What does it cost to register an imported car in Spain?
Enter the car you have your eye on and see straight away the registration tax, VAT and customs duty Spain will charge. From inside or outside the EU.
In short
Spain taxes the registration, not the purchase: the impuesto de matriculación (IEDMT) is based on CO₂ and the car's value, and every imported car passes an ITV inspection before the DGT issues Spanish plates.
- 2–4 weeks — typical, EU car with COC
- 0 – 14.75 % — registration tax by CO₂
- 30 days — to file the IEDMT after arrival
- NIE + address — needed to register
Taxes
Registration & paperwork
Not included: the annual municipal road tax (IVTM), insurance, and technical adaptations (headlights, speedometer) sometimes needed for non-EU cars.
Registration tax by CO₂ band
| CO₂ g/km | General | Canarias | Increased* |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 120 | 0 % | 0 % | 0 % |
| 121 – 159 | 4,75 % | 3,75 % | 4,75 % |
| 160 – 199 | 9,75 % | 8,75 % | 9,75 % |
| ≥ 200 | 14,75 % | 13,75 % | 15 – 16 % |
* Asturias, Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia: 16 %; Cantabria 15 %; Murcia 15.9 %. Ceuta and Melilla: 0 % in every band.
Hacienda depreciation table (Orden HAC/1501/2025)
| Age | Value | Age | Value |
|---|
Importing a car into Spain
Spain taxes the registration, not the purchase: the impuesto de matriculación (IEDMT) is based on CO₂ and the car's value, and every imported car passes an ITV inspection before the DGT issues Spanish plates.
Before you buy
- Check the CO₂ figure (WLTP) on the registration document — it decides the tax band.
- Ask for the COC (certificate of conformity). Without it you need a ficha reducida from an engineer.
- From a Dutch dealer: is the price "excl. BPM"? Then the dealer keeps the Dutch refund.
- Non-EU car: confirm it has EU type approval or budget for an individual homologation.
- Look the car up in the Hacienda list in the calculator — that is the value the tax office will use.
Documents you will need
- Foreign registration document (both parts) and the deregistration/export certificate
- Invoice or purchase contract, with the seller's ID and VAT status
- COC or ficha técnica reducida
- Your NIE, passport and a certificado de empadronamiento (proof of address)
- Non-EU: DUA customs declaration and proof of duty and VAT paid
- Transfer of residence: proof you owned the car 6+ months abroad and your baja consular / residence change
Step by step
- Buy and export
Get export or transit plates in the country of purchase (Germany: Ausfuhrkennzeichen with insurance; Netherlands: export via the RDW), or book a transporter. Keep the foreign plates and documents — the ITV wants them.
- Customs (non-EU cars only)
File a DUA at the port or border, pay 10 % duty (0 % with a Japanese/Korean origin certificate) and 21 % IVA. A customs agent charges €150–300 and saves days.
- ITV de importación
Book an "ITV importación" at a station. With a COC it is a normal inspection; without one an engineer's ficha reducida first. You leave with the Spanish tarjeta ITV (ficha técnica).
- Taxes at the Agencia Tributaria
File modelo 576 for the IEDMT (or modelo 06 for an exemption such as transfer of residence) within 30 days. New car from the EU: modelo 309 for the 21 % IVA. Used car from a private seller: modelo 620 for the ITP at your regional tax office. Pay the municipal IVTM at the ayuntamiento.
- DGT registration
Pay tasa 1.1 (€99.77), file the registration with the ITV card, tax receipts and your ID at the Jefatura de Tráfico or through a gestor. You receive the permiso de circulación and a plate number.
- Plates and insurance
Have two plates made (€30) and insure the car on its Spanish plate. Done.
Traps
- The 30-day IEDMT deadline runs from the day the car is in Spain, not from registration. Late filing adds a surcharge.
- Hacienda values used cars with its own tables; a low invoice does not lower the tax if the table value is higher.
- The transfer-of-residence exemption must be applied for within 60 days of arriving, and the car cannot be sold for 12 months.
- Right-hand-drive cars can be registered but the headlights must be converted and resale value is poor.
Official sources
Run this route in the calculator with the Hacienda list, regional rates and ITP.
Calculate for Spain →Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to import a car into Spain?
2–4 weeks — typical, EU car with COC
Which taxes do you pay when importing a car into Spain?
Spain taxes the registration, not the purchase: the impuesto de matriculación (IEDMT) is based on CO₂ and the car's value, and every imported car passes an ITV inspection before the DGT issues Spanish plates.
Which documents do you need to import a car into Spain?
Foreign registration document (both parts) and the deregistration/export certificate; Invoice or purchase contract, with the seller's ID and VAT status; COC or ficha técnica reducida; Your NIE, passport and a certificado de empadronamiento (proof of address); Non-EU: DUA customs declaration and proof of duty and VAT paid; Transfer of residence: proof you owned the car 6+ months abroad and your baja consular / residence change.
What are the most common mistakes when importing a car into Spain?
The 30-day IEDMT deadline runs from the day the car is in Spain, not from registration. Late filing adds a surcharge. Hacienda values used cars with its own tables; a low invoice does not lower the tax if the table value is higher. The transfer-of-residence exemption must be applied for within 60 days of arriving, and the car cannot be sold for 12 months. Right-hand-drive cars can be registered but the headlights must be converted and resale value is poor.
Other destinations
These guides describe the usual procedure as of September 2026 and are indicative. Rules, fees and deadlines change and vary by region and office; carimportcalculator.com accepts no liability for decisions based on them. Confirm the steps with the authority named in each guide or a licensed agent before you buy.