Change of registration plates FAQ's

How long can I legally drive a foreign registered vehicle in Spain?

How long will the vehicle registration process take?

Will I need to change my headlights?

How much does the registration process cost?

What is excluded from the price?

Do I need to be resident or own a property in Spain to register my vehicle to Spanish plates?

What documentation will I need to register my vechicle to Spanish plates?

My UK MOT and car tax expire soon what can I do?

Will I need to pay import duty and if so how much will it cost?

Can I register my van / light goods vehicle onto Spanish plate?

Can I keep my UK registration?

 

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How long can I legally drive a foreign registered vehicle in Spain?
The legal period to drive a foreign registered vehicle in Spain is 180 days if you can prove you are not a resident. As of the 1st of January 08, the tax office class anybody who has been signed on the padron of more than 60 days a resident, if you are stopped by the police and you own a property in Spain you could be fined after 60 days even if you are not a resident. If you have not transferred your vehicle after 60 days of signing the padron you will pay import duty. If you can prove you are not a resident you can drive for the 180 days as long a you have a valid UK MOT, an up to date tax disk displayed and the necessary insurance.

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How long will the vehicle registration process take?
As long as all necessary documents are in place i.e original registration document, pardon ect, and the headlights and over necessary changes have been made to convert vehicle to LHD the registration process can start. With out any unforeseen delays such as failed ITV’s the whole process usually takes 3-7 days (excluding weekends, holidays ect).

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Will I need to change my headlights?
If you have a RHD vehicle the headlights will point to the left which is illegal in Spain. Some newer models have a function where these can be switched over, please consult your manual. Most models will need either the lens or the whole lamp changing. We are happy to supply quotes.

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How much does the registration process cost?

The cost can depend on the type of your particular car, please send us an e-mail or gives us a call and we will be happy to give you a personal quote. Our price includes our services, the fee for the ITV test, the registration fee paid to trafico to register your vehicle on the Spanish system, and the cost of your new Spanish registration plates.

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What is excluded from the price?
  • Changes to headlights, and other works to convert to LHD
  • Import duty if applicable
  • Annual road tax
  • Baja Consular from British embassy (although we will accompany you if necessary)
  • If vehicle fails ITV, the works and re-test fee are the clients’ responsibility

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Do I need to be resident or own a property in Spain to register my vehicle to Spanish plates?

As of the 1st of May 07, the tax office class anybody who has been signed on the padron for more than 30 days a resident regardless of whether they have a residencia card/certificate. If you have not transferred your vehicle after 60 days you will pay import duty. You do not need to own a property as you can obtain a pardon on a rental contract.

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What documentation will I need to register my vechicle to Spanish plates?
  • Vehicles original registration document
  • Passport
  • NIE number certificate
  • Padron no older than 3 months (60 days if you are not paying import duty)
My UK MOT and car tax expire soon what can I do?

The best option is simply to have the vehicle transferred to Spanish plates. Your other option would be to return with the vehicle to the UK and have them renewed.

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Will I need to pay import duty and if so how much will it cost?

Once you have signed on to the pardon at the Town Hall after 60 days you will be classed as a resident in Spain. If you have never signed the pardon or have a pardon less than 60 days old and you have owned the vehicle for more than 6 months then you will be eligible for a Baja Consular form the British Consular that will annul the import duty. If you have not transferred your vehicle after 60 days you will pay import duty. For specific advice on your personal situation please contact us.

The import duty is based on a percentage of the vehicles current value calculated from what the vehicle would have cost new had it been purchased in Spain. The percentages are based on the amount of C02 emissions produced by each model based on EU testing during homologation.

 

C02 Emissions (Gm/Km)  Tax
>120      0%
+120>160        4.74%
+160>200   9.75%
+200        14.79%

 
Can I register my van / light goods vehicle onto Spanish plate?

Many of these vehicles have Blind Spots that make driving on the left dangerous, therefor these vehicles cannot be registered onto Spanish plates. Some vehicles that have windows or those classed as minibuses (Mercades Vito ect) may be registered.

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Can I keep my UK registration?
Once your vehicle has been registered in Spain the “log book” is returned to the DVLA and the British registration is no longer valid. If, however you have a personalised number plate you can apply to the DVLA to retain the title of this registration. There will be a fee and you will get a certificate stating your title of the registration. This must be done before you start the registration process in Spain. 

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