There are many drivers who wonder how to change the registration of the car, especially in those cases in which a new second-hand vehicle has been purchased. In this case, it should be noted that it is not allowed in all cases. In any case, below we will explain everything you need to know about it.
If you don’t like the number plate of your car, there is nothing you can do, unless you change your province of residence and your car still has an old number plate, that is, those in which the letter corresponding to the province still appears before the numeration.

From the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) they make it clear that a new license plate can only be requested when it is a “vehicle that has initials from another province different from that of the interested parties address”. Likewise, in order to carry it out, it is necessary to previously request the issuance of a new ITV card.
Requirements to be able to change the registration of the car
The General Directorate of Traffic does not allow drivers to change the license plate of the car without there being a justifiable reason. For this reason, the following assumptions and requirements must be taken into account:
- Change of address. In those cases, in which there is a change of address and there is a registration in which the letter or letters of the province appear, a change of registration can be made. For this, a census card or registration certificate must be presented, in the event that the new address of that person is not yet reflected in the National Identity Document (DNI).
- If it is processed with an associated change of ownership, all the documentation related to this type of operation must be provided: proof that justifies the payment of the patrimonial transfers; ID; complete documentation of the car; road tax receipt; and sales contract. In addition, the seller must be accompanied by the buyer or with a receipt showing his signature and ID.
In both cases, the province of the new holder must be different from that of the original license plate.
On the other hand, it must be taken into account that there are some exceptions and cases in which, even if neither of these two situations occur, it is possible to make this change of registration. One such situation is when a change in enrollment is allowed for reasons of personal safety. If these can be accredited, the change is possible, as occurs in police vehicles, State vehicles, etc.
Instructions to change the registration of the car
If you want to know how to change the license plate of the car, in the event that it is possible for your particular case, you must follow the following steps:
- First of all, you must go to the Traffic Headquarters of the province in which your address is located.
- Once there you will have to show the official form for the change of registration, which you can find directly on the official website of the DGT.
- You must also provide the receipt for the payment of the fee, your identity card or other type of identification and all the vehicle documentation (ITV cards (original and new) and circulation permit.
- Once this documentation has been provided, from the DGT, in the event that the requirements are met, the new registration will be recorded.
- With the approval by the General Directorate of Traffic it will now be possible to change the registration plates of the car and circulate normally.
How to change the license plate step by step?
If what you want is to know how to change the license plate, you just have to do the following:
- First of all, you need to remove the old board. If it is attached with screws, it will be enough for you to remove them with a screwdriver. If it is fastened with rivets you will have to use a drill with a bit equivalent to the size of the center of the rivet (4 or 5 bit).
- Next, clean the license plate holder, removing all the dirt that may have remained from the use of the old plate. For this, it is recommended to use a multipurpose or degreasing product.
- When you have the license plate holder completely clean, it is time to place the new one. Depending on the material, you can place the license plate with screws, in which case you will have to drill it or you can resort to auctions and even double-sided tape. If you’re going to drill it, put the old license plate on top of the new one so you know exactly where to drill.
- Once you have drilled or placed the double-sided tape on the new license plate, you must place it in the license plate holder.
- Make sure that the fixing of the license plate is correct, so that you can be sure that it will not come off while driving or with the slightest contact. In fact, it is better if it is attached with screws or rivets to the double-sided tape, which offers less security that it will not come off.






