German Car-Buying Terms Explained: Kaufvertrag, Zulassungsbescheinigung, TÜV

Kaufvertrag — the sales contract

The Kaufvertrag is simply the sales contract between buyer and seller. For a private sale, German buyers commonly use a standardized template (widely available from motoring associations like ADAC) that records the vehicle's identifying details, the agreed price, the declared condition, mileage at sale, and — critically for you as an importer — a statement of whether the sale is 'as seen' (unter Ausschluss jeglicher Gewährleistung, meaning warranty is excluded) or with some guarantee. For a dealer sale, the Kaufvertrag is typically the dealership's own commercial contract and will usually state whether the price includes VAT (ausweisbare MwSt.) or falls under the used-goods margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung).

This document is what you'll present when self-assessing Spanish taxes, since it evidences the purchase price and the seller's status — private individual or business — which determines whether ITP or VAT applies back in Spain.

Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and II

Germany split its old vehicle registration document (Fahrzeugschein/Fahrzeugbrief) into two parts some years ago, and both matter for export:

• Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I: the equivalent of the vehicle's registration certificate — carried in the car, shows current owner, plate and technical data. Comparable in function to Spain's permiso de circulación.
• Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II: the vehicle's title document, proving ownership and recording the chain of previous owners — closer in function to Spain's ficha técnica combined with proof of title. This is the document you absolutely need to complete an export and later register the car abroad.

Never complete a purchase without confirming the seller can hand over both parts — a missing Teil II is one of the most common causes of stalled imports from Germany.

TÜV — the periodic technical inspection

TÜV (named after the Technischer Überwachungsverein, one of the organizations that performs it, alongside DEKRA and others) is Germany's periodic roadworthiness inspection, broadly equivalent in purpose to Spain's ITV. A current TÜV sticker (Prüfplakette) on the rear plate tells you when the inspection is next due, but it is not automatically transferable to Spanish ITV requirements — an imported car will still need to pass its own Spanish ITV before or shortly after registration, on Spain's own inspection schedule, once it carries Spanish plates.

Other terms worth knowing

• HU (Hauptuntersuchung): the formal name for the main periodic inspection that TÜV or DEKRA carries out — often used interchangeably with 'TÜV' in casual speech
• AU (Abgasuntersuchung): the emissions test component of the inspection
• Unfallfrei: seller's claim that the car has never been in an accident — worth verifying independently
• Scheckheftgepflegt: 'serviced by the book,' meaning full manufacturer service history

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a certified translation of the Kaufvertrag for Spain?

In practice, Spanish tax offices generally accept the standard bilingual or German-language contract for filing purposes, though requirements can vary by office and case. Having a clear, complete Kaufvertrag with all identifying details filled in correctly avoids most friction regardless of language.

Is a valid TÜV sticker enough to skip Spanish ITV?

No. TÜV and ITV are separate national inspection regimes. A valid German TÜV shows the car passed Germany's inspection cycle, but Spain applies its own ITV requirements and schedule once the car is registered under a Spanish plate.