# Any car options without Padron



## piersuk (Nov 13, 2015)

We have clear advice from our lawyer to avoid the patron as non permanent residents of Spain. We still pay tax in UK and don't spend more than 6 months in Spain. Is there any workaround to buying a car. I don't really want to keep bringing my car from UK.

I've searched and posts here and elsewhere which suggest signing on the patron, buying the car and signing off. I would imagine this is going to cause flutters in the town hall.

If I do have to keep bringing my car so be it, but I'd rather not.

Thanks

Pedro.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

piersuk said:


> We have clear advice from our lawyer to avoid the patron as non permanent residents of Spain. We still pay tax in UK and don't spend more than 6 months in Spain. Is there any workaround to buying a car. I don't really want to keep bringing my car from UK.
> 
> I've searched and posts here and elsewhere which suggest signing on the patron, buying the car and signing off. I would imagine this is going to cause flutters in the town hall.
> 
> ...


Legally, you do NOT need to be on the padron to buy and own a car in Spain.

However, many car dealers and officials ask for it!. 

What they actually need is proof of where you live so that local car tax can be applied (it's a town hall tax and not a national one like in UK).

If you have a rental agreement or, better still, the deeds to a house, use these instead of the padron.

Friends of mine are non-resident but have a holiday home here. They've done just what I've suggested and it all went smoothly.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

piersuk said:


> We have clear advice from our lawyer to avoid the patron as non permanent residents of Spain. We still pay tax in UK and don't spend more than 6 months in Spain. Is there any workaround to buying a car. I don't really want to keep bringing my car from UK.
> 
> I've searched and posts here and elsewhere which suggest signing on the patron, buying the car and signing off. I would imagine this is going to cause flutters in the town hall.
> 
> ...


Your lawyer is correct - unless you spend most of the year here you shouldn't be on the padrón

Officially, you don't need a padrón cert to buy a car. Your escritura or long term rental contract should be accepted as proof of address.


as snikpoh said...


----------



## Campesina (Dec 17, 2011)

If you are going to buy a Spanish registered car as a non-resident you would be well advised to obtain a certificate of non-residence from DGP otherwise you could be fined for not having a Spanish driving licence.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Campesina said:


> If you are going to buy a Spanish registered car as a non-resident you would be well advised to obtain a certificate of non-residence from DGP otherwise you could be fined for not having a Spanish driving licence.


Have you a link to that fact?


You certainly do NOT need a Spanish licence to own and drive a Spanish car in Spain - whether resident or not!


----------



## Campesina (Dec 17, 2011)

Like many things in Spain the whole thing is a mess. The advice regarding certificates of non-residence comes from the Guardia Civil in Alicante.

Questions About Driving Licence Fines Answered | N332 - Driving In Spain

They are the people who impose the fines so unless you want to go through the dubious process of trying to get any fine annulled it may be best to go along with what they say even if you think they are talking through their tricornios.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Campesina said:


> Like many things in Spain the whole thing is a mess. The advice regarding certificates of non-residence comes from the Guardia Civil in Alicante.
> 
> Questions About Driving Licence Fines Answered | N332 - Driving In Spain
> 
> They are the people who impose the fines so unless you want to go through the dubious process of trying to get any fine annulled it may be best to go along with what they say even if you think they are talking through their tricornios.


Having just read your link, it's very clear that you do NOT need a Spanish licence unless it falls into one of the two (minor) situations mentioned. It's worth mentioning that most licences do NOT fall into one of those categories.

There's absolutely no mess at all - and it's an EU rule not a Spanish one so the same would be the case in other countries.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> Having just read your link, it's very clear that you do NOT need a Spanish licence unless it falls into one of the two (minor) situations mentioned. It's worth mentioning that most licences do NOT fall into one of those categories.
> 
> There's absolutely no mess at all - and it's an EU rule not a Spanish one so the same would be the case in other countries.


You're absolutely correct, but I sort of see where Campesina is coming from

If your licence is one which would need changing if you were resident, it might not hurt to carry something which proves that you aren't


That said, if you were wrongly fined it should be easy enough to prove that you aren't resident & get the fine overturned


----------



## Campesina (Dec 17, 2011)

So this advice is wrong and should not be followed:

_To avoid being fined unfairly, please download the document EX-15 and fill it in. See the point 4.1 and make a cross in the option “CERTIFICADO DE NO RESIDENTE” and take it to the NATIONAL POLICE. Once they have legalized the document, take it with you in the car and…. PROBLEM SOLVED!_

I did not say you had to have a Spanish driving licence, I said you could be fined for not having one as many people have already otherwise this question would never have arisen.


----------



## piersuk (Nov 13, 2015)

Thanks all question answered... As usually more questions and debate come from that  

For the sake of a visit I think I'll go with the form


----------

