# EU Driving Regs



## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

Evening All.

I am hoping to buy a minibus to drive down to Spain in. It is taco exempt I believe as it is for non commercial use, but do I need to get an exemption certificate? I only realised that it might be an issue when I was checking if my licence covered it, and now it seems that every website I go on says something different.

Are there any fellow minibus drivers out there able to help?!

Thanks.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

You'll have to be a little more specific
You intend to use it for business? Attempt to register it to Spanish plates?


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

yes,more info required. How many seats is also an issue , for private use.


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Taco exempt? Doesn't that ruling only apply to Mexico? 


...I'll show myself to the door.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Find out where your local English Police Traffic office is and ask them, they should know and if not will have the means to find out for you.


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## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks everyone. 

The one we're looking at currently has 8 seats in including the driver, but that's because some have been removed! I think it's an 11 seater.

We are only using it to drive to and from Spain a couple of times with people and building materials/tools, and then will be looking to register it in Spain, but that might be 2 or 3 years down the line.


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## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

And...

I got my licence after 1997 so I cannot drive a 9 seater minibus abroad until I get a special licence (my OH can so its not too bad) but do you think I can get away with it if only 8 seats are fitted? 

Thanks again.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Muskin said:


> And...
> 
> I got my licence after 1997 so I cannot drive a 9 seater minibus abroad until I get a special licence (my OH can so its not too bad) but do you think I can get away with it if only 8 seats are fitted?
> 
> Thanks again.


In the UK it might not be a problem but if you are pulled in France or Spain & they spot 9 on the log book & notice the licence it could well be a problem. As far as they are concerned here ,what the log book says,regardless of whether seats are in or not, is what counts.
Another possible problem is if it has a towbar. That automatically requires a tacho whether a trailer is connected or not. Not a problem in the UK,but France & Spain it would be. 
In addition , unless it is left hand drive, you won't be able to re-register it as Spanish law states no commercial/heavy goods if Rh drive.


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## LaFlaca (Jun 26, 2013)

gus-lopez said:


> Another possible problem is if it has a towbar. That automatically requires a tacho whether a trailer is connected or not. Not a problem in the UK,but France & Spain it would be.


hi

quick question: would this requirement also apply to a vintage truck, which we have just driven down to Spain? As it happens it has a tacho but it last worked in about 1966!


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## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

Ok, so the minibus we've managed to buy is still registered as a van instead of a minibus as it was adapted. For one, is that even legal in the uk?! For two will that get me round the issue of this blinking extra licence I need? Not having to hire a car when my OH goes home will make such a difference to us financially. I'm not normally this dodgy, honest! 
I can remove the seats and just use 5 then, and it would just be a registered van with 5 seats and extra windows!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

LaFlaca said:


> hi
> 
> quick question: would this requirement also apply to a vintage truck, which we have just driven down to Spain? As it happens it has a tacho but it last worked in about 1966!





Muskin said:


> Ok, so the minibus we've managed to buy is still registered as a van instead of a minibus as it was adapted. For one, is that even legal in the uk?! For two will that get me round the issue of this blinking extra licence I need? Not having to hire a car when my OH goes home will make such a difference to us financially. I'm not normally this dodgy, honest!
> I can remove the seats and just use 5 then, and it would just be a registered van with 5 seats and extra windows!


You must both pay heed to Gus' comments.
The vehicles you are driving down in may not be able to be matriculated in Spain. If thats the case, then you wont be able to drive them at all legally once you are residents in Spain. Your only options, should that be the case, would be to drive them illegally here or return them to the UK

Get a gestor to check out the status before going further


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## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

Unfortunately we won't be able to make ourselves residents for a few years yet as we have no means of supporting ourselves financially in Spain. 
I think hiring a car for a few weeks is probably the easiest option though. Thanks for all of the advice.


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## LaFlaca (Jun 26, 2013)

Keep it as a van. Who needs to do extra paperwork?!


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## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

Lol! That's what I'd like to do, and then I can't see why I can't drive it if it's only got 5 seats in, but I don't know if that's legal!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Muskin said:


> Lol! That's what I'd like to do, and then I can't see why I can't drive it if it's only got 5 seats in, but I don't know if that's legal!


Hmmm, did you read Gus' comments?
Commercial vehicles / vans cannot normally be matriculated in Spain

When you say not residents for a couple of years, you realise that the vehicle has to be legal in the country of registration? Means you will have to return to the UK every year for an MOT


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## Muskin (Jun 5, 2012)

Lol!
Yes I did! But we still live in the uk and would be using it for holiday travel only.


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## LaFlaca (Jun 26, 2013)

Stravinsky said:


> You must both pay heed to Gus' comments.
> The vehicles you are driving down in may not be able to be matriculated in Spain. If thats the case, then you wont be able to drive them at all legally once you are residents in Spain. Your only options, should that be the case, would be to drive them illegally here or return them to the UK
> 
> Get a gestor to check out the status before going further


I'm not going further - I'm home!!!!

The tow bar thing is new to me. So, was just asking. 

Visiting this forum reminds me why, last time I was here, I avoided the ex pat/immigrant community like the plague and learnt the language so I could spend my time with Spaniards. But I was only here 7 years, have 2 Spanish children and know nothing....I'll get my sombrero


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

LaFlaca said:


> I'm not going further - I'm home!!!!
> 
> The tow bar thing is new to me. So, was just asking.
> 
> Visiting this forum reminds me why, last time I was here, I avoided the ex pat/immigrant community like the plague and learnt the language so I could spend my time with Spaniards. But I was only here 7 years, have 2 Spanish children and know nothing....I'll get my sombrero


I'm only advising the OP on what the situation is. Perhaps you would have preferred me to say nothing to allow him to be blissfully unaware of the possibilities


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## LaFlaca (Jun 26, 2013)

Stravinsky said:


> I'm only advising the OP on what the situation is. Perhaps you would have preferred me to say nothing to allow him to be blissfully unaware of the possibilities


Obviously, that would have been preferable.  I'm joking!! 

The less any of us know about the complexities of the increasingly convoluted EU and member laws, and just get on with living, the better! After all, the reality is we will probably pay more in tax or shopping by being here then in fines in France en route!

No-one in France took the blindest bit of notice of us and as we were doing around 40kph and the world and his escargot overtook, you would think they'd have noticed and been all over us to check we were not late for some war or other. 

I'm sure by the time the OP actually moves here, the minibus will have been consigned to history having done its job in bringing a cement mixer and a plumber here and this thread will all be irrelevant.


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