Importing a car from Spain: registration, COC and paperwork

The documents to gather

From the seller, you should leave with the permiso de circulación (the registration certificate) and the ficha técnica, also called tarjeta ITV, which lists the technical characteristics and the roadworthiness history, together with a sales contract or invoice quoting the chassis number.

For the registration file itself, three items come up every time: the registration document of the country of origin, the certificate of conformity and the tax clearance. A roadworthiness test is added depending on the age of the vehicle and the rules of your country of registration.

The exact list depends on the authority that will process your file.

The certificate of conformity: why it is often missing

The most frequent confusion on Spanish vehicles concerns the ficha técnica. To an unwary buyer, this document listing the vehicle’s technical characteristics looks a lot like a certificate of conformity. It has neither the same origin nor the same scope: it is drawn up as part of Spanish registration, whereas the certificate of conformity is issued by the manufacturer and is valid throughout the Union.

Many buyers discover the difference at the counter, having bought in the belief that they had every paper.

The other Spanish specificity is the weight of rental fleets. A large share of the Ibizas, Leons, Clios and 208s resold at three years old come from rental companies, which register in bulk and keep the manufacturer’s file. Here again, the vehicle arrives without its certificate.

Step by step

1. 1

   The purchase

   Collect the complete Spanish documents and note the chassis number, 17 characters.

2. 2

   The certificate of conformity

   Start the request at signing: it is the longest step, because it depends on the manufacturer.

3. 3

   Tax clearance

   Handled in parallel with the tax authority of your country of registration.

4. 4

   Roadworthiness test

   Required depending on the age of the vehicle and the rules that apply where you register it.

5. 5

   The registration application

   It brings all the documents together. A single missing item blocks the file.

The only turnaround we state is the manufacturer’s, brand by brand: the administrative steps depend on the authority concerned.

The cost of the COC by brand

The brands most represented among imports from Spain:

Indicative prices including VAT, confirmed once the chassis number has been checked. Full list: price by brand. Turnarounds: turnaround guide. What the eCOC changes in 2026: our eCOC guide.