# Buying Spanish registered car in the UK



## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

I've seen LHD cars with Spanish registrations for sale in the UK - I reckon ex-expats who returned back to the UK. Is it possible to buy such car and drive it to Spain legally if I do not have Spanish residency or NIE, not even a Spanish address (apart of the place we will stay in for the initial 16 days while we search for a long term rental house)?

I assume I will be able to get the copy of previous owner's passport, NIE and get him/her sign the contract.

Is it possible I hire a gestor in Spain while I am still in the UK, who would sort out all the paperwork for me so that I will be able to drive the Spanish car to the UK? 

I assume this is not doable, just asking about this option.

We have a lot of staff we want to get over to Spain (e.g. my computers, bikes, cot, toys, etc.) so it would be best if we could pack it all in the car in England, I'd drive it down to Spain and my wife and children would fly a couple of days later.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> I've seen LHD cars with Spanish registrations for sale in the UK - I reckon ex-expats who returned back to the UK. Is it possible to buy such car and drive it to Spain legally if I do not have Spanish residency or NIE, not even a Spanish address (apart of the place we will stay in for the initial 16 days while we search for a long term rental house)?
> 
> I assume I will be able to get the copy of previous owner's passport, NIE and get him/her sign the contract.
> 
> ...


it is doable - mrypg did it & will no doubt be able to recommend the company she used


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> it is doable - mrypg did it & will no doubt be able to recommend the company she used


I know she used the LHD Place in Basingstoke but I thought she already had a Spanish address and NIE?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> I know she used the LHD Place in Basingstoke but I thought she already had a Spanish address and NIE?


I'm pretty sure she was living in Prague at the time & drove it down from there :confused2:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I think thats where the 90 days comes in. You can insure it for 90 days on British insurance and you get 90 days in spain before you need to apply for an NIE. Once you've done that you register the car in your name, with your name and NIE and get spanish insurance?????

Jo xxx


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Back a while, a UK insurer wouldnt insure you when they knew you were coming to live abroad, the 90 day thing went by the by. Not sure if thats changed

The other thing to bear in mind of course .... Spanish reg in the UK. Has it been de registered in Spain (exported). If not, what about charges against the car ... old road tax, etc etc which may still be running. A gestor should be able to find that out, given the registration number


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Stravinsky said:


> Has it been de registered in Spain (exported). If not, what about charges against the car ... old road tax, etc etc which may still be running. A gestor should be able to find that out, given the registration number


Yes, this should be possible to find out via a gestor before I buy the car. However, it seems I would need NIE and a Spanish address to register and insure the car which I don't and won't have before I leave UK... so I assume it is not doable for me.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> Yes, this should be possible to find out via a gestor before I buy the car. However, it seems I would need NIE and a Spanish address to register and insure the car which I don't and won't have before I leave UK... so I assume it is not doable for me.


I believe you can still get a NIE number from the Spanish Consulate if you need it to buy a car or property


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> I believe you can still get a NIE number from the Spanish Consulate if you need it to buy a car or property


Apparently it takes 1 to 3 months though - not enough time. We're leaving in 7 weeks.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> Apparently it takes 1 to 3 months though - not enough time. We're leaving in 7 weeks.


I'm sure that when mrypg comes online she'll enlighten us

she for sure didn't live here when she bought hers


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Stravinsky said:


> Back a while, a UK insurer wouldnt insure you when they knew you were coming to live abroad, the 90 day thing went by the by. Not sure if thats changed
> 
> The other thing to bear in mind of course .... Spanish reg in the UK. Has it been de registered in Spain (exported). If not, what about charges against the car ... old road tax, etc etc which may still be running. A gestor should be able to find that out, given the registration number



Yes there are companies that will insure a car on UK plates whilst it is being matriculated - this is what we did. (IBEX is one such company).


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> Yes, this should be possible to find out via a gestor before I buy the car. However, it seems I would need NIE and a Spanish address to register and insure the car which I don't and won't have before I leave UK... so I assume it is not doable for me.


It is perfectly 'doable'. I had my Spanish-registered LandRover delivered to me in Prague two months at least before driving it to Spain. I had no NIE or Spanish address when I bought it. You do not need a NIE or Spanish address to buy a Spanish registered car in the UK.
It is also possible to insure a Spanish/UK any nationality plated car via a UK insurer. I did that for three years in Prague via a reputable broker in Swansea who specialises in such insurances. Easy to do but very pricey.
If you buy a Spanish -plated and registered car in the UK you need....previous owner's passport and NIE p/copy plus a Solicitud signed by the previous owner and stamped by a lawyer, banker...the usual suspects to confirm that s/he was indeed the owner.
You also need to make sure there are no outstanding fines on the vehicle as you will incur them.
When you get to Spain and have an address plus NIE you go to a gestor with the documents I've mentioned above and register the vehicle in your name.
Simple.
My son had a LHD French-plated LandRover which he kept in the UK and used for driving the family skiing to Switzerland. It complied with all requirements, was 100% legal in the UK and sur le continent.


