Citizen services Cultural Heritage
Types of cultural asset exports
There are three types of exports:
- Permanent.
- Temporary with Option to Sell.
- Temporary.
The first two are private and are applied for by individuals for the purpose of trading in cultural assets.
The most common use of the third is to transfer Cultural Heritage assets for different purposes, such as:
- International exhibitions.
- Trips for works restoration.
- Scientific studies, etc.
The maximum period that temporarily exported assets may remain abroad is five years, which may be renewed for up to ten or twenty years, depending on the category of the exported assets.
Authorisation for permanent export or temporary export with option to sell (when it is actually exercised) of assets outside of the European Union is subject to a set fee.
In these cases, the asset value declaration shall be considered to be an irrevocable sale offer to the Central Administration, at the price indicated as the value, except for export applications for assets that were imported legally and declared pursuant to article 32, Law 16/1985.
