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If you have sold your car to a person who lives outside Spain or you are going to move to another country and want to take the vehicle with you, there is a procedure you must carry out before the Directorate-General for Traffic.
Many people look for it as vehicle export certificate, although the name used by the DGT is permanent deregistration due to transfer of the vehicle to another country.
This procedure allows you to deregister the vehicle in the DGT Registry in order to subsequently register it in the destination country.
At Gestoría G1 we handle this procedure before Tráfico for individuals and companies. We can process the deregistration for export electronically and, for transfers within the European Union, we offer the service from 290 €.
Quick answer: if you want to export a car registered in Spain, you must apply to the DGT for permanent deregistration due to transfer to another country. Once processed, you have 90 days for the vehicle to actually leave Spain. If you need to drive it to the destination country before registering it there, you can consider temporary registration with green plates; another option is to transport it by crane, platform, or carrier.
What exactly is the vehicle export certificate?
What is commonly called a vehicle export certificate is related to the proof of permanent deregistration of the vehicle due to transfer to another country.
Do you need your Vehicle Export Certificate urgently? At Gestoría G1 we handle the procedure quickly and 100% online, with no queues or travel.
The DGT records the deregistration in the Vehicle Register and the car can no longer circulate normally with its Spanish license plate.
This deregistration is used both when we transfer the vehicle to another country in the European Union and when the destination is outside the EU.
Is deregistration for export irreversible?
We should not understand “definitive” as meaning that the vehicle can never return to Spain.
If we later return to the country with the same vehicle, the DGT provides for its reinstatement and the possibility of recovering the Spanish license plate it previously had.
When do I need to process the deregistration for export?
We must study it mainly when the vehicle is going to be permanently transferred to another country to be registered there.
For example:
- We move to another country and want to take our car with us.
- We sell the vehicle to a foreign buyer.
- A Spanish company transfers a vehicle that will subsequently be registered outside Spain.
- The owner is already abroad and needs to regularize the car's situation.
What if I simply travel with the car?
Permanently transferring the vehicle is not the same as traveling temporarily abroad.
If we go on vacation or stay temporarily outside Spain, we should not automatically process an export deregistration.
What do I need to process the deregistration for export?
The exact requirements may vary depending on the destination, the age of the vehicle, and who submits the application.
That is why at Gestoría G1 we first review the vehicle's situation before submitting the file.
Identification of the applicant
If the procedure is carried out in person, we must prove identity using the documentation accepted by the DGT.
For online submission, electronic identification is used, or an authorized representative may act on your behalf.
Vehicle without seals
If there is an administrative or judicial seal, we will not be able to complete the deregistration while it remains in force.
We must cancel it beforehand.
Reservation of ownership or restriction on disposal
If the vehicle was financed and a limitation still appears in the Registry of Movable Assets, we must examine its cancellation or obtain the consent of the financial institution where applicable.
Road tax
The DGT requires that the Mechanical Traction Vehicle Tax corresponding to the previous year be paid in the cases provided for this procedure.
Purchase agreement or invoice
If the person requesting the deregistration proves ownership but is not yet listed as the registered owner, it will be necessary to prove that ownership through the corresponding documentation, for example a purchase agreement or invoice.
Do I need to have a valid MOT?
It depends on the destination.
The DGT specifically establishes that, when the vehicle is transferred to a country outside the European Union and is more than four years old from its first registration, it must have a valid ITV.
That is why we do not recommend applying the same document checklist to any export.
How much does the DGT fee cost?
The official fee currently used for the permanent deregistration due to transfer to another country is fee 4.1, of €8.67.
Vehicles 15 years old or older
If the vehicle has been registered in Spain for 15 years or more, the DGT indicates that we should not pay this fee for the procedure of transferring it to another country.
This is an important difference that we must take into account when preparing the file.
Can it be processed completely online?
There are indeed online channels for submitting the application.
The DGT has specific forms depending on:
- Whether the transfer is within the European Union.
- Whether the destination is outside the European Union.
- If the vehicle has been registered in Spain for less than 15 years.
- If it has been 15 years or more.
The application can also be processed through a representative.
This allows us at Gestoría G1 to process the vehicle export certificate without the owner having to personally handle the entire procedure.
Can I process it if I am already outside Spain?
Yes.
The DGT allows the process to be handled online and also provides for certain procedures through diplomatic or consular representations when the interested party is abroad.
We can also consider representation to manage the file from Spain.
This is especially useful for owners who have already moved to another country and have left the vehicle's administrative situation pending.
How long does the DGT take to process the deregistration for export?
We do not recommend promising a fixed deadline.
Applications submitted electronically through the registry are not resolved automatically.
The DGT itself states that it will handle the application as soon as possible, but that it cannot guarantee a specific deadline.
The time may depend on:
- Documentation submitted.
- Need for correction.
- Existence of charges or limitations.
- Administrative status of the vehicle.
- Volume of files.
Is there an urgent export deregistration?
There is no official fee that turns the procedure into a guaranteed express deregistration.
What we can do is review the documentation beforehand to reduce the risk of the DGT requesting a correction.
Once deregistered, can I continue driving with Spanish license plates?
We should not take for granted that we can continue driving normally.
Once the deregistration has been processed, if we still need to take the vehicle to the country where it will be registered, we mainly have two alternatives.
Temporary green plates
We can look into temporary registration, which allows you to drive with green plates while the transfer and subsequent registration are being completed.
Transporting the vehicle
We can also transport it by crane, flatbed, truck, or another transport system.
