When we have a car that is very old, there comes a time when it no longer works and when we have to stop using it because it costs us a lot of money to repair it or because it is simply very difficult to do so. In these cases our vehicle has come to an end. What do we have to do? will have to write off the car, But do we know what that means? How do you write down a car? In this article we explain everything you need to know in case you have to do it one day.
What is deregistering a car?
Deregistering a car is the process that is followed when our car is reaching the end of its useful life and we want to get rid of it. This means that our car will be withdrawn from circulation and will then be destroyed in a scrapyard.
How do you cancel a car?
The process of deregistering a car is very simple, in fact we don’t even have to go to the Traffic offices ourselves.
All we have to do is take it to a scrap yard, also called Authorized Treatment Center (CAT), sometimes they come to pick up the car. in the scrapyard They will be in charge of the treatment of the vehicle and of processing the definitive cancellation, They will be the ones to inform the DGT.
Once the cancellation has been processed, the vehicle will be destroyed in the scrapyard.
Who can cancel a car?
A car can take it down the holder or any person authorized on his behalf. In order to do so, we have to identify ourselves in the scrapyard in the following way:
- Physical person: We will need a document that proves the identity and address, such as the DNI, the Spanish driving license, the passport…
- Legal persons: must provide the tax identification card and the accreditation of the representation and identity of the person signing.
- Minors or disabled: they need the data and the signature of the father, mother or guardian, the DNI and the document that proves the concept.
- In case that we authorize a person for him to deregister the car on our behalf, we will have to use the authorization model of the DGT “Awarding of representation”, which we can find on their website. This document will have to be presented by the authorized person at the scrapyard, signed by both parties with their ID and that of the owner.
- If the authorized person represents a company the CIF, the DNI of the administrator and the deeds or the document of representation of legal persons will be needed.
What documents are necessary to deregister the car?
To cancel our car, we need to deliver to the scrapyard:
- Car, obviously.
- The circulation permit.
- The ITV card.
- If the owner of the car is deceased, you must also present a declaration responsible for the definitive removal of a vehicle due to the death of its owner.
The procedure is totally free, so we will not have to pay anything.
When we have delivered all these documents, we will be given a certificate of destruction of the car and proof of definitive removal. We must keep these documents as they are the ones that will prove to any Administration that our vehicle has been deregistered, in case there is any problem in the future.
How can I check if my vehicle is deregistered?
If you want to make sure that your vehicle has been deregistered, you can do so by a cancellation report request that you can request at the Provincial Traffic Headquarters or fill it out on the DGT website.
To do it online you will have to go to the Document verification page. You will need to proof of definitive withdrawal to be able to fill in the document and enter the locator that is on the left side.
What do I do if my car shows that it is still registered in Traffic?
If when checking if your car is deregistered you discover that it is not, you will have to go to any Headquarters or Traffic Office to solve it.
you have to take with you the certificate of destruction of the car and proof of definitive removal.
Deregister a historic vehicle
It is possible that we have a historic vehicle and we want to decommission it but without destroying it, because we want to preserve it as a collection or museum piece.
In these cases it is not necessary to take the vehicle to a scrap yard, we have to Request a special definitive removal of a historic vehicle from Traffic. You can apply in person or online. Once the cancellation has been requested, even if the car is not destroyed, we have to be clear that it is withdrawn from circulation, so the car cannot circulate.
To request the withdrawal we need the completed application, the circulation permit, the ITV card and the accreditation of the historical value of the car. Nor will we have to pay anything, since it is a formality gratuitous.
Can a car be rehabilitated or re-registered?
Re-registering a car if it has been permanently deregistered is not common, but it is possible to re-register it. These are the cases in which a car can be rehabilitated:
- if the car it has been discharged because we have taken it abroad and have returned to our country again, we can rehabilitate it, recover the license plate it had and drive it again
- if the car does not have certificate of destruction, we will be able to rehabilitate it in an ordinary way and it will maintain the registration it had.
- if the car it does have a certificate of destruction, we can only rehabilitate it as a historic car. For this, it is necessary to have the cataloging as a vehicle of historical interest. Rehabilitation will be requested with the registration of a historic vehicle.
- They can also be restored vehicles sold at auction of the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs.
To apply for rehabilitation we have to:
- Start the rehabilitation process in the DGT, that can be done online and in person. The procedure will cost us 99.77 euros and 27.85 euros if it is a moped. They will give us a report and the necessary documentation to go to the ITV.
- Then we have to ask for an appointment at the ITV, and we must specify that it is a review for rehabilitation.
- We have to pay road tax.
- To complete the procedure at the DGT we have to provide the ITV card and proof of payment of the road tax.
Now you know how you can deregister your car, all that it implies and if that were the case, you also know that you have the possibility of rehabilitating it. It is possible to temporarily deregister a car, but it is something that we deal with in this other article.
