# Buying a car without a Spanish address



## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Is it possible to buy a used car from a garage (i.e. not a private person) without an address in Spain? I mean, I can provide an address but I cannot receive mail there, as it is still a construction site. Do they send anything by post, like the log book equivalent, insurance certificate, etc.? I have NIE and EU passport. Thank you.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

sadlybroke said:


> Is it possible to buy a used car from a garage (i.e. not a private person) without an address in Spain? I mean, I can provide an address but I cannot receive mail there, as it is still a construction site. Do they send anything by post, like the log book equivalent, insurance certificate, etc.? I have NIE and EU passport. Thank you.


Not usually.

The property that is being built has an address even if it;s just Poligono xxx, partida yyy

Why not open a mail box?


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

snikpoh said:


> Not usually.


Sorry, can you please clarify? Do you mean it is usually not possible to buy the car without an address, or they usually do not send anything?

The plot has 2 different addresses on all documents. I have a mailbox there and I sent letters to both addresses. They both returned as undeliverable. My project manager says this will be resolved when we get the first occupational license which is about 6 months away but I will need a car earlier.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

sadlybroke said:


> Sorry, can you please clarify? Do you mean it is usually not possible to buy the car without an address, or they usually do not send anything?
> 
> The plot has 2 different addresses on all documents. I have a mailbox there and I sent letters to both addresses. *They both returned as undeliverable*. My project manager says this will be resolved when we get the first occupational license which is about 6 months away but I will need a car earlier.


Not possible to buy without an address. 
The Permiso will need to be addressed to somewhere (it can be a PO box as my FIL does this because they don't have an address just the plot number and they receive no mail there).
The vehicle then enters the system as here in Spain its not a national thing but local for car tax etc. 
But this may dealt with by the dealer (Ive purchased two cars in two years and the Permiso for both were returned to him to send on) after all the dealer etc may have kept hold of the ITV record aa this does not indicate an owner.
But some do not offer this service and the documents are sent direct.

You answered your own question ref, (returned mail) the address of the property will not be registered until the first habitation licence is ok'ed (as to the multiple address's we have this as well.)
You will also need to provide an address that the car will be insured at (an unfinished house will be a risk so you may have issues here.)

Suppose the dealer could retain the 'title' as you are not liable for road tax now until Jan next year. (owner of vehicle on Jan 1st is responsible)..
A long as you have a bill of sale and you have taken out the insurance, its like being 'lent' a car.
I have insurance on my FIL's car, but Im not the owner nor do I keep it at my address.


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## Localizer (Jun 23, 2016)

you need an address; taxes need to be paid, insurance needs a quoting base, a vehicle needs an address. Why don't you hire a car if you have a need before administrative completion has happened?


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Localizer said:


> Why don't you hire a car if you have a need before administrative completion has happened?


That would be a very expensive car hire as we need a large car (3 teenage kids and a large dog). Thanks for the suggestion though.


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## Localizer (Jun 23, 2016)

sadlybroke said:


> That would be a very expensive car hire as we need a large car (3 teenage kids and a large dog). Thanks for the suggestion though.


ooohhhh.... how are you bringing the dog?


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Localizer said:


> ooohhhh.... how are you bringing the dog?


The idea was to buy the Spanish car, drive it over to the UK (just myself), then sell our UK cars and drive back to Spain after the removal company takes all our belongings and we hand over our house to tenants.


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## Alexander Is. (8 mo ago)

I called the DGT with a somewhat similar question today (how to buy a second hand car without being resident) and the answer was the same, no car without padron because they need to know in which province to tax the car and send papers and traffic fines. the rest it seems they don't care so much.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

Alexander Is. said:


> I called the DGT with a somewhat similar question today (how to buy a second hand car without being resident) and the answer was the same, no car without padron because they need to know in which province to tax the car and send papers and traffic fines. the rest it seems they don't care so much.


Ive answered the question on your thread but.

Thats not correct. 
I (and many others) have purchased cars without the padron.
You do need a registered address and that can be the deeds or a rental contract, the dealer I purchased from also wanted a utility bill.
We were non resident when I purchased the first car.

He sells three of four cars a day to mainly tourists with second homes, so he must know the rules..


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## Alexander Is. (8 mo ago)

Thanks a lot Barriej ! in my case i'm having the opportunity to buy the car second hand from a spanish friend, so it's mostly about the DGT and insurance becuase of course my friend won't ask any papers other than the money haha


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

So, I contacted a few large-ish second car dealerships in Malaga and two of them who got back to me confirmed that in order to buy a car from them I'd need a rental contract, property deeds (not from the plot though), or empadronamiento. Seems like the only option for us is to bring a foreign-registered car to Spain. Didn't want to do it but there is no other option, unfortunately.


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## Alexander Is. (8 mo ago)

Does the rental contract have to be a registered one ?


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

They didn't say that it has to be registered.


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## Alexander Is. (8 mo ago)

Then any friend can write you a rental contract so you will just recieve the official papers at that address and that would work no ?


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Yes, if you have such a friend... I don't.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

An acceptable address has to be one which can be found on the cadastral database, as a new build that cannot happen until the habitation certificate (occupational licence if you will) is issued.

When I changed my car I sold my old one to my brother who had recently bought a holiday home in Spain.

With all the the stuff going on with that and limited time in the country I technically 'loaned' the car to him on an enduring basis and nominated him as the habitual driver in the MiDGT app so if any offences are committed they will be demonstrably down to him not me.

We will make the official transfer when the insurance is due next year.


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## kevin.kissack (11 d ago)

Good info thanks guys


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