# Documents you need in your car when driving



## willandjack (Jul 27, 2009)

Evening all!

I apologise if this topic has been covered before, I did try searching for it before I posted it, however couldnt find anything conclusive on it. 

Basically what do you need with you when driving in Spain? Im pretty sure you need NIE, Driving License and insurance docs, but do you need anything else?

Reason I ask, is I went back to the UK for a few days last week and left my bloody driving license card there. Now I have got someone to scan it in and send me a copy, so I have printed some copies out. If I get pulled over, do you think this would suffice for the policeman, if it didnt what would happen?

Thanks!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

willandjack said:


> Evening all!
> 
> I apologise if this topic has been covered before, I did try searching for it before I posted it, however couldnt find anything conclusive on it.
> 
> ...


I always carry my passport, NIE number, inuance certificate AND proof of payment of insurance, altho the latter is now apparently not necessary, the guardia dont seem to know, so its better to have it than not to! I carry the originals of everything in my handbag, altho apparently you shouldnt in case they're stolen, very often its the originals that need to be seen 

I do have a mini, creditcard size, laminated copy of my passport and NIE number that I keep in my purse, but I have had a couple of instances when I've been stopped by the guardia when that hasnt been good enough. I'm always getting stopped BTW, I'm even on first name terms with one of them lol, I think they cant believe the state of my car - dirty and lots of dents and I usually end up having to give them a ciggie, so maybe thats why they stop me - bribery and corruption! 

Jo xxx


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## Hombre (Sep 10, 2009)

It is'nt enough to have a copy of the insurance certificate...you need proof of payment..a copy from the bank..usually available online... is also required.
We carry all of this and driving licences, residentia cards, matricular certificate..etc..etc..in an envelope marked "policia". If we get stopped, hand over the envelope and look daft, (not difficult for Mrs H)..and smile !


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Hombre said:


> It is'nt enough to have a copy of the insurance certificate...you need proof of payment..a copy from the bank..usually available online... is also required.
> We carry all of this and driving licences, residentia cards, matricular certificate..etc..etc..in an envelope marked "policia". If we get stopped, hand over the envelope and look daft, (not difficult for Mrs H)..and smile !


Apparently you dont need proof of payment anymore, but as is the way in Spain, nobody has told the guardia!!!!!

Jo xxx


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## willandjack (Jul 27, 2009)

Yeah, there definitely seems to be a lot of confusion. Thats what does my head in about Spain!


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## Suenneil (Feb 17, 2009)

willandjack said:


> Yeah, there definitely seems to be a lot of confusion. Thats what does my head in about Spain!


You get used to it boys after a while  they make it up as they go along! 

Sue x :spit:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Suenneil said:


> You get used to it boys after a while  they make it up as they go along!
> 
> Sue x :spit:


........ and change it every other day!

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

willandjack said:


> Evening all!
> 
> I apologise if this topic has been covered before, I did try searching for it before I posted it, however couldnt find anything conclusive on it.
> 
> ...


Hey Will and Jack. How's it going? Apart from having nightmares about being taken away by the Guardia Civil, are you enjoying Spain? I hope so. 
A scanned copy of any kind of ID is definitely not going to do the job.  I was once travelling on train Madrid Tarragona and the police got on and checked peoples ID. I had decided to use a photocopy for that trip. The policeman announced to the whole carriage that this nutter giri (foreigner) was travelling around Spain on a PHOTOCOPY !!??  He was outraged!
Get it sent over by certified post or what ever the most secure way is. BTW the post office in UK is on strike at the mo.


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## Hombre (Sep 10, 2009)

BTW the post office in UK is on strike at the mo.[/QUOTE]

Do you think we will notice ?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hombre said:


> BTW the post office in UK is on strike at the mo.


Do you think we will notice ?[/QUOTE]

Hey, my mum and dad get post twice a day in England. We get post twice a week here!
I'm not complaining mind you. I can do with out all the bills, which is the only thing we get through the post


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## Xose (Dec 10, 2008)

willandjack said:


> Evening all!
> 
> I apologise if this topic has been covered before, I did try searching for it before I posted it, however couldnt find anything conclusive on it.
> 
> ...


Hi,
In our neck of the woods the requirements (to be safe and avoid what is a must and what is a not required legally with the Guardia Civil.... not to be advised) :

Permiso de circulacion
ITV (MOT) card and on date sticky on the window. 
Recibo de pago (bank insurance payment receipt not the policy) de seguro.
Recibo de pago (bank road tax payment receipt not the policy) de tasa de circulacion. Sometimes called impuesto de circulacion.

Permiso de conducir (driving license)

DNI (or NIE if you're not Spanish)

All the above is relative to a Spanish registered car. No idea for a UK plated car but I suspect all of the above but log book in place of permiso de circulacion. Was asked for that once and even had to explain it to them (major pain as it was a company car and so didn't have my details on the log book or insurance papers). 
I think it wasn't an issue because I had a driving license, the car was insured and all the papers were correct, with my name or otherwise. So, my car or not, little they could do in any case. But they had a check on their radio so I guess no one had reported it nicked to the GCT.

Had no DNI so showed my passport, that was fine.
They are fully up to speed on Green Cards or the more popular now I thnk, multi language insurance documents available nowadays for non Spanish cars.

Xose


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

On Friday night I left Carrefour Estepona and drove off without switching my lights on. I got as far as the slip road to the A7 when I was flagged down by two stern-looking Guardia motorbike cops. I was asked for my driving licence which they perused -horrible photo fortunately bears scant resemblance to my present self- told to put the lights on and go away. I was very 'umble and apologetic.
No request for insurance, passport, tax etc etc.
The same happened when I parked illicitly in Estepona earlier this year. I was then not even asked for my licence or passport, just NIE. The policeman asked my name and date of birth and when I told him the latter he raised his eyebrows and said No, verdad? in a very flattering way so I told him he was muy simpatico and off I drove without a fine.
Does this show that:
a) My stunning beauty dazzles Spanbish policemen
b) I have been very lucky
c) Spanish policemen have more urgent problems than dozy British drivers
d) Spanish policemen are arbitrary and how they treat you depends on how their wife/girlfriend treated them the night before?

Answers on a postcard, please...


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## Suenneil (Feb 17, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> On Friday night I left Carrefour Estepona and drove off without switching my lights on. I got as far as the slip road to the A7 when I was flagged down by two stern-looking Guardia motorbike cops. I was asked for my driving licence which they perused -horrible photo fortunately bears scant resemblance to my present self- told to put the lights on and go away. I was very 'umble and apologetic.
> No request for insurance, passport, tax etc etc.
> The same happened when I parked illicitly in Estepona earlier this year. I was then not even asked for my licence or passport, just NIE. The policeman asked my name and date of birth and when I told him the latter he raised his eyebrows and said No, verdad? in a very flattering way so I told him he was muy simpatico and off I drove without a fine.
> Does this show that:
> ...


There is no reason for me to dilly dally with my reply Mary! Its obviously answer *(a) My stunning beauty dazzles Spanish policemen* ..... you just watch yourself with the boys in Blue (or are they in Black here I forget! lol) x


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Suenneil said:


> There is no reason for me to dilly dally with my reply Mary! Its obviously answer *(a) My stunning beauty dazzles Spanish policemen* ..... you just watch yourself with the boys in Blue (or are they in Black here I forget! lol) x



Just wanted my line of reasoning confirmed! Thanks, Sue


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