# Driving UK registered car in Spain as a visitor for period greater than 3 months



## jp1

Ok there are numerous threads on here about cars and I have read pretty much all of them over the last year or so. However, I don't believe this question has ever been answered with any authority!

As this now reflects my situation and being a person that always does things correct and legally, I need the authoritative answer.

I have pushed an email query off to these guys EUROPA - European Union website, the official EU website so we will see what happens, but has anyone here made progress with this issue.

So keeping the answers and thread on track (!!!!) The exact scenario is a UK resident on an extended 5 month holiday in Spain with his UK registered (and legal of course) car.

Under EU law all is ok..

But as has been mentioned before here and from the FCO 

"All EU nationals planning to stay in Spain for more than three months must register in person at the nearest Office for Foreigners. You will be given a certificate stating your name, address, nationality, identity number and date of registration. This confirms you have registered as a resident."

And of course as a resident not allowed to drive a foreign registered car.

Don't register on the padron (which I am not going to do as I am tourist!!!) and that is also against the law and subject to a fine!

So where do we stand

Looking forward to the replies!


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## xabiaxica

jp1 said:


> Ok there are numerous threads on here about cars and I have read pretty much all of them over the last year or so. However, I don't believe this question has ever been answered with any authority!
> 
> As this now reflects my situation and being a person that always does things correct and legally, I need the authoritative answer.
> 
> I have pushed an email query off to these guys EUROPA - European Union website, the official EU website so we will see what happens, but has anyone here made progress with this issue.
> 
> So keeping the answers and thread on track (!!!!) The exact scenario is a UK resident on an extended 5 month holiday in Spain with his UK registered (and legal of course) car.
> 
> Under EU law all is ok..
> 
> But as has been mentioned before here and from the FCO
> 
> "All EU nationals planning to stay in Spain for more than three months must register in person at the nearest Office for Foreigners. You will be given a certificate stating your name, address, nationality, identity number and date of registration. This confirms you have registered as a resident."
> 
> And of course as a resident not allowed to drive a foreign registered car.
> 
> Don't register on the padron (which I am not going to do as I am tourist!!!) and that is also against the law and subject to a fine!
> 
> So where do we stand
> 
> Looking forward to the replies!


it would be great to get a definitive answer on this - I would hazard a guess that genuine visitors of more than 90 days who aren't actually planning to live here simply don't register as residents

heck - I know people who have been _living _here for years who aren't registered


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## jp1

xabiachica said:


> it would be great to get a definitive answer on this - I would hazard a guess that genuine visitors of more than 90 days who aren't actually planning to live here simply don't register as residents
> 
> heck - I know people who have been _living _here for years who aren't registered


But the issue is that I then get stopped by the Guardia Civil, they ask all my details and when they discover I have been in the country 5 months and I am not resident they fine me for failure to register. Then they confiscate my car as I am not entitled to drive it as I should be a resident.

As a driver you are a large target for a nice fine, I want to be (and will be) legal and have a stress free holiday knowing that when (not if) I am stopped they can't extract large sums of money from me.


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## gus-lopez

You'll be the same as the motorhome people , take no notice.


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## jp1

gus-lopez said:


> You'll be the same as the motorhome people , take no notice.


You mean take no notice of the requirement to declare yourself resident?


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## xabiaxica

jp1 said:


> But the issue is that I then get stopped by the Guardia Civil, they ask all my details and when they discover I have been in the country 5 months and I am not resident they fine me for failure to register. Then they confiscate my car as I am not entitled to drive it as I should be a resident.
> 
> As a driver you are a large target for a nice fine, I want to be (and will be) legal and have a stress free holiday knowing that when (not if) I am stopped they can't extract large sums of money from me.


how would they know how long you've been here?


& you're really not that likely to be stopped unless you beark a law


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## gus-lopez

jp1 said:


> But the issue is that I then get stopped by the Guardia Civil, they ask all my details and when they discover I have been in the country 5 months and I am not resident they fine me for failure to register. Then they confiscate my car as I am not entitled to drive it as I should be a resident.
> 
> As a driver you are a large target for a nice fine, I want to be (and will) legal and have a stress free holiday knowing that when (not if) I am stopped they can't extract large sums of money from me.


Aah yes, there's the problem with laws written by people who assume everyone conforms to their regimented thinking & working patterns. It doesn't occur to the half-wits that there are many people , running into 10's of thousands , who don't fit into these ' laws' they've drawn up . 
You're quite right, Under the 'law' they could fine & seize but they probably wouldn't , If you find yourself close to the Portugese ; French or andorran borders, pop over for the day. The residency rules are cumulative & the clock starts again if you leave the country. Just remember to buy something with the credit card.
Contact the dvla & ask the question ( by e-mail ) they'll get their ' specialist question ' department on to it & normally reply in2/3 days.


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## gus-lopez

jp1 said:


> You mean take no notice of the requirement to declare yourself resident?


Yes , you'd be hard pushed to find a motorhomer who knew of the rules ! Come to think of it you'd be hard pushed to find a policeman who did either !


