EXPLAINED: How to scrap a car in Spain

Taking a vehicle to the scrap or junkyard ensures that once its useful life is over, it’s treated properly, and the waste is managed safely.

Make sure you consult various junk and scrap yards - called desguaces in Spanish - to ensure you’re getting a good price for your vehicle, as they can vary a lot.

It’s important to be aware that you can’t simply dump your car in Spain, there is a process that has to be followed and several documents that you’ll need in order to do so.

In some cases, your insurance may handle the paperwork for you, but in other cases, you’ll have to do it yourself.

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You can permanently de-register your car at an Authorised Vehicle Treatment Centre (CATV), which is equipped to handle your vehicle safely and legally.

If your car still has value though, you can sell it on the second-hand market or to specialised dealerships instead.

If you do decide to permanently scrap your vehicle and it’s not covered by your insurance, you'll need to take it to a CATV yourself or get one to come and pick it up if your car is no longer road worthy.

Step 1:

The first step is to schedule an appointment for it to be dropped off or collected, you can’t just turn up.

Once there, you’ll need to produce several documents. These include:

• Vehicle data sheet: This document includes all the vehicle's data and is necessary for carrying out a valuation at the scrapyard.
• Vehicle registration: This document certifies the owner of the car and allows the vehicle to be driven and is issued by the DGT.
• Photocopy of your TIE, DNI or other identification document: This is necessary to identify you as the car's owner. If the car belongs to a deceased person or a company, you may need to present additional documents.
• Final Deregistration Request : This form must be signed at the CATV when you drop off the car or when it’s collected.

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Step 2:

Once staff at the CATV centre have checked all your documents, they will check the car over to see what kind of condition it’s in. Your vehicle can then be officially disposed of following the procedures established by waste and recycling regulations.

After it's been taken away, you will be issued with a vehicle destruction certificate. This confirms it’s been properly scrapped and cannot be put back on the road.

Step 3:

It’s also necessary to de-register the vehicle with the DGT). The good news is that you don’t have to do this yourself though, the scrap yard will notify them for you.

De-registrations are irrevocable, meaning the vehicle cannot be used again. You should receive proof of final de-registration from the DGT.

Step 4:

It’s important to keep both the vehicle destruction certificate and the de-registration certificate to prove you are exempt from future payments such as road tax for example.

If you have already paid your road tax for that year, you can request a proportional refund from your local ayuntamiento or town hall.