Importing an LPG or CNG Car: Why It Gets an ECO Label, and What Must Be Declared

Why gas vehicles get an ECO label

Under DGT criteria, label ECO covers, alongside non-plug-in hybrids and low-range PHEVs, vehicles running on natural gas (CNG, LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These vehicles must also meet the Euro standard and registration-date requirements set for label C: in practice, petrol or bi-fuel with Euro 4 or later registered from 2006, or Euro 6 diesel registered from September 2015 for the less common diesel-gas dual-fuel vehicles.

The step people forget when importing: homologating the installation

If the car you are importing has an LPG or CNG system fitted outside Spain, that installation counts as a reforma de importancia (a significant modification) under Royal Decree 866/2010. That means it is not enough for the system to simply work: it must be documented, inspected and recorded on the Spanish technical file after passing an ITV modification inspection, with all its components properly homologated (CE certification for the tank, pressure reducer and the rest of the kit).

• Without passing the ITV modification inspection, the gas installation is considered illegal in Spain even if it runs perfectly well.
• The DGT will not assign the gas-appropriate ECO label if the installation is not recorded on the updated technical file.
• Components need CE certification; systems installed outside the EU require additional verification.

Steps to legalise an imported gas installation

• Bring the car to an ITV centre with the technical documentation for the gas system (manufacturer, component certificates).
• Pass the modification inspection specific to LPG or CNG installations.
• Get the favourable report and update the technical file and registration document with the new classification.
• Once the paperwork is updated, the DGT automatically assigns the ECO label that applies.

What to check before buying a gas car abroad

Before importing, ask the seller for the complete documentation of the gas system: brand, kit model, installation date, and European homologation certificates for the components. A system fitted by an unauthorised workshop, or without CE certification, can make the Spanish legalisation process considerably longer and more expensive, even if the car runs fine in its country of origin.

An imported LPG or CNG car does not get an ECO label by default — it gets one once its installation is homologated and recorded on the Spanish technical file.