# Using a car bought in Spain



## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Just a quicky folks.

Buy a car in Spain as a non res- can it be used in both Spain and UK

Same question- but buying it as a resident

Thanks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Just a quicky folks.
> 
> Buy a car in Spain as a non res- can it be used in both Spain and UK
> 
> ...


you can drive a Spanish plated car in Spain & the UK as either resident of Spain, or non-resident

if you are a resident of the UK, then strictly speaking you can only drive a Spanish plated car in the UK for two weeks, at which point it should be rematriculated to UK plates


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Excellent info, thanks.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

This D.V.L.A. link gives you the correct information,

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Oooops sorry also meant was the purchase of a car in Spain fully kosher as either a resident or non resident. Thanks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Oooops sorry also meant was the purchase of a car in Spain fully kosher as either a resident or non resident. Thanks


if you mean _can you buy a car as a non-resident? _ then yes you can


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> if you mean _can you buy a car as a non-resident? _ then yes you can


Not here you cant!

You have to have residency to buy a car, we had to wait until our residency came through, before any garage would sell us a car


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Interesting and helpful to learn that this is very different region to region.

We have researched and completed visits to two regions. After my wife decides which one WE like best ....I better research the chosen area more specifically.

Thanks again folks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

cambio said:


> Not here you cant!
> 
> You have to have residency to buy a car, we had to wait until our residency came through, before any garage would sell us a car


which is completely ridiculous (unless maybe it was for a car loan?) 

for the transfer of ownership papers, which is the 'legal' bit, you don't need padrón, nor a resident cert, according to the DGT


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> which is completely ridiculous (unless maybe it was for a car loan?)
> 
> for the transfer of ownership papers, which is the 'legal' bit, you don't need padrón, nor a resident cert, according to the DHT


When we bought ours, albeit 7 years ago, we had to have an NIE and an address!

Jo xxx


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> which is completely ridiculous (unless maybe it was for a car loan?)
> 
> for the transfer of ownership papers, which is the 'legal' bit, you don't need padrón, nor a resident cert, according to the DGT





jojo said:


> When we bought ours, albeit 7 years ago, we had to have an NIE and an address!
> 
> Jo xxx


No car loan............you cannot buy a car here unless you have residency, this was confirmed by several garages, lawyer and also the police...........It caused us a headache because, until we bought the house, we could no get residencia, as we were staying in a holiday let, not able to sign on the padron with that..

Spain eh

We have found lots of variation here, that seem to be at odds, especially with the regs in Andalucia


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

So just to be clear you were not allowed to sign on the Padron nor get residency because you were renting?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Rabbitcat said:


> So just to be clear you were not allowed to sign on the Padron nor get residency because you were renting?


No

Because we did not have a rental agreement... we were renting a holiday let on a weekly basis which is not a proper rental contract. In so far as i am aware you have to either OWN a house or have a RENTAL agreement to sign on the Padron to then get residency, or vice versa

if that makes sense


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

We had to have an NIE number and a rental contract to prove where we lived in Spain. That said, our NIE and residencia were all in one. 

Jo xxx


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## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

We had to be on the padron, and get a new printed copy, to be able to register our last vehicle even though we already have vehicles registered in this region. Traffico have to be able to register against a legitimate address. We are not registered on the residents list as we are not here all year, and we know we shouldn't be on the padron but we have to be to register here. Totana, Murcia.

There are many different variations depending on regions, no matter what the "rules" state.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

cambio said:


> No
> 
> Because we did not have a rental agreement... we were renting a holiday let on a weekly basis which is not a proper rental contract. In so far as i am aware you have to either OWN a house or have a RENTAL agreement to sign on the Padron to then get residency, or vice versa
> 
> if that makes sense


It does make sense in that I get what you're saying. I was just wondering how that fits in with requirement to register after being there 90 days- if they wont allow you?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

jaws101 said:


> We had to be on the padron, and get a new printed copy, to be able to register our last vehicle even though we already have vehicles registered in this region. Traffico have to be able to register against a legitimate address. We are not registered on the residents list as we are not here all year, and we know we shouldn't be on the padron but we have to be to register here. Totana, Murcia.
> 
> There are many different variations depending on regions, no matter what the "rules" state.


