EXPLAINED: The steps to follow when selling your car in Spain
Whether it be doing your market research or photographing the car for adverts, as well as the official paperwork that's required, there are several steps you'll need to go through before selling a second-hand car in Spain.
If you want to sell your car in Spain and you want to do it yourself, there are several steps you’ll need to follow.
Decide on a price
The first thing you’ll need to do is decide on a price. The best way to do this is getting an idea of what your car (and similar models) are selling for. Bear in mind that the make, model, engine, equipment, age, mileage and, of course, the general state of repair and maintenance are all taken into account, but getting an idea of the market is a good place to start.
Spain has a whole host of second hand car websites where you can check how much similar models are going for. Some of the best include Autoscout24.es, Flexicar.es, Coches.net, Clicars.com, ¿Qué coche me compro?, Spoticar and Autocasión.
There are also websites that offer free online valuations, and you could also ask your insurance company what they think it's worth.
READ ALSO: Buying a second-hand car in Spain: 9 key questions you have to ask in Spanish
Once you’ve got a rough ballpark figure of how much your car could sell for, you’ll need to decide on a number. Obviously you’ll want to sell your car for as much as possible, and any prospective buyers will be looking to pay as little as possible — go for somewhere in the upper-middle range to start off with.
Supply and demand (ie. whether there are many similar models on the market or not) also factors into price, as does your personal need, that is to say, if you need to sell it in the shortest possible time you’ll likely be forced to accept a lower price.
Prepare the car for sale
Next you’ll need to get your car ready for advertising and eventually selling.
However, you shouldn’t try to hide or disguise damage or faults, or try to mislead potential buyers about your car. Beyond being unethical, under Spanish law the seller is responsible for any unreported problems and defects in a car up to six months after the date of sale, so it could come back to bite you anyway.
That in mind, you’ll want to get an MOT for the car — known as an ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) in Spain, in order to make sure everything is in working order for sale.
If it’s found that the car needs some repairs, or a part will need replacing in the near future, say a brake pedal or timing belt, you could include this on the advert (more below) agree that the price of the repair will be deducted from the sale price.
In short, the better the condition of your car, the more you’ll probably get for it. So, if you have good insurance, it may be a good idea to make a report to remove any possible scratches or superficial damage to improve its appearance for sale.
READ ALSO: The best websites and other ways to find a second-hand car in Spain
Advertise it
In order to sell your car, you’ll need to advertise it. You can do it via more general second-hand sites like Wallapop, or through any of the second-hand car websites listed above (and below).
Autoscout24.es
Flexicar.es
Coches.net
Coches.com
Clicars.com
¿Qué coche me compro?
Spoticar
heycar
Autocasión
You could also advertise it on social media sites like Facebook Marketplace, or even locally in your building, local bar, and so on.
A key part of the advert is the photos. No matter how much you talk up your car in the adverts, if you don’t advertise it with (clear, high quality) photos, you’re unlikely to get many responses.
Photograph your car from different angles, including front, rear, side view, angled front, angled rear, as well as the glove box, passenger compartment, the interior of the boot and the engine. Be sure to clean it well beforehand and choose a suitable location so that the background is attractive. In short, if it looks good on screen, the more replies your advert will likely get.
You’ll also need to list all the technical specifications of the car, including make, model, finish, engine, age (also include the date of registration) and mileage.
Also try to consider the sort of information you’d want to know if you were considering buying a second-hand car, such as if and when it passed its last MOT, whether it has had faults or major replacements in the past, and where it was kept, ie in a garage or parked on the street.
READ ALSO: What are the steps for buying a second-hand car in Spain?
Get the documentation together
Once you've prepared your car, advertised it, found a buyer and settled on a price, you’ll need to make a start on the formalities and get together all the necessary documentation for the sale.
The main thing to bear in mind is that when you sell your car, you are making a transfer of ownership and, therefore, the legal title to it. It is also a contractual sale, so it is necessary to draw up a contract. Spanish car website Motor Passion has a handy template contract you can use.
With regard to the change of ownership, the buyer needs to pay the transfer tax to the Spanish tax man (via form 620). This tax must be paid by the buyer, unless they are exempt for any reason, and the amount varies according to the region (again of the buyer).
On the other hand, you are responsible for informing DGT about the transfer of ownership, and once the buyer has paid the transfer tax, also providing proof of payment. As the seller, you must notify the DGT about the ownership within a maximum period of 10 days from the sale date, for which you must go to the local office with the buyer, or with a document signed by him/her and a copy of his/her ID card.
In Spain, there are a few other documents you’ll need to sell a second-hand car, including the technical inspection card (seller), driving licence (seller), DNI or foreigner ID with NIE number (photocopy of the seller and buyer), proof of the transfer sale (four copies signed by both parties) and the sale and purchase contract (also four copies signed by both parties).