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## jp1

xabiachica said:


> how would they know how long you've been here?
> 
> 
> & you're really not that likely to be stopped unless you beark a law



You are asked to prove when you entered the country to show that you are entitled to drive a UK registered car.

I have been stopped 3 times by the Guardia Civil, all random stops no law being broken, in maybe the last 5 years whilst on holiday. So 3 stops in about 20 weeks of Spanish motoring. Each time the car has been a Spanish hire car and after ascertaining I was not drunk or illegal I was allowed on my way.

In a UK registered car I expect more questioning.

Anyway that's not the point. I am a individual that follows the prescribed rules. We seem to have a contradiction between EU law and a Spanish requirement. I want to know whether I can legally drive my car in Spain for 5 months


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## jp1

Edited to add.

My wife is Spanish and will also be driving the car, sometimes alone.

I am sure when they stop a UK registered car with a Spanish national (her driving licence is a UK one though) they are not going to wave her on!


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## Solwriter

jp1 said:


> You are asked to prove when you entered the country to show that you are entitled to drive a UK registered car.


But as an EU citizen, you are very unlikely to have your passport stamped or receive any official notification that you have arrived in Spain.
I suppose, in theory, you could keep your ferry tickets, or a toll road receipt or something, to prove the date you entered Spain, but there is nothing which says you have to do this.

You say that your wife, as a Spanish national, may present a problem. But as she has legally applied for and received a UK licence (which, I take it, is a photo licence), under EU rulings, she is entitled to use that licence until it runs out.
And the fact that she has a UK driving licence could probably be seen as indication that she actually lives in the UK and would be on holiday here.
But I agree, it is a grey area.


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## jojo

Solwriter said:


> But as an EU citizen, you are very unlikely to have your passport stamped or receive any official notification that you have arrived in Spain.
> I suppose, in theory, you could keep your ferry tickets, or a toll road receipt or something, to prove the date you entered Spain, but there is nothing which says you have to do this.


Interestingly I was with a driver of a UK car a while ago - they'd just arrived and were taking stuff back and forth from the UK to Spain in their UK vehicle. We were stopped by the guardia, who insisted on seeing their ferry tickets and all/any proof that they'd only just arrived. They even wanted to see my NIE/residencia etc and I was only a passenger!!!!!!!!

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky

Solwriter said:


> But as an EU citizen, you are very unlikely to have your passport stamped or receive any official notification that you have arrived in Spain.
> I suppose, in theory, you could keep your ferry tickets, or a toll road receipt or something, to prove the date you entered Spain, but there is nothing which says you have to do this.
> 
> You say that your wife, as a Spanish national, may present a problem. But as she has legally applied for and received a UK licence (which, I take it, is a photo licence), under EU rulings, she is entitled to use that licence until it runs out.
> And the fact that she has a UK driving licence could probably be seen as indication that she actually lives in the UK and would be on holiday here.
> But I agree, it is a grey area.


BUT, I think you can ask (or demand!) that it be stamped in order to prove when you arrived in the country.


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## Stravinsky

Solwriter said:


> But as an EU citizen, you are very unlikely to have your passport stamped or receive any official notification that you have arrived in Spain.
> I suppose, in theory, you could keep your ferry tickets, or a toll road receipt or something, to prove the date you entered Spain, but there is nothing which says you have to do this.
> 
> You say that your wife, as a Spanish national, may present a problem. But as she has legally applied for and received a UK licence (which, I take it, is a photo licence), under EU rulings, she is entitled to use that licence until it runs out.
> And the fact that she has a UK driving licence could probably be seen as indication that she actually lives in the UK and would be on holiday here.
> But I agree, it is a grey area.


It doesnt really matter how difficult we think it is ....... the bottom line is that the onus is on the diver to prove it, not the Guardia. So we can complain all we want and say we dont have the proof, but until you satisfy the guardia you wont be getting your car back.


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## jp1

OK googling I found this response from EUROPA - European Union website, the official EU website

The response is in relation to a question another EU citizen posed to them, his situation is not the same as mine, it's far more complicated, although the answer is applicable.

I will post my response when I receive it, but in the meantime here's the EU stance. 

_Your normal residence is the UK by virtue of Article 7 paragraph 2 and your car should therefore be registered in the UK. Accordingly, European Union (EU) vehicles that are circulating temporarily within or between community Member States are allowed, under EC Directive 83/182, to be used on public roads without the need to register or pay certain duties in the host country. If at any time you should be stopped by the Spanish police, you are liable to establish that you are eligible to use the vehicle in Spain without registering and licensing it there. EC Directive 83/182 provides for the free movement of EU citizens across borders throughout the EU, and accordingly, Spain is not able to impose restrictions that might interfere with such freedom of movement. Therefore,and in the light of the above, you do not have to register your car or pay any taxes in Spain- it will remain registered in the UK which is your state of residence. And Spain is not able to impose any restrictions that might interfere with your freedom to move or circulate between the UK and Spain_


Now this is my interpretation:-

The EU directive makes no mention of time periods