20 · Mobility & Authorities: Car, ITV, Driving Licence, Appointments
*The moment you live on Mallorca rather than just holiday here, the everyday rules of the game change. This chapter sets out what you'll actually face with your car, the Spanish equivalent of a roadworthiness test (ITV), your driving licence, and the omnipresent appointment system (cita previa) — and where international buyers, in our experience, tend to trip up.*
Buying a car and transferring ownership#
If you buy a used vehicle (compraventa, or cambio de titularidad — change of registered keeper), the ownership transfer has to be recorded with the DGT (Jefatura de Tráfico, the traffic authority) — either by you directly or, more conveniently, through a gestoría (an administrative agent who handles official paperwork). Budget for the DGT fee of 55.70 € (passenger cars) and keep to the 30-day deadline. Have these ready: the sale contract, the permiso de circulación (vehicle registration document), the ficha técnica/tarjeta ITV (technical specification card — with a valid ITV!), the IVTM receipt, ID/NIE (foreigner's identification number), and proof of ITP (transfer tax).
The ITP on used cars in the Balearics ✅ is 4 % (cars under 15 caballos fiscales — fiscal horsepower) or 8 % (≥ 15 CVf). It's declared via Modelo 620 within 30 working days; the tax base is the valor venal (assessed market value) according to the ATIB tables.
For a new car, the maths is different: IVA 21 % (VAT) plus the IEDMT (registration tax, banded by CO₂: 0 % / 4.75 % / 9.75 % / 14.75 %), and on top of that roughly 100 € in DGT fees.
Importing a vehicle — what foreign buyers should keep in mind#
If you bring your own car, a lot depends on where it comes from.
- EU vehicle: Here the re-registration is due within ~30 days of establishing residency. With a CoC (Certificate of Conformity) it usually goes smoothly (
homologación por equivalencia— type approval by equivalence); you'll need your NIE and Empadronamiento (proof of municipal registration). Expect costs from ~300 € to well over 1,000 €. - IEDMT exemption on relocation of residence ✅: Possible if you held your previous residence abroad for ≥ 12 months, owned the vehicle for ≥ 6 months, register it within 60 days, and observe a 1-year ban on selling it on.
- Non-EU: Here customs (DUA — the customs declaration) and IVA 21 % are added on top.
The ongoing costs: IVTM & insurance#
Two items stay with you permanently. The IVTM — the municipal vehicle tax under RDLeg 2/2004 — is charged annually on the basis of the caballos fiscales. 🔴 The exact rates for Palma or Calvià are set out in each municipality's Ordenanza (local by-law).
The compulsory insurance (third-party liability) is non-negotiable: it applies even when your registered vehicle is just sitting parked. Drive uninsured and you risk 601–3,005 € (Ley 5/2025, BOE-A-2025-15424).
ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos): the Spanish roadworthiness test#
Governed in law by RD 920/2017. The intervals for passenger cars: first test at 4 years, then every 2 years (in the 4–10-year window), and annually from 10 years.
🟡 A pleasant local advantage: the Balearics are the cheapest in Spain (~21 € petrol, ~35 € diesel). The island has 8 ITV stations (including Palma, Can Pastilla, Inca, Manacor, Calvià …); you book an appointment on 871 57 55 44 or via itv.mallorca.es.
If you let the ITV lapse, you face a fine of 200 € (grave — a serious infraction, no licence points; 50 % early-payment discount). Important to understand: this is a standalone infraction under RD 920/2017 that a valid environmental sticker (distintivo ambiental) does not cure.
Another point for everyday life in the capital is the ZBE Palma — the low-emission zone under Ley 7/2021 plus the municipal Ordenanza. It has been active since 1 July 2025, monitored by 19 number-plate cameras, and anyone entering without authorisation pays 200 €. 🟡 In practice the cameras mainly penalise a missing environmental sticker; a direct ITV camera-based penalty is not (yet) clearly established in official terms.
Driving licence: what counts, what you have to exchange#
- EU/EEA licence: Valid in principle; the exchange is voluntary. There is one caveat: licences with a validity of more than 15 years (or open-ended ones) must be brought into line with Spanish validity periods within 2 years of establishing residency — relevant above all for old German paper licences.
- UK post-Brexit: Thanks to the exchange agreement in force since 16/03/2023 ✅, the swap is possible without a test, with a 6-month deadline from residency. This does not apply, however, if the UK licence was obtained while you were already a resident.
- No agreement (USA, Canada, China): Here there is no direct exchange — a theory and a practical test are required. The foreign licence remains valid for only 6 months from residency. This directly affects our North American buyers and should be planned for early.
- Points system: Start with 12 points (new drivers 8), bonus up to 15.
Authority appointments & daily life: understanding the appointment system#
In Spain there is almost no way around the cita previa (prior appointment booked online) — it is mandatory for nearly everything (NIE/TIE/Extranjería, DGT, INSS, Hacienda, Padrón). The central portals: sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es, sede.dgt.gob.es, the AEAT Sede, and for Palma citaprevia.palma.cat. The catch: chronic appointment shortages and a black market in slots ("reventa de citas" — appointment reselling). Stick consistently to the official .gob.es sites.
Your most important tool for handling much of this online rather than at the counter is the certificado digital (FNMT) / Cl@ve (digital certificate / national e-ID system). Initial registration usually requires an in-person verification in Spain.
And you should prepare yourself for daily life itself: it is document- and appointment-heavy, shaped by the siesta and morning-only counters as well as numerous local festivos (public holidays). Also practical to know: SIM cards have to be registered (there are no anonymous SIMs), and for just about every contract you'll need your NIE.
Sources (selection)#
- DGT (Sede) · AEAT/ATIB (IEDMT/ITP for vehicles, Modelo 620) · RD 920/2017 (ITV) · Ley 5/2025 (insurance)
- Ministerio Interior (UK agreement 16/03/2023) · Consell de Mallorca (ITV)