Therefore, the moment we request the vehicle export certificate must be coordinated with the logistics planned to take it out of Spain.
The vehicle must leave Spain within 90 days
This point is especially important.
Once the deregistration for transfer to another country has been processed, the vehicle must effectively leave within the following 90 days.
If that period elapses and there is evidence that the vehicle is still being driven in Spain, the DGT may proceed to reinstate it ex officio.
We therefore do not recommend requesting the deregistration many months before the export has been arranged.
Exporting a car to another country in the European Union
If the destination is within the EU, the Spanish deregistration and the subsequent registration in the destination country are separate procedures.
The DGT processes the removal of the vehicle from the Spanish registry.
Afterwards, we must comply with the registration requirements established by the State to which we are taking the car.
That is why we recommend keeping the Spanish documentation of the vehicle, as it may be necessary during the foreign registration.
G1 Agency Service for EU exports
Before starting, we check what documentation we have and whether there is any issue that could prevent the deregistration.
What changes if the car is exported outside the European Union?
The procedure with the DGT is still a deregistration due to transfer to another country, but there may be additional obligations outside the scope of Traffic.
Don't waste time trying to figure out how to do it yourself. Our vehicle paperwork experts guide you step by step and handle your case as quickly as possible.
We should especially consider:
- Customs procedures.
- Export documentation.
- Requirements of the destination country.
- Homologation.
- Import taxes at destination.
- International transport.
Not all countries require the same documentation.
That is why, for destinations outside the EU, we recommend reviewing each operation individually before taking the vehicle out of Spain.
What happens if there is a reservation of ownership?
It is a fairly common problem in vehicles that were acquired through financing.
Even if we have finished paying off the loan, a disposal restriction may still appear in the Registry of Movable Assets.
The DGT requires canceling that restriction or, where applicable, providing the express consent of the finance company before processing the deregistration.
We review it before submitting
This type of issue is precisely one of the reasons why it is useful to administratively review the vehicle before starting the export.
What happens if the vehicle is temporarily off the road?
We do not always have to register it first.
The DGT itself contemplates the possibility of moving from a temporary deregistration to a permanent deregistration due to relocation to another country.
That is why we must review the exact administrative situation and use the corresponding procedure.
Can I export a vehicle delivered to a scrapyard?
As a general rule, no.
A vehicle delivered to an Authorized Treatment Center for destruction cannot subsequently use export deregistration as if it were still a vehicle intended to be driven.
There are special cases related to vehicles of historical interest or uniqueness that require different treatment.
I have sold the car to a foreigner: who must process the deregistration?
The deregistration can be requested by the registered owner, a person who proves ownership, or an authorized representative.
That is why we may encounter different scenarios.
The seller is still listed as the owner
We can process the deregistration linked to the transfer.
The buyer already proves ownership
It may be necessary to provide the corresponding contract or invoice to prove that you are now the owner even though you are not yet listed as the registered owner.
The important thing is not to simply hand over the vehicle and trust that the administrative situation will resolve itself.
What happens if I do not deregister for export?
If the vehicle is going to be permanently established in another country, leaving it registered in Spain can create administrative problems.
Furthermore, we will hinder the registration process at the destination if the foreign authority needs to verify the vehicle's status in its register of origin.
That is why we recommend properly documenting the departure.
What happens with insurance and road tax?
Once the deregistration has been processed, we must also review the relationships that depend on the vehicle remaining active in Spain.
Among them:
- Insurance policy.
- Municipal tax.
- Financing.
- Services associated with the vehicle.
Administrative deregistration does not necessarily mean that all these contractual relationships are automatically cancelled.
Exporting a vehicle from Mallorca
In Mallorca there is also an obvious logistical issue: the vehicle must leave the island.
If the final destination is in continental Europe, we may need to coordinate the deregistration with maritime transport to the Peninsula or with the planned international journey.
This makes it especially important not to request deregistration without being clear on how the vehicle will continue its journey.
You don't necessarily need to go to the Traffic Department in Palma
The existence of electronic channels and the possibility of acting through a representative make it possible to manage many files without having to travel in person to a Traffic Department.
How we handle the export at Gestoría G1
When a client needs a vehicle export certificate, we start by checking what operation they want to carry out.
1. We check the destination
EU or outside the European Union.
2. We check the age
It is relevant both for the fee and for the procedure.
3. We check the administrative status
We look for possible limitations that could prevent the deregistration.
4. We review the documentation
We check whether we have everything necessary before submitting.
5. We arrange representation
We prepare the corresponding authorization when we are going to act on behalf of the owner.
6. We submit the file
We submit the application to the DGT through the applicable channel.
7. We follow up on any corrections
If Tráfico requests additional documentation, we can handle it within the file.
Conclusion: first we check the vehicle and then we process the deregistration
The vehicle export certificate should not be handled as an isolated procedure without knowing what will happen afterwards with the car.
We must check the destination country, the age of the vehicle, the administrative situation, any possible charges, the ITV when applicable, and the way in which the vehicle will leave Spain.
Once the deregistration has been processed, the car must actually leave the country within the established period and, if we need to drive it before registering it at the destination, we must look into the corresponding temporary plates.
At Gestoría G1 we handle the permanent deregistration for transfer to another country before the DGT, for both individuals and companies and owners who are already outside Spain.
If you need a vehicle export certificate to sell or transfer your car abroad, we can review your case before submitting the application and handle the administrative process.
Frequently asked questions about the vehicle export certificate
Free, no-obligation consultation: tell us about your case and we will tell you exactly what you need to export your vehicle from Spain without complications.
