You will need to arrange to pay this whilst importing your vehicle. If you use a gestor, they will be able to do this on your behalf.

Newly-registered cars require payment of a registration tax. This is calculated according to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. For vehicles already registered, you do not have to pay this, but must complete a form justifying your exemption from payment. This is known as Form 576, and is issued by the State Tax Agency (Agencia Estatal Tributaria, or AEAT).

Once you have completed the process and are ready to apply for your new licence plates, you will need to pay a tax directly to the DGT for your new registration number. This is explained in the section below.

Applying for your new Spanish registration number

Once you have paid the taxes, passed an ITV test and have all the above paperwork to hand, you can now apply for your new registration number. These are issued by the General Directorate of Traffic (Dirección General de Tráfico, or DGT), part of Spain's ministry of transport.

You are not allowed to drive your car on Spanish roads until it has its new registration number, unless you brought it with you when you moved to Spain and have started the process of re-registering it. Once you have started the process, you can drive it on temporary Spanish licence plates, which are green in colour.

You can apply by visiting your nearest DGT or Tráfico office in person. You will need to book an appointment via the DGT website to do so. Otherwise, you can apply via the DGT's E-Office (Sede Electrónica) if you have a digital certificate or Cl@ve code. For simplicity, we recommend you ask your gestor to apply on your behalf.

If you apply online, you will still need to go to Tráfico in person to hand in your original vehicle registration and ITV documents, unless you have a digital copy of these.

You must complete Form 1.1and pay the required fee. This is currently €99.77 for cars, vans, lorries and similar vehicles. If your vehicle is a moped or motorbike, the fee to pay for these vehicles is €27.85. You can pay while applying online, or by debit or credit card at the Tráfico office.

What happens next: Receiving your new vehicle documents

Once your application is processed, you will receive your new Spanish vehicle registration document with your new registration number at your home address.

The exact time taken to process your application and receive your new documents varies considerably, and the DGT states it is unable to specify timescales. However, the DGT is required by law to process your request within three months. If the DGT exceeds the three-month deadline, it is automatically deemed to have approved your request.

Buying your new licence plates

Once you have your new vehicle documents and registration number, you should go to a specialist shop or garage to have your licence plates made. If you go to a garage, they will also be able to fit them for you.

Costs vary according to what garages or shops decide to charge, but you should budget for around €20 to €50 for each licence plate – a total of around €40 to €100 – including fitting.

The final step: Insure your vehicle

You are not allowed to drive your car without insurance. The minimum cover required in Spain is third party liability (Responsabilidad Civil de Terceros). This covers damage to vehicles or other property, and injury to drivers, passengers and pedestrians, that you cause through the use or ownership of your car. Third party liability insurance does not carry an excess, meaning you are not required to pay a fixed minimum sum when you make a claim.

You may decide to increase your insurance cover to include fire damage and theft, for a slightly higher premium. To ensure damage to your own car is covered, you should take out fully-comprehensive insurance. Both these types of cover are optional, and in addition to third party liability cover. They normally carry an excess, which is the fixed sum you have to pay yourself when making a claim.

Now your car is ready to drive in Spain, you should make sure you are fully aware of road traffic laws, too. For a guide to what's legal and what's not, you may want to read our article Rules for driving in Spain.