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If you want to sell your car in Spain and you want to do it yourself, there are several steps you’ll need to follow.
Decide on a price
The first thing you’ll need to do is decide on a price. The best way to do this is getting an idea of what your car (and similar models) are selling for. Bear in mind that the make, model, engine, equipment, age, mileage and, of course, the general state of repair and maintenance are all taken into account, but getting an idea of the market is a good place to start.
Spain has a whole host of second hand car websites where you can check how much similar models are going for. Some of the best include Autoscout24.es, Flexicar.es, Coches.net, Clicars.com, ¿Qué coche me compro?, Spoticar and Autocasión.
There are also websites that offer free online valuations, and you could also ask your insurance company what they think it's worth.
READ ALSO: Buying a second-hand car in Spain: 9 key questions you have to ask in Spanish
Once you’ve got a rough ballpark figure of how much your car could sell for, you’ll need to decide on a number. Obviously you’ll want to sell your car for as much as possible, and any prospective buyers will be looking to pay as little as possible — go for somewhere in the upper-middle range to start off with.
Supply and demand (ie. whether there are many similar models on the market or not) also factors into price, as does your personal need, that is to say, if you need to sell it in the shortest possible time you’ll likely be forced to accept a lower price.
Prepare the car for sale
Next you’ll need to get your car ready for advertising and eventually selling.
However, you shouldn’t try to hide or disguise damage or faults, or try to mislead potential buyers about your car. Beyond being unethical, under Spanish law the seller is responsible for any unreported problems and defects in a car up to six months after the date of sale, so it could come back to bite you anyway.
That in mind, you’ll want to get an MOT for the car — known as an ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) in Spain, in order to make sure everything is in working order for sale.
If it’s found that the car needs some repairs, or a part will need replacing in the near future, say a brake pedal or timing belt, you could include this on the advert (more below) agree that the price of the repair will be deducted from the sale price.
In short, the better the condition of your car, the more you’ll probably get for it. So, if you have good insurance, it may be a good idea to make a report to remove any possible scratches or superficial damage to improve its appearance for sale.
READ ALSO: The best websites and other ways to find a second-hand car in Spain
Advertise it
In order to sell your car, you’ll need to advertise it. You can do it via more general second-hand sites like Wallapop, or through any of the second-hand car websites listed above (and below).
Autoscout24.es
Flexicar.es
Coches.net
Coches.com
Clicars.com
¿Qué coche me compro?
Spoticar
heycar
Autocasión
You could also advertise it on social media sites like Facebook Marketplace, or even locally in your building, local bar, and so on.
A key part of the advert is the photos. No matter how much you talk up your car in the adverts, if you don’t advertise it with (clear, high quality) photos, you’re unlikely to get many responses.
Photograph your car from different angles, including front, rear, side view, angled front, angled rear, as well as the glove box, passenger compartment, the interior of the boot and the engine. Be sure to clean it well beforehand and choose a suitable location so that the background is attractive. In short, if it looks good on screen, the more replies your advert will likely get.
You’ll also need to list all the technical specifications of the car, including make, model, finish, engine, age (also include the date of registration) and mileage.
Also try to consider the sort of information you’d want to know if you were considering buying a second-hand car, such as if and when it passed its last MOT, whether it has had faults or major replacements in the past, and where it was kept, ie in a garage or parked on the street.
READ ALSO: What are the steps for buying a second-hand car in Spain?
Get the documentation together
Once you've prepared your car, advertised it, found a buyer and settled on a price, you’ll need to make a start on the formalities and get together all the necessary documentation for the sale.
The main thing to bear in mind is that when you sell your car, you are making a transfer of ownership and, therefore, the legal title to it. It is also a contractual sale, so it is necessary to draw up a contract. Spanish car website Motor Passion has a handy template contract you can use.
With regard to the change of ownership, the buyer needs to pay the transfer tax to the Spanish tax man (via form 620). This tax must be paid by the buyer, unless they are exempt for any reason, and the amount varies according to the region (again of the buyer).
On the other hand, you are responsible for informing DGT about the transfer of ownership, and once the buyer has paid the transfer tax, also providing proof of payment. As the seller, you must notify the DGT about the ownership within a maximum period of 10 days from the sale date, for which you must go to the local office with the buyer, or with a document signed by him/her and a copy of his/her ID card.
In Spain, there are a few other documents you’ll need to sell a second-hand car, including the technical inspection card (seller), driving licence (seller), DNI or foreigner ID with NIE number (photocopy of the seller and buyer), proof of the transfer sale (four copies signed by both parties) and the sale and purchase contract (also four copies signed by both parties).
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