There are many cases that can cause you to want to change your license plate: from personal reasons related to numbers and fortune, a simple “I don’t like it”, the desire to change something to your recently bought second-hand car or security reasons, such as This person states it in a blog:
“I had a lawsuit with my company and I won it, but now every time they see my car they destroy it and it costs me a lot of money to fix it, can I change my license plate in this case? that I have to do?”
Without a doubt, it is sad that for a reason like this you have to resort to changing the license plate of your car, but the truth is that, whatever it may be, we will help you answer the question of how and when you can request a change of license plate. your car.
We remind you, in case you read us from a South American country, that this tutorial is aimed at people who reside in Spain and therefore are governed by the body in charge of the nation, the DGT (General Directorate of Traffic). In your country it may vary a lot or a little, but if you like, you can keep reading.
You should know that, first of all, you can NOT change your license plate for pleasure, that is, the one you have is the one that will remain. Therefore, if you were thinking of giving a “new life” to your old car with another license plate, it is better that you forget about it.
The only case in which you can make this change “on a whim” (because in reality it is more by law) is when you move from one province to another. It also applies when the car registration is old, those that had (and some cars still have) the initials of the province where they circulate, for example: Tenerife = TF.
I apply for the registration change: What do I need?
The first thing you should know is that, if you apply in one of the very select cases of license plate change, you have to request the issuance of a new technical inspection card, a procedure that is done in the ITV.
You should know that, in addition to the common requirements that we will point out later in our step-by-step guide, there are certain more select or particular cases in which you must provide more common documentation, let’s see them:
- If the new registration is being processed because there has been a change of address (change of province): you must provide proof of the new address that can be the census card or registration, this if the current (new) address is not in the DNI or NIE of the person processing the change.
- If, in addition to this, there is a change of ownership of the vehicle: you will have to present all the documentation requested in the document that the DGT calls “Changes of Ownership”.
- In the case in which the holder cannot be present in the procedure: you must prepare an authorization in which both the possibility that the person is accredited to carry out the procedure and it is stated and proven that the person who made the letter is the owner.
Both models are valid and must always be accompanied by a copy of the DNI or NIE of the person authorizing, that is, the holder.
Once all this is clear, you can proceed with the process.
How to request a change of car registration? step by step guide
- You should know that this procedure is NOT possible to do through electronic channels or by mail. You can only do it by going to the Provincial Traffic Headquarters that corresponds to you (the one of domicile of the owner).
- You must check whether or not you comply with the possibility of carrying out this procedure, in the upper section the rarest cases that can also occur are explained.
- You must have the registration change request once it has been verified that you can do it.
- This document must be completed, also to avoid a delay in the process. If you have any questions, you can leave the space blank and ask the official or leave us the question in the comments.
- You must bring the corresponding amount or fees for this procedure, in this case it is 95.80 euros.
You must bring the documentation of the owner (you). Remember:
- Individuals: they must carry the identity document DNI, the residence card and the Spanish driving license. In the case of foreigners, the difference is that the NIE must be accompanied by the passport.
- Legal persons: they must carry the CIF and a document that proves the identity of the holder (DNI or NIE + passport if foreigner).
- Minors and disabled: the data and signature of the father/mother/guardian, DNI or NIE + passport and the document that authorizes the person to carry out the procedure must be taken.
You must bring the documentation of the vehicle:
- Car circulation permit.
- Technical inspection cards or ITV. Original and the new one: pink sheet + blue sheet.
Once you have all the documentation ready, you must request an appointment at the electronic headquarters of the DGT.
Once you have an appointment scheduled, prepare everything for that day and go to the office at the indicated time.
Clever! It will be your turn to just wait for the process to be completed.
As you can see, requesting to change your car’s license plate is a fairly simple process, most likely due to the scarcity of cases that can be filed. This is only because, we emphasize on it, it must happen in the change of address from one province to another.
Tips for requesting a car registration change
Wait! There’s even more: read the advice we have for you!
At the beginning of the article we cited one of the cases that caused us the most impact due to its seriousness. We leave it to you again:
“I had a lawsuit with my company and I won it, but now every time they see my car they destroy it and it costs me a lot of money to fix it, can I change my license plate in this case? that I have to do?”
In theory, in this case, the registration change cannot be made because, if there is no change of address from a province other than the original one, the process cannot be carried out. Now what to do?
It is best that you contact the DGT and the national and local police of the province where you live, since, in addition to being a violation of private property, it is a case of vandalism.
In the event that you want to make the license plate change on a whim, the solution we can give you is to look for a car in another province of the country, in order to apply. Of course, if you have doubts about whether or not to apply, you can also resort to both asking us and contacting the DGT through its digital channels.
These are the three phones that it makes available to us:
- Citizen Service Telephone: 060
- Automated Complaints Treatment Center: 902 508 686
- Road information telephone number: 011
It may be that you believe that the steps to follow in the event that your license plate is stolen are the same as in this one, it is not like that and it is not even similar. In the event that your license plate is stolen, you will have to go to a specialized store and request that it be done there.
In these specialized stores, you must provide the following documentation:
- Your identity document (for security reasons it is always good to have it with you).
- The registration certificate of the car.
- The other papers of the car, such as the ITV.
With this you can have your car registration back as if nothing had happened.
If you had to ask us if, according to our criteria, it is worth looking for a car and putting a new license plate on it, we would tell you that it is not worth it: in principle, because you have to look for a car in another province, which suggests extra expenses. It would be more expensive and you would have the same as if you bought a car in your province of residence.
Now, if you want a specific, uncommon or rare car, and you only find it in one province, then you won’t mind bringing it to your home, much less making the license plate change it would need.
So it all depends on your criteria, your tastes and what you want to do with your money. We cannot get into it directly because it is only you who can decide in your life.
In conclusion, we hope that this guide has clarified any questions you may have and that you have found it enjoyable and very useful… And now, will you change your license plate or car?
