Used bikes
Buying a used motorbike in Spain as a foreigner: paperwork and checks
By the workshop · 2 min read · September 23, 2026
Buying a used motorbike in Spain isn't hard, but it has an order and paperwork that won't match your home country's. This guide lines it all up, from the NIE to the ITV sticker, and ends with what to look at on the bike itself.
First of all: your NIE and an address
To register a bike in your name you need an NIE, the foreigner's identification number, and an address in Spain. Without an NIE there is no change of ownership, so it's the first step, not the last.
The bike's paperwork
The permiso de circulación (registration document), the ficha técnica with a valid ITV, and the seller's name matching the ID. With the plate number, get the DGT vehicle report: it shows any debts, seizures or finance still owed on the bike, and the mileage recorded at each ITV.
The contract and the payment
A sale contract with both parties' details, the bike's details, the price, the date and signatures, plus a copy of each person's ID. Pay in a way that leaves a trace. Ask for all the keys and any service history.
Change of ownership and transfer tax
The buyer pays the regional transfer tax and files the change of ownership with the DGT within thirty days, online or through a gestoría, an agency that handles it for a small fee and is the easiest route if you don't know the process. The seller notifies the sale so they stop being liable for fines.
Your licence
An EU driving licence is valid in Spain; after some time as a resident you should register or exchange it. With a non-EU licence, check with the DGT whether your country has an exchange agreement and the deadline, because not all of them do.
And the bike itself
Tyres, brakes, chain, leaks, cold start, and a frame number that matches the ficha técnica. If you'd rather not gamble, the used bikes at the workshop go through the workshop before they're sold, with real prices and full specs, and we'll walk you through the change of ownership.
What you ask us
Can I buy before I have my NIE?
You can buy, but you can't register it in your name. And until the ownership changes, the bike is legally still the seller's.
What about a bike on my home country's plates?
If you live in Spain it has to be registered here, with a type-approval inspection and fees. It usually works out slower and dearer than buying one already registered in Spain.
Do you help with the paperwork?
If you buy one of our used bikes, yes: we explain the change of ownership and tell you what you need. For a private sale, a gestoría sorts it out for little money.
We do it
Would you rather not get your hands dirty?
We get it ready for you at the workshop. Book a slot and pick a real time.
