The car has a lien on it: can you still buy it?
What it means when a vehicle is under seizure, why it blocks the transfer, and the realistic options if you still want it.
A lien on a car is an annotation by an authority or a court securing a debt of the owner. While it exists, the DGT won't process the ownership change: you can pay for the car, drive it home, and discover you can never register it in your name.
How cars end up there
Debts to the tax agency, social security, a town hall or a court case. The lien doesn't say the car is bad — it says its owner owes money and the car answers for it.
The realistic options
One: the seller pays the debt and lifts the lien before the sale — the only clean path. Two: negotiate that part of the price goes directly to cancelling the debt, with receipts and nothing handed over in advance. Three: walk away. With thousands of cars on the market, option three is usually the right one.
What never works
Paying “and the seller will sort it out”. A lien is lifted when the creditor gets paid — and if the seller didn't pay their debt before selling, you can estimate yourself the odds of them paying after receiving your money.
The general rule
Money should only move when the transfer is possible. Autamo enforces that rule automatically: the encumbrance check happens before listing, and payment stays held until ownership actually changes.