How to Buy a Car from Germany: Bilingual Sales Contract Template for Balaguer
Importing a vehicle from Germany to Spain can be a daunting bureaucratic task. To ensure your purchase is legally protected and recognized by the Spanish authorities, you need a solid foundation. This article provides a bilingual (Spanish/English) sales contract template tailored for private transactions, ensuring that both the buyer and seller clearly understand the terms of the sale, which is essential for the subsequent registration process in Balaguer.
Instructions on how and where to submit it in Balaguer
Once you have purchased the vehicle and signed the contract, you must initiate the registration process in Spain. Since Balaguer falls under the jurisdiction of the Lleida province, you will deal with the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) and the local Tax Office.
- Step 1: Ensure the contract is signed by both parties in duplicate.
- Step 2: Obtain the original German registration documents (Teil I and Teil II).
- Step 3: Visit the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico in Lleida to start the "Matriculación" process.
- Step 4: Pay the corresponding taxes (Impuesto de Matriculación via Form 576 at the Agencia Tributaria and the local Impuesto de Circulación at the Ayuntamiento de Balaguer).
- Step 5: Present your documentation, including this bilingual contract, to the DGT office to receive your new Spanish license plates.
BILINGUAL SALES CONTRACT / CONTRATO DE COMPRAVENTA DE VEHÍCULO
BETWEEN / ENTRE:
Seller / Vendedor: [Name/Nombre], ID/DNI/NIE: [Number/Número], residing at / con domicilio en [Address/Dirección].
Buyer / Comprador: [Name/Nombre], ID/DNI/NIE: [Number/Número], residing at / con domicilio en [Address/Dirección].
VEHICLE DETAILS / DATOS DEL VEHÍCULO:
Make/Marca: ________ | Model/Modelo: ________ | VIN/Bastidor: ________ | Plate/Matrícula: ________
TERMS / CONDICIONES:
1. The Seller sells the vehicle described above to the Buyer for the price of / El Vendedor vende el vehículo arriba descrito al Comprador por el precio de: [Amount/Importe] €.
2. The Buyer declares to have inspected the vehicle and accepts its current condition / El Comprador declara haber inspeccionado el vehículo y acepta su estado actual.
3. The Seller declares the vehicle is free of liens or charges / El Vendedor declara que el vehículo está libre de cargas o gravámenes.
Signed in / Firmado en [City/Ciudad], on [Date/Fecha].
Signature of Seller / Firma del Vendedor: ________________
Signature of Buyer / Firma del Comprador: ________________
Additional documentation required
Beyond the sales contract, the Spanish authorities in Balaguer/Lleida will strictly require the following documents to process the vehicle's registration:
- Original German Technical Sheets: The "Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I" and "Teil II".
- Certificate of Conformity (COC): Essential to prove the vehicle meets EU technical standards.
- Proof of Identity: Your DNI or NIE and passport.
- ITV Card: You must take the vehicle to a Spanish "Inspección Técnica de Vehículos" (ITV) station to obtain a Spanish technical card (Ficha Técnica).
- Payment Receipts: Proof of payment of the "Impuesto de Matriculación" (Model 576) and "Impuesto de Circulación" (IVTM).
Expert Tip: Always verify the vehicle’s history in Germany using the VIN before transferring any money. Furthermore, ensure that the German "Abmeldung" (deregistration) is completed, as you cannot register a car in Spain if it is still officially active in the German system. If you feel overwhelmed by the paperwork, consider hiring a local "Gestoría" in Balaguer; they specialize in these cross-border imports and can save you significant time and potential errors with the DGT.