Certcar
Check VIN

Spain car history check by VIN.

With the VIN you see damage claims from Spain and other countries, mileage readings, services and a theft check. You learn the car's history before you pay a deposit.

Enter VIN number (17 characters)

See which car it is for free. You only pay if you want the full report.

The Spanish technical inspection
How many ITVs it should have had
Private car
4ITV inspections by 2025, if the car stayed in Spain the whole time
  1. 20194 yrs
  2. 20216 yrs
  3. 20238 yrs
  4. 202510 yrs
Every 2 years, from 4 to 10 years (4)
Every ITV records the mileage. Ask the seller for proof of the inspections and compare the mileage with the readings in the Certcar report.
The general rule for private cars. Taxis and commercial vehicles are inspected more often.

Damage from Spain, in the Certcar report.

The report includes damage claims from Spain, where they exist. See where the car was hit and the estimated repair cost before you negotiate the price.

  • Spain and other countries, on the same list

    Claims from Spain sit next to those from Romania and other countries, in date order. You see the car's whole journey in one place.

  • Date, areas and estimated cost

    Each damage record has the country, date, affected areas and the estimated repair value, when available. It gives you a concrete argument when negotiating.

  • Total loss, flagged

    If damage was assessed as a total loss, the report shows it separately, in red.

Sample reportSee the full report
Damage history
See affected parts and estimated cost, based on available data.
Damages found
Note
Minor damages usually don't affect vehicle safety and don't cause structural problems.
Recorded damage
Romania
• 07.2024
Right side
Left side
Rear
Front
Affected parts
Hood
Front bumper
Estimated repair cost
1.336 EUR – 1.718 EUR
Recorded damage
France
• 01.2022
Right side
Left side
Rear
Front
Affected parts
Hood
Front bumper
Front left top
Front right top
Left side
Right side
Rear bumper
Damage categories
Active safety systems
Engine block
Side members
Front panel
Estimated cost
18.100 EUR
Recorded damage
Germany
• 04.2021
Right side
Left side
Rear
Front
Affected parts
Rear bumper
Estimated cost
1.000 EUR
Recorded damage
Germany
• 11.2020
Right side
Left side
Rear
Front
Affected parts
Front left top
Front bumper
Estimated cost
2.900 EUR
Displayed damages may come from evaluations, repairs, inspections, auctions, or other external sources. Values are estimates or figures reported at that time and may vary by country, workshop, parts, and labor. The absence of reported damages does not guarantee the vehicle has been damage-free, so we recommend having the car inspected at a service center before purchase.
Scroll inside the section
How to read a damage record →

The Spanish papers and what to compare in them.

Ask for these four documents before the deposit and put them next to the report: the VIN, engine and mileage must match.

  1. Document 1

    Permiso de circulación

    The registration certificate
    • The VIN, in field E
    • The current holder
    • Date of first registration

    The VIN must be the same as on the car and in the report.

  2. Document 2

    Ficha técnica · tarjeta ITV

    Technical card
    • The approved technical data
    • Approved modifications
    • On older documents, the ITV stamps

    The engine and power must match the report data and the ad.

  3. Document 3

    Informe DGT

    The Spanish register report
    • How many owners it had in Spain
    • The ITV inspections
    • Any seizures or debts

    It's requested by the Spanish plate. It only covers the Spanish period.

  4. Document 4

    Baja por exportación

    Deregistration for export
    • Proof that the car was removed from the Spanish register

    Keep it for registration at home, together with the papers above.

Was it a rental car?

Spain has large rental and leasing fleets. When you know where the car comes from, you judge the wear correctly and negotiate the price.

  • "Procedente de alquiler"

    Comes from short-term rental, from a car rental company.

  • "Procedente de renting"

    Comes from a long-term operating lease, usually with servicing included.

  • High mileage in the first 1–2 years

    Then sold. The DGT report can show the type of use; ask the seller for it.

Kilometres driven each yearIllustrative example
202041.000
202136.000
202214.000
202312.000
202413.000
High mileage in the first years, then a normal pace: a common pattern for cars that were in fleets. The differences between readings in the report show the pace.

At the viewing, after years of sun.

The report shows the history. At the viewing you check for the marks of a hot climate and the current condition.

The same VIN everywhere

On the windscreen, on the door pillar sticker, in the permiso de circulación and in the ficha técnica. Where to find the VIN.

Paint, headlights and plastics

Faded lacquer on the roof and bonnet, cloudy headlights, a cracked dashboard. Factor the repair costs into the negotiation.

Air conditioning

Used for much of the year. Check that it cools well and ask for the maintenance invoices.

Diagnostics and test drive

A garage reads the stored fault codes and checks the gearbox. On the road you feel the steering, brakes and gear changes.

Questions about cars from Spain.
Short answers for anyone buying a car from there.
Yes. You find the VIN in field E of the permiso de circulación, in the ficha técnica and on the car at the base of the windscreen. You see which car it is for free and only pay for the full report if you want it.
Yes. The report includes damage claims from Spain, where they exist, alongside those from Romania and other countries. Each record shows the country, date, affected areas and estimated cost, when available.
No, you ask the seller for those: the DGT report and proof of the ITV inspections. The Certcar report adds what we find by VIN in several countries: damage, mileage, services, a theft check and earlier listings.
The ITV is Spain's technical inspection. For a private car, the first takes place 4 years after registration, then every 2 years until the car is 10, and every year after that.
Look for "procedente de alquiler" or "renting" in the ad, ask the seller and request the DGT report. In the Certcar report, the differences between mileage readings show how far the car travelled in each period.
It means we found no damage claim for the VIN. A repair paid for directly at a garage never reaches a claim, so an inspection at an independent garage completes the report.
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Also check.

Found the car in Spain?

Check the history before the deposit and the transport.

Enter VIN number (17 characters)