It's one of the most common and most costly mistakes: selling a car, signing the sale contract with the buyer, and thinking it's all done. It isn't. If the buyer doesn't transfer the vehicle into their name, you remain the legal owner before the DGT, with everything that entails. We explain why notifying the sale is an essential step and how to protect yourself.

What exactly is the notice of sale?

It's a notice the seller gives to the Traffic Authority informing it that the vehicle has been passed to another person. It's not the same as the change of ownership (which is the buyer's responsibility to file), but it serves a key purpose: from the moment it's recorded, the seller stops being the administrative party responsible for the vehicle before the DGT, even if formal ownership hasn't changed yet.

Why is it so important?

If you sell the car and the buyer is slow to make the transfer (or simply doesn't), while you're still listed as the owner:

  • Traffic fines will come to you, even if the new owner commits them.
  • IVTM (road tax) bills will keep being issued in your name.
  • If the vehicle is involved in an accident or a serious offence, you can be drawn into the proceedings as the registered owner.
  • If the buyer doesn't insure the vehicle and there's a claim, the liability can end up reaching you.

It's a far more common situation than it seems: people who sell a car in good faith, trust that the buyer will change the name, and months later are still receiving penalty notices that aren't theirs.

Deadline to notify the sale

The law sets a deadline of 10 working days from the date of sale for the seller to notify the transfer to the Traffic Authority, if the buyer hasn't made the transfer within that time. Once that deadline passes with no transfer and no notice, the seller can face an administrative penalty for breaching this obligation.

How it's done

To notify the sale you need:

  • The sale contract signed by both parties, with the buyer's complete identifying details (name, DNI/NIE, address).
  • The vehicle's registration document.
  • Your ID as the seller.

It's a procedure that doesn't require the buyer's presence or cooperation to carry out.

What if I don't have the buyer's full details?

Here's the real problem we see often: if the buyer's details (DNI, address) weren't recorded properly in the sale contract, notifying the sale becomes complicated. That's why it's essential to always insist on those complete details at the time of sale, even if it's a private sale between people who «trust each other».

Practical recommendation

The safest thing, if you sell a vehicle, is to:

  • Draw up two complete sale contracts and have the buyer keep one of them (with all the details of both parties).
  • Give the buyer a reasonable period (a few days, say) to make the transfer.
  • If they don't do it within that time, notify the sale yourself without waiting any longer, so you stop being responsible.
  • Keep a copy of the notification receipt as proof.

Have you sold a vehicle and don't know whether the buyer has made the transfer? At Rumbo we check your vehicle's current registration status and, if needed, file the notice of sale for you so you're no longer exposed to fines or taxes that are no longer yours.