Driving a UK Car in Spain

Yet Again this week i was told of another horror storey of a guy who was driving his UK registered car here in Spain and now has to arrange a loader to take it back to the uk as he has no mot on it and can not get one here…thats gona cost him….

Once you have spent any amount of time in Spain you know the roadside checks by the police and Guardia Civil are an all too often occurrence.

The local police are out in force here in most cities now looking car UK plated cars they seem to love stopping cars early in the mornings on large roundabouts or last thing at night.

Once you are registered here you are considered as a resident not a tourist.

I have read a number of stories of ex-pat forums saying that the guardia civil in some cases will fine you on the spot in cash if you are driving to UK car in Spanish roads and are unable to prove that you are non resident, so be warned if you were living here permanently either register your vehicle ASAP or buy a Spanish vehicle. while driving your UK registered car in Spain it must be fully insured in the UK and have a valid UK mot.

Driving a UK Car in Spain

British expats who are resident in Spain can drive their UK plated vehicles on Spanish roads for a maximum of 180 days. After this time, the vehicle must be exported or transferred to Spanish plates.

It must be legal on the roads of the origin country regardless of it being driven in another country. It is also important to note that you cannot get a UK Registered vehicle moted in Spain using the spanish equivalent ITV. Likewise you would not be able to imitate a Spanish version of the vehicle in the UK.

If your road tax runs out while in Spain you will be in effect driving without insurance as driving without road tax will mean that your insurance is invalid. You may then get stopped have your vehicle impounded and potential he be hit with a €2000 fine.
If you’re MOT expire you will either need to drive or transport the vehicle all the way back to the UK and have it registered. This is “extremely expensive and not to be mentioned time-consuming. The better option would be to either sell it i’ll get it registered in Spain.

Going to do it in Gibraltar ….. NO… MOTS are only valid for Gib reg vehicles in exactly the same way as Spanish ITV certs are only legally valid for Spanish reg vehicles.

The only valid MOT cert for a UK reg vehicle is one issued in the UK.

While driving your UK plated car in Spain you will need to be insured, your UK insurance will usually provide you with a certain amount of cover while in spain but it is essential that you check your policy before bringing your car or other vehicle into the country in many cases your insurance will cover you for around 90 days only but you must check with them to be on the safe side.

Can I register my UK vehicle in Spain?

Yes but in many cases it is a bureaucratic nightmare to say the least with an abundance of paperwork to navigate your way through then there are the important taxes that you will need to pay which are 21% of a new vehicle, for a second hand vehicles the taxes based on the level of CO2 omissions.

If you register your vehicle in Spain it would need to pass in MOT inspection here this is called the ITV inspection in most cases it would be well worth employing the service of a local Gestor here in Spain if you are intent on registering your right hand drive vehicle here unless your vehicle is cherished and was real value for example is a vintage car it might be worth considering buying a Spanish vehicle here.

My Personal advice. after living here for 15 years i would never have a uk car here as you will find it hard to drive as you will be sitting on the other side so your vision is limited also the police just love stopping UK cars to see if the papers are all in order as they get large fines if it is not.
The Spanish police can seem quite intimidating when it comes to checking your vehicle and it’s documentation and if you are driving a foreign plaited vehicle you will stand out like a sore thumb.

But don’t panic you are legally permitted to drive your UK vehicle in spain. You just need to make sure you are familiar with the registration and documentation requirements so that you don’t become another brit who has had a vehicle impounded and been hit by massive fines. Another thing to consider is whether you are a resident or nonresident in spain as this can determine how long you can drive your vehicle on Spanish roads.

Generally speaking if you are a resident in spain you can bring your vehicle into the country year-round and drive it.

How long before it has to be registered?.
Under the EU directives you are considered to be a resident of spain if you spend more than 183 days of the year here this is why you are only permitted to drive a UK Registered vehicle in spain for up to six months of the year. Beyond the six months you will need the following.

Register your UK vehicle in spain.
Drive or transport it back to the UK or at least out of Spain.
If you have moved to Spain with the intention of becoming a permanent resident here you must register your vehicle within 30 days with the local traffic department so if you own a property you have children in school owned a business or employed here you are registered.

Personally i think you could avoid all these potential problems by just buying a Spanish car. after all you are living in Spain and there are some great deals on cars here now.

If this sounds like a night mare it is. thats why i recommend that if you live here just buy a spanish car and done with all the hassle.

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If this has been helpful please leave a comment below thanks.