Some friends of ours recently returned to the Uk. Before they left they gave us their car. They will not be returning to Spain. We want to have the car put into my name. Can this be done without the original owners been in Spain. If so what paperwork do we need. No money exchanged hands as the car needed quite a lot of work doing on it. How much will it cost to change the paperwork over.

You need a 'compraventa' signed by them, their passports, their NIE's probably their residencias and that's just for starters.

You will have to pay the transfer fee (tax).

Was it taxed every year? Is it ITV'd?

... and that's just from memory, I'm sure there is more.

best of luck.

Hi we have taxed and had the itv done already. Can we use photocopies of passports etc. as we can´t have their original ones. When you say 'compraventa' do you mean a letter from them saying they have given us the car.

Has anyone had personal experience of this and were they able to do it when the owners were no longer here.

friend of mine did si,ilar but he bought the car in UK, drove it back here passed it to his sister in law, then tried to change ownership, took 18 months as they ha to track down previous owner etc.

Think they did use photocopies once tracked down, really should hae done it whilst they were still here

Yes we have done it but you need the original car docs, copy passport and NIE of previous owner and copy passport and NIE for the buyer and the last receipt for the SUMA.

Thank you SueG we should be ok then.