‘How much does a VTC licence cost?’ is the most frequently searched question in the sector and the one with the worst answers: forums featuring figures from three years ago, adverts asking for sums that nobody actually pays, and ‘experts’ without a single documented transaction. This article answers it using the only tool that doesn’t offer an opinion: the VTC360n Index for July 2026, based on verified transactions and offers, with its sample size (n) published alongside each figure.
The July 2026 table
The eight markets with their own index series, ranked from most expensive to least expensive:
- Balearic Islands — €198,014 (n=25; range €184,153–€211,875). Spain’s most expensive market, under pressure from tourist demand and a rigid supply.
- Madrid — €145,502 (n=20; range €135,317–€155,687). The country’s deepest and most liquid market.
- Barcelona — €92,064 (n=26; range €85,620–€98,508). The index’s largest sample and the famous regulatory discount: 37 per cent below Madrid.
- Málaga — €67,952 (n=21). Third place, driven by the airport and the Costa del Sol.
- Valencia — €60,928 (n=12). The market spanning the Mediterranean arc.
- Seville — €55,692 (n=7). The affordable gateway to an Andalusian capital; a small sample, so please treat this figure with caution.
- Zaragoza — €36,716 (n=16). The benchmark mid-range market.
- A Coruña — €23,016 (n=7). At the bottom of the table: markets with emerging demand.
The market trend is as telling as the level: seven of the eight series are up by around +5.2 per cent year-on-year; only Valencia is growing more slowly (+3.8 per cent). No province is in negative territory. The complete time series for each location, month by month since August 2024, can be found at the price index.
Why an index rather than a list of property listings
The methodological difference matters more than it might seem. A property listing is an aspiration: the seller asks for what they would like to receive. The VTC360 index is based on verified transactions and offers — with ownership, encumbrances and planning permission checked —, publishes its sample size at each point and maintains the series month by month, so that the year-on-year variation is truly comparable. When the sample size is small — such as in Seville or A Coruña, where n=7 — we state this within the figure itself rather than concealing it: reading a price without knowing its sample size is like reading only half the data. This rigour is also the reason why entire provinces do not yet have a time series: we prefer not to publish at all rather than publish without a solid basis.
The contrast with reality: closures, not advertisements
An index is validated by completed transactions. The public register of transactions at VTC360 — sold — records the latest completed transactions: a licence in Barcelona for €87,000 (43 days between publication and completion), one in Madrid for €122,500 (63 days), one in Valencia for €58,000 (60 days) and a lease in Madrid signed at €2,100 per month within 39 days. All within the range of their provincial index. This is the difference between publishing prices and publishing actual transaction prices.
What drives prices within each province
The province sets the order of magnitude; these factors determine your position within the range:
- Income history. A licence with 12–18 months’ income verified against platform and bank statements supports the upper end of the range; one without supporting documents is mercilessly discounted. This is how the(/certificado) certificate works.
- Current tenancy. With a solvent tenant paying regular rent — the market ranges from €1,500 to €2,200 a month depending on location — the licence is sold as an investment product.
- Vehicle included and its emissions rating. A recent eco-friendly hybrid adds value; a diesel vehicle nearing the end of its lifespan reduces it.
- Format and status. Individual, company or package; encumbrances, tax clearance and penalties – either cleared or pending clarification.
How to use this table
If you’re buying: negotiate against your province’s index and its completed comparables, never against the advert — the complete cost guide also breaks down taxes and the closing margin. If you’re selling: place your vehicle within its price range using the valuation tool — use actual sale prices from your province — and base your decision on the figure shown. And if your province doesn’t have a price series yet, use comparable properties and similar locations as a reference: ask us for an analysis.
This table is updated every month using the index’s own dataset. Save it — and when someone quotes you a ‘market’ price, ask them for their sample.