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## DPK (Nov 11, 2011)

There seems to be a flourishing trade in the sale of LHD cars in the UK currently.

E bay has dozens listed if you have a look and there are a number of garages that specialise in LHD cars, who are also advertising on E bay.

I have no idea whether they have been re registered in the uk or not, but they would at least give you a larger choice of LHD car.


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks mrypg


mrypg9 said:


> If you buy a Spanish -plated and registered car in the UK you need....previous owner's passport and NIE p/copy plus a Solicitud signed by the previous owner and stamped by a lawyer, banker...the usual suspects to confirm that s/he was indeed the owner.


I assume the above mentioned will be supplied with the car. If not, I will disregard the car - correct?


mrypg9 said:


> You also need to make sure there are no outstanding fines on the vehicle as you will incur them.


From what I found out this could be done via a gestor in Spain. Some people in other forums mentioned a 'website' where you could get the Spanish version of HPI for about €20 - do you happen to know the URL of the website please?


mrypg9 said:


> When you get to Spain and have an address plus NIE you go to a gestor with the documents I've mentioned above and register the vehicle in your name.


Is this the time when I will have to pay the 4% tax?


mrypg9 said:


> Simple.


Not quite.  You could call it 'simple' if it was done the DVLA way, this is far from simple.


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## sadlybroke (Jun 19, 2012)

sadlybroke said:


> Is this the time when I will have to pay the 4% tax?


I mean the transfer fee. Can't see an option to edit my own posts here.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sadlybroke said:


> I mean the transfer fee. Can't see an option to edit my own posts here.


you can only edit them for a short while - not sure how long


you've explained yourself now though


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

snikpoh said:


> Yes there are companies that will insure a car on UK plates whilst it is being matriculated - this is what we did. (IBEX is one such company).



Most companies will not insure you if you are no longer a UK resident. What you tell them to gain insurance is another things altogether
Thats only _my_ experience, and I cant help that


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> Thanks mrypg
> 
> I assume the above mentioned will be supplied with the car. If not, I will disregard the car - correct?
> 
> ...


 If the seller does not have the required documentation from the previous owner I personally wouldn't buy the car. A 'respectable' garage will have secured all the papers required for transfer of ownership in Spain.
You do not need a gestor. I'm not sure about the website - it was four years ago that I used it -but someone on this board will know, I'm sure. I think I got it here in the first place.
I don't know what you mean about the 4% tax. I can't remember what I paid the gestor when I transferred ownership into my name but I think it was around 150 euros.
It is simple. I've done it. The DVLA doesn't come into it as you are buying a Spanish car in the UK which you will put into your name once you are in Spain and have an address and NIE.
But I would advise against buying a car from e-Bay or any private sale. If you don't have the previous owner's NIE etc. you will still be able to register the car in your name but the process will be more complicated.
If you are driving to Spain you need a vehicle that will get you past the Channel Tunnel without breaking down...Buy from a reputable dealer.
I bought a three-year-old LandRover Discovery from the Basingstoke dealer, the car has run trouble-free and the dealer had all the paperwork including the signed and countersigned Solicitud.
As for insurance: you can get UK -based insurance if you are a permanent resident of another EU state or indeed any country in the world. I gave the name of a reputable broker who will insure you but I warned that it was expensive.
You can take out insurance for a three-month period then change to Linea Directa or whatever when you are in Spain.

If you buy from a reputable dealer the only thing you need check for yourself is whether or not the car has fines waiting to be paid.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Stravinsky said:


> Most companies will not insure you if you are no longer a UK resident. What you tell them to gain insurance is another things altogether
> Thats only _my_ experience, and I cant help that


IBEX are of course in Gibraltar but have a very big presence in Spain so were quite happy to use my Spanish address. They knew exactly what the situation was - moving from UK to Spain, no longer UK resident, had Spanish address, had NIE and residencia etc. etc.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

snikpoh said:


> IBEX are of course in Gibraltar but have a very big presence in Spain so were quite happy to use my Spanish address. They knew exactly what the situation was - moving from UK to Spain, no longer UK resident, had Spanish address, had NIE and residencia etc. etc.


I used Stuart Collins to insure non-UK plated cars in Prague and in Spain. It is a service they provide for Brits living permanently abroad who prefer to have a UK-based policy.
But since the costs are extremely high - I think I paid almost £900 to insure the Mercedes and over £600 to insure the LandRover - I switched to a Spanish company when I settled in Spain.
It was worth paying the premium in the Czech Republic as in case of accident etc. I would have much preferred to have a British insurer but that is not such a necessity in Spain.


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## malagaman2005 (Apr 23, 2008)

sadlybroke said:


> Thanks mrypg
> 
> I assume the above mentioned will be supplied with the car. If not, I will disregard the car - correct?
> 
> ...


Here's a link to the site to get an 'Informe' (equivalent to HPI check in UK) on spanish reg vehicles

Informes de Tráfico y Matrícula | Informes Tráfico | Informes de Tráfico | Vehículos | Matrícula | Informe | Tráfico |


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