# Buying a second hand car in Spain



## billyboy0 (Mar 31, 2013)

Hi, newbie here !!

I am buying a second hand car from a near neighbour, and someone has told me that I have to pay 21% iva in addition to the cost of the car. Is this correct ?? In case it counts, I am a non-resident with a holiday home near Alicante.

Many thanks,

Billy


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

No. What would the vat be for ? You'll have to pay to change it in to your name + the tax based on its value which is a government set figure.


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

billyboy0 said:


> Hi, newbie here !!
> 
> I am buying a second hand car from a near neighbour, and someone has told me that I have to pay 21% iva in addition to the cost of the car. Is this correct ?? In case it counts, I am a non-resident with a holiday home near Alicante.
> 
> ...


No, you only pay VAT (IVA) on new cars. But you do have to pay a set fee for the transfer and a transmision tax (usually 4% but in some regions a little higher) but even if you are buying from a private vendor, I would recommend that you use a gestor to do the paperwork. You will have to pay them a fee (in my region it costs around between 50€ and 100€ depending on whether they just complete the transfer in tráfico or whether they also deal with the other paperwork, too) but it will give you peace of mind to know it has been done correctly, that the MOT is up-to-date, that the IVTM has been paid for the year and that there are no outstanding fines.


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## billyboy0 (Mar 31, 2013)

Many thanks for your advice guys.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

anles said:


> that the MOT is up-to-date, that the IVTM has been paid for the year and that there are no outstanding fines.


The ITV (MoT) would appear to be easy to check since there should be a sticker on the windscreen, but they are easy to remove from another car and have no indication to which vehicle it has been issued, so check the docs. Apart from outstanding fines, there is the possibilty of other bills and outstanding hire purchase. The current year's tax is the responsibilty of the owner of the vehicle on the 1st January of that year and like the fines goes with the vehicle. All of the above should be easy for a gestor to check.


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## tonyinspain (Jul 18, 2011)

billyboy0 said:


> Hi, newbie here !!
> 
> I am buying a second hand car from a near neighbour, and someone has told me that I have to pay 21% iva in addition to the cost of the car. Is this correct ?? In case it counts, I am a non-resident with a holiday home near Alicante.
> 
> ...


No its not follow what baldi has said good advice 
Also for the life of me there is a traffico website that you can put the licence plate number in and it will give you details of the car fines hp debt etc etc someone on here may provide it as debts here are on the vehicle not the person and buying the car makes you responsible for these debts
Hope this helps
Ps if you have a smartphone download coches es on the app is a car checker € 3.00 put in the number plate and whaller all the details


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## malagaman2005 (Apr 23, 2008)

I checked a vehicle through this site and got the result back in under an hour and all for €14.35 
14.35€ Informe de historial de vehculo en Trfico (DGT) | Matrculas | Embargos, deudas, cargas | Antecedentes | Precio


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