It is possible that we have a car that is very old, one of those that attract attention when we drive with it because it is very old, special and beautiful, especially if it is well cared for. It is probably so old that we don’t even know if it will be able to pass the ITV, but we still want to keep it and circulate with it. In these cases, we could register it as a historic vehicle. In this article we explain how it is done and what are the advantages and disadvantages of registering our car as historic.
What is a historic vehicle?
The DGT defines a historic vehicle as one that its antiquity, interest or singularity has a special consideration that protects its representative character. This special consideration is a protection that allows us to protect the cultural and symbolic heritage of our time and, in turn, allows us to continue circulating with it.
However, we cannot register any car as historic, it has to meet a series of requirements.
Criteria for registering a car as historic
In order to request that our car be cataloged as historic, it must meet one of these requirements:
- The car must have at least 30 years old from its first registration or from its manufacture. It is important that the car has not undergone changes in its main components such as the engine or the bodywork, but rather it is in its original state.
- Those cars that are registered in the General Inventories of Personal Property of the Spanish Historical Heritage, declared assets of cultural interest or when the car has participated in some historical event or has belonged to a relevant personality.
- collectible cars they can also be considered historic because of their uniqueness or because of their scarcity.
How can I catalog my car as historic?
If our car meets any of these requirements we can register it as historic. For this we have to follow the following steps:
The first thing to do is obtain a historic vehicle catalogue. This is done in your Autonomous Community by requesting an inspection from an Official Laboratory that is accredited by your community.
After getting the cataloging, you have to make an appointment at an ITV station, we have to specify that it is an inspection to get a historical license plate. There we will be given the ITV card where the date of manufacture and the limitations that our vehicle has in terms of circulation will appear.
Then we have to pay or settle the associated taxes:
- The proof of payment or exemption from the circulation tax of the City Council that you have at your home.
- Proof of payment/exemption/not subject to the Special Tax on Certain Means of Transport if the vehicle has not been previously registered in Spain.
- Proof of payment or exemption from the Property Transfer Tax.
Finally we have to carry out the registration as a historical vehicle in the DGT that will cost us 99.77 euros. If they are mopeds, the cost of the procedure is lower, it will cost us €27.85.
What documents do I need?
In order to request the registration of your car as a historic vehicle, you need to provide all these documents:
- The application fills in official form that you can get online.
- Proof of payment of the registration fee.
- The resolution of the competent body that it is classified as a historic vehicle.
- The ITV card.
- The proof of payment of the taxes mentioned in the previous section.
- Four color photos of the car (sides, front and rear).
- Circulation permit.
- If you are not the owner of the vehicle that appears in the original documentation, you will have to provide proof that you have ownership of the vehicle through: a notarial document, a purchase invoice or a sales contract.
Where can I request the registration of the vehicle as historical?
We can do it in person at any Traffic Headquarters or Office and we must carry all the documentation mentioned in the previous section in addition to an official document that proves our identity and address as the DNI or the Spanish driving license.
We can also apply via Internet, We will need to provide all the required documentation and have a valid DNI or electronic certificate or have cl@ve credentials. Although to complete the process we have to go to the offices of the DGT.
How is the license plate of a historic car?
Historic car license plates bear an H in front, followed by four numbers and finally three letters.
Advantages of registering a car as historic
Registering a car as historic has a number of advantages, for example ITV inspections are longer, depending on the age have your car. If the seniority is less than 40 years, the ITV stops every two years, between 40 and 45 every 3 years and more than 45 years every 4 years.
Nor will you have to have elements or characteristics that are necessary to circulate today when I pass the ITV. And besides, it’s exempt from compliance with anti-pollution regulations.
Another thing to keep in mind is that insurance policies are usually cheaper for these cars.
Disadvantages of historic cars
Although not everything is good when we register a car as historic, it also has its downside.
For example, although insurance policies are cheaper, they are also restrictions apply as a number of kilometers that you cannot exceed per year.
you will spend a lot of money in cataloging it as a historic vehicle taking into account all the processes that the car has to go through.
And they also have limitations on the road and in use that will be specified on the ITV card:
- If the car does not exceed 40 kilometers per hour, it must drive on the hard shoulder. The car that does not exceed 60 kilometers per hour will not be able to circulate on highways and expressways. And it is possible that on some dates and routes the circulation of those who do not exceed 80 kilometers per hour is prohibited.
- As for lighting, some cars will not be able to circulate between sunset and sunrise, or in situations where good lighting is necessary if they do not have a good lighting system.
So if you are thinking of registering your vehicle as historic, take a good look at whether it meets the requirements and then if it is really worth it or if, on the contrary, it is better to cancel it and take it to a scrap yard.
