Drivers & Vehicles
Spanish Driving Licence
If you are a resident in Spain you are obliged to change your driving licence to a Spanish equivalent.
Everyone exchanging their UK licences will need a medical. This is a simple process and there are specific centres dedicated to issuing medical certificates.
The process starts with obtaining an appointment at the Trafico.
Once your documents have been accepted, the Trafico issues a temporary paper authorization to cover you whilst you await your new licence.
The Trafico contacts DVLA to ensure your details are correct, that you are entitled to drive the categories you requested and that you are not banned from driving.
Your driving licence will arrive by post unless otherwise specified a while later. The length of time you have to wait to receive your new Spanish licence depends on the amount of applications being processed at any one time and how long the DVLA take to reply to the Trafico.
We regularly undertake this work for our clients who wish for a stress free process and are happy to sit back and wait for their new licence to arrive.
Buying a used car in Spain privately
We recommend that when purchasing a vehicle privately you insist on viewing the original documents for the vehicle not copies.
Using this information it is wise to check that the vendor has the right to sell the vehicle by making sure the name on the identity document is the same as the name on the vehicle registration document.
Check the details on the registration document against the vehicle ensuring that registration number, VIN (vehicle identity number), make, model and colour are the same.
A contract of sale or an invoice from the seller is needed for the transfer of ownership. Whichever document you agree to use with the seller it must include certain information which we can advise you about.
It is very important to include the time and date in any vehicle purchase. The reason for this is so that any past unresolved traffic violations will not be transferred onto the purchaser.
Please note that the transfer of ownership document required by the trafico has to be signed by both parties therefore we suggest either taking copies with you (we can supply these) or making arrangements at time of purchase for the form to be signed. Both the seller and purchaser should both retain a copy of this form.
To drive the vehicle away after purchase as with most countries it must be insured.
Once the sale has taken place the change of ownership needs to be registered.
This will include paying a transfer tax called ‘Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales’. This tax is calculated on the official valuation of the vehicle and not on the selling price. It takes into account the make, model and age of the vehicle.
The change of ownership must be made within 30 days from the date of purchase and undertaken at the Trafico.
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