We werent on the padron, we'd only just arrived and got our NIEs when we bought our car. Proving your point that "There are many different variations depending on regions, no matter what the "rules" state"

Jo xxx


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

jojo said:


> We werent on the padron, we'd only just arrived and got our NIEs when we bought our car. Proving your point that "There are many different variations depending on regions, no matter what the "rules" state"
> 
> Jo xxx


and of course Jo had you gone on a Thursday it may have been different again!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> We werent on the padron, we'd only just arrived and got our NIEs when we bought our car. Proving your point that "There are many different variations depending on regions, no matter what the "rules" state"
> 
> Jo xxx


seems they were doing it right where you were

the DGT only wants proof that you are who you are - so passport, your NIE number & proof of address, which could your escritura if you own property here

not many people who don't live here would be buying a car if they don't own property here, so they'd have all the paperwork they need


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We bought our car before we were registered as residents. We moved our stuff ourselves in a rented van from UK. Drove in the van to buy a car and drove away in it - no problems. We did need to have an address because that determines your vehicle tax (how much and to whom do you pay it). We also had our NIEs.

We were helped because this is a village where everybody knows everybody else (and their business!!) since the guy who owned the car-sales place and lives in the village said "I know you because I've seen you in the paseo" when we had only just brought our first van-load of stuff.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

You can BUY a car as non-resident but to REGISTER the vehicle in your name you need NIE and Padron, don't you?
Same in the Czech Republic. I bought a car before I was given permission to reside so a friend registered it in her name (and got my traffic fine summons!). Later when I had my Residency I bought AND registered the car in my name.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> You can BUY a car as non-resident but to REGISTER the vehicle in your name you need NIE and Padron, don't you?
> Same in the Czech Republic. I bought a car before I was given permission to reside so a friend registered it in her name (and got my traffic fine summons!). Later when I had my Residency I bought AND registered the car in my name.


perfect

Our solicitor said we could buy and register later, but we wanted to wait.... just in case we found nothing (house wise) that we wanted


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

mrypg9 said:


> You can BUY a car as non-resident but to REGISTER the vehicle in your name you need NIE and Padron, don't you?
> Same in the Czech Republic. I bought a car before I was given permission to reside so a friend registered it in her name (and got my traffic fine summons!). Later when I had my Residency I bought AND registered the car in my name.


... and you should only be able to get a padron if you are fully resident in Spain ...


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

snikpoh said:


> ... and you should only be able to get a padron if you are fully resident in Spain ...


When we first moved to Spain, we didnt sign on the padron. Our landladys daughter worked in our local Ayuntamiento and told us not to??? In retrospect, it may have been something to do with our landlady claiming that she still lived at the address??? (she didnt) So we werent signed onto it when we bought the car



Jo xxx


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## Kezar001 (Mar 29, 2014)

So in murcia do I need to be resident to buy a car or would our NIE and an address suffice?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Kezar001 said:


> So in murcia do I need to be resident to buy a car or would our NIE and an address suffice?


according to the DGT all you need is ID (passport) NIE & proof of address

they make the rules - so if you had problems, for example someone insisting that you have padrón, & you are non-resident, you could print out the DGT info & argue the point 

I suspect that a car salesman would back down rather than lose a sale - & trafico when you go to register it have to abide by the DGT rules

they usually ask for padrón because that's the usual proof of address for citizens/residents- but non-residents mustn't be on the padrón so they should have no problem if you have an escritura


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Just to be clear folks- to buy a car in Spain is it a requirement that you are on the Padron? Thanks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Just to be clear folks- to buy a car in Spain is it a requirement that you are on the Padron? Thanks


No - not according to the DGT & they make the rules


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> No - not according to the DGT & they make the rules


BUT , You DO have to provide proof of address and one of those forms of proof can be a certificate of empadronamiento.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> You can BUY a car as non-resident but to REGISTER the vehicle in your name you need NIE and Padron, don't you?
> Same in the Czech Republic. I bought a car before I was given permission to reside so a friend registered it in her name (and got my traffic fine summons!). Later when I had my Residency I bought AND registered the car in my name.


nope - you need a NIE to buy it - but you don't need to be on the padrón to register it


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> BUT , You DO have to provide proof of address and one of those forms of proof can be a certificate of empadronamiento.


exactly - _can be

_ but doesn't have to be

if you own property then your escritura would be acceptable


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