{"id":15673,"date":"2026-10-21T12:30:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T12:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/buying-a-used-car-in-spain-as-a-foreigner\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T12:30:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T12:30:55","slug":"buying-a-used-car-in-spain-as-a-foreigner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/buying-a-used-car-in-spain-as-a-foreigner\/","title":{"rendered":"Buying a used car in Spain as a foreigner: a guide for residents"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Costa del Sol is home to many people from other countries. If you live in Mijas, Fuengirola or the surrounding area and want to buy a used car, these are the points to be clear about before you start. The requirements can depend on your nationality and residency status, so confirm your case with the DGT or a gestor.<\/p>\n<h2>Usual documents<\/h2>\n<p>To buy a car and register it in your name you will usually need to prove your identity and your address in Spain. It is common to be asked for your NIE, your passport or ID document, and your registration on the town&#8217;s padr\u00f3n (empadronamiento) or proof of your home in Spain. If you do not have an NIE yet, it can take a few weeks to process, so it is best to arrange it in good time.<\/p>\n<h2>Driving licence<\/h2>\n<p>To drive in Spain you need a valid licence. Depending on your country of origin and how long you have been resident, your original licence may be valid or you may have to exchange it for a Spanish one. Check the current conditions with the DGT, because they vary from case to case.<\/p>\n<h2>Compulsory insurance<\/h2>\n<p>Third-party liability insurance is compulsory to drive. To take it out, the insurer usually asks for your driving licence, ID document and the vehicle&#8217;s details. Arrange it before you take the car; we explain the options in our article on <a href=\"\/en\/used-car-insurance-what-to-choose\/\">insurance for a used car<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Ownership transfer<\/h2>\n<p>After the purchase, the car must be registered in your name with the DGT. The buyer has 30 days from signing the contract, and the transfer tax and the DGT fee must be paid. You will find the steps in our guide to the <a href=\"\/en\/documents-for-car-ownership-transfer-spain\/\">documents for the ownership transfer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Understand the contract and the warranty<\/h2>\n<p>Read the contract calmly and ask for a translation or help if you do not speak Spanish well. Ask about the warranty: a professional must give at least 1 year on a used car. More details in <a href=\"\/en\/used-car-warranty-dealer-or-private-seller\/\">used car warranty<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Environmental label and restrictions<\/h2>\n<p>Check the car&#8217;s environmental label, which affects traffic restrictions in some cities. You will find the explanation in <a href=\"\/en\/dgt-environmental-labels-explained\/\">DGT environmental labels<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Practical tips<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Bring your original documents and a copy.<\/li>\n<li>Ask who handles the paperwork and what the price includes.<\/li>\n<li>Always keep a signed copy of the contract.<\/li>\n<li>Do not leave arranging insurance until later.<\/li>\n<li>Ask a gestor for help if you are unsure about any step.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Buy with peace of mind<\/h2>\n<p>If you have doubts about which documents you need in your case, ask us before choosing a car. At Autos Reina we answer every enquiry with no obligation.<\/p>\n<h2>Looking for a used car in Mijas or Fuengirola?<\/h2>\n<p>At Autos Reina, at Camino Viejo de Co\u00edn, 28 (Mijas Costa), you will find <a href=\"\/en\/occasion-cars\/\">second-hand cars<\/a> with a 1-year warranty and the chance to test drive them with no obligation. Call us on <a href=\"tel:+34952637774\">952 637 774<\/a> or <a href=\"\/en\/contact-us\/\">get in touch<\/a>. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:00\u201314:00 and 17:00\u201320:00; Saturday 10:00\u201313:30.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Costa del Sol is home to many people from other countries. If you live in Mijas, Fuengirola or the surrounding area and want to buy a used car, these are the points to be clear about before you start. The requirements can depend on your nationality and residency status, so confirm your case with &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/buying-a-used-car-in-spain-as-a-foreigner\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Buying a used car in Spain as a foreigner: a guide for residents&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15573,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[181],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autosreina.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}