Sell, export or scrap your car when leaving Spain?

Terms used

• ITV — The ITV is Spain's mandatory roadworthiness inspection for vehicles.
• IVTM — The IVTM is the annual municipal road tax on vehicles.
• ITP — The ITP is a regional transfer tax the buyer pays on a used car.
• DGT — The DGT is Spain's traffic authority, which handles vehicle registration and owner changes.
• ZBE — A ZBE is a low-emission zone where polluting cars can be restricted.
• Gestoría — A gestoría is an agency that handles official paperwork for a fee.
• Permiso de circulación — The permiso de circulación is the car's registration document.
• Ficha técnica — The ficha técnica is the ITV card listing the car's technical details.

Key rules

• Buyer pays tax: The buyer pays the transfer tax, not you.
• Notify the DGT: Tell the DGT about the sale right away so fines and tax after the sale are not yours.
• Export: Check the destination's import rules before you ship, because age limits and duties can make export not worth it.
• Scrapping: Scrapping is normally free, but pay any fines first and ask about towing charges.

Which option usually wins

For most people, selling in Spain is the simplest choice. Export only makes sense if the car is worth more to you than its Spanish sale price after you add the cost of shipping, import duties and re-registration. Scrap it only if it is old, has little value, or cannot be sold.

Compare the three options

Do these three checks, in this order.

1. Spanish resale value. Look at the car's DGT environmental label. Cars with no label or a B label lose value in big cities. ECO and 0 emissions cars hold their value better. Then check the low-emission zone (ZBE) rules of the town where the car would be used. Towns above 50,000 people must have one, and unlabelled cars are usually the most restricted.
2. Cost of re-registering abroad. Import rules vary widely, so ask the customs authority of your destination before you ship anything. Examples: the UK requires registration and vehicle approval, and charges VAT and duty unless you qualify for relief for moving residence. The US restricts cars under 25 years old unless they meet its standards, while older cars are exempt. Many Latin American countries ban or restrict used imports by age and charge high duties and taxes.
3. Compliance status. A car that cannot meet the destination's emissions, age or approval rules cannot be exported in practice. A car with no label may also be hard to sell in a city, so scrapping or selling outside big cities may be the realistic choices.

If the sale price is higher than the cost and hassle of re-registering abroad, sell. If the car is old, unlabelled and worth little, scrap it.

If you sell

You and the buyer sign a sale contract (contrato de compraventa). You hand over the permiso de circulación, the ficha técnica, and the latest ITV and IVTM receipts. Both of you need photo ID.

A valid ITV is not required for a private sale. The buyer takes on the duty to pass it, but sellers usually provide a current one, which helps the sale.

The buyer pays the transfer tax (ITP) using form 620 at the regional tax office, within 30 working days. The rate is set by each region, and it is about 4% in many of them. It is calculated on the Ministry of Finance's official value table, not on the price paid. The buyer then changes the owner at the DGT, with an appointment or through a gestoría. The DGT fee has been around 55 euros in recent years.

Notify the DGT of the sale yourself, online or through a gestor, right away. This releases you from liability for fines and tax that come after the sale.

If you export

An ITV is not a formal requirement for the Spanish deregistration for export. The car must meet the destination's rules. Get written answers from the destination's customs authority on duties, age limits and approval before you commit.

If you scrap

Take the car to an authorised treatment centre (CAT). You sign the delivery. The CAT issues a certificate of destruction and asks the DGT to cancel the registration (baja definitiva). Keep the certificate, and check afterwards that the baja shows at the DGT.

Bring the permiso de circulación, the ficha técnica and your ID. Some town halls also want proof that the IVTM is paid. Pay any outstanding fines first.

Scrapping is normally free, and some CATs pay a small amount for the car. Some charge for towing or incomplete paperwork, so ask before you hand the car over.

The checklist, documents list and timeline below cover the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• Sign the sale contract and hand over the car's documents: on the day of the sale

• Notify the DGT of the sale online or through a gestor, to be released from liability for fines and tax: right away after the sale

• Buyer files form 620 and pays the transfer tax at the regional tax office: within 30 working days of the sale

• Buyer completes the change of owner at the DGT with an appointment or through a gestoría: after paying the transfer tax

Documents you need

• Sale contract (contrato de compraventa), signed by you and the buyer when you sell the car.

• Permiso de circulación, the car's registration document, which you hand to the buyer when selling or take to the scrapping centre.

• Ficha técnica, the ITV card with the car's technical details, needed for both a sale and scrapping.

• Latest ITV and IVTM road tax receipts, handed to the buyer when you sell. The IVTM receipt is also needed to scrap the car if your municipality asks for it.

• Photo ID for you and the buyer when selling, and your own ID when scrapping the car.

• Certificate of destruction, issued by the authorised treatment centre (CAT) when your car is scrapped. Keep it as proof of the baja.

Checklist

• Check your car's DGT environmental label, because cars with no label or a B label lose resale value in big cities.

• Ask the customs authority of your destination country about import rules, duties and age limits before you ship the car.

• Compare a sale price with the cost of re-registering abroad and the age limits there, then choose to sell, export or scrap.

• Sign a sale contract and gather the permiso de circulación, ficha técnica, latest ITV and IVTM receipts if you sell.

• Pay any outstanding fines before you scrap the car.

• Ask the scrapping centre about towing or paperwork charges before handing over the car.

• Ask for the certificate of destruction when you scrap the car, then check afterwards that the DGT baja is registered.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays the transfer tax when I sell my car in Spain?

The buyer pays the transfer tax (ITP), not you as the seller. It is a regional tax of about 4% in many regions, worked out on the official table value of the car, which falls with age.

Do I need a valid ITV to sell my car?

No, a car does not need a valid ITV (the roadworthiness inspection) to be sold between private parties. The buyer takes on the duty to pass it, though, so sellers usually hand over a current one. Export needs no ITV for the baja, but the destination country's rules usually apply.

Does the DGT environmental label affect what my car is worth?

Yes, the label affects resale value, especially in big cities with low-emission zones (ZBE). Cars with no label or a B label lose value there, while ECO and 0 emissions cars hold value better. Each town sets its own ZBE rules, so check the town where the buyer lives.

Will it cost me anything to scrap my car?

Scrapping is normally free, and some authorised treatment centres (CAT) pay a small amount for the car. Some charge for towing or incomplete paperwork, so ask before you hand the car over. Keep the destruction certificate they give you.