How do you put a deceased person's car in the heir's name?

The heir who is keeping the car applies for the change to the “Dirección General de Tráfico” (DGT), Spain's traffic authority, online or by appointment, within ninety days of the document dividing the estate. The return for the “impuesto de sucesiones”, the Spanish inheritance tax, must be filed first and a fee must be paid, which in 2026 is 55,70 euros. If the car is allocated to several heirs, only one of them can be the registered owner and they must agree in writing which one. Until the estate is divided, whoever is going to use the car must ask the DGT to record them as its custodian within ninety days of the death.

Alburquerque Abogados

José Manuel Alburquerque
Inheritance and succession

What is needed

For the change of registered owner, the DGT asks for the following:

  • The application form and the “declaración responsable” (declaration of compliance) for a change of registered owner on death, both available on its website.
  • The identity document of the heir who is keeping the car.
  • In the declaration of compliance, the heir states that the car has been allocated to him or her in the division of the estate, which may be a deed or a private document. There is no need to submit the death certificate, the will or the division document, but they must be kept in case the DGT asks for them.
  • If the car is allocated to several heirs, their written agreement on which of them is to be the registered owner.
  • Proof of having filed the inheritance tax return, even if there was nothing to pay.
  • Having paid the previous year's “impuesto de circulación” (the municipal road tax) and any outstanding fines.
  • The fee, which is paid by card.

Before the estate is divided and if nobody does anything

  • Dividing the estate can take months. Whoever is going to use the car in the meantime must ask the DGT to record them as its custodian, by means of a declaration of compliance. From then on, they are responsible for fines, insurance and the “ITV”, Spain's roadworthiness test (the equivalent of the MOT).
  • If nobody does anything, the car remains in the deceased's name and road tax continues to be charged. Until it is deregistered with the DGT, it must remain insured even if nobody uses it.
  • To sell it, the safe course is to put it in an heir's name first. That means two changes of registered owner and two fees. If it is not worth keeping, it can be deregistered at an authorised scrapyard.
  • Using the car as your own or selling it may amount to accepting the inheritance.

Insurance and tax

  • The insurance does not end with the death. It passes to the heirs, who must notify the insurer in writing within the following fifteen days.
  • The car is declared for inheritance tax at its value on the day of death. The tax authorities check that value against official tables published every year, which give the price of each model and a percentage according to its years of use. Once it is more than twelve years old, it is worth 10 % of the price in the table.
  • It is declared separately, because it is not included in the 3 % added to the estate for household effects.

This answer is provided for educational purposes and offers initial guidance on the question raised. Every matter has its own circumstances and nuances that require individual assessment. For that reason, before taking decisions with significant consequences, it is advisable to consult a professional and not to rely solely on this information. Personalised advice makes it possible to apply these explanations to the specific case and to assess the options available with greater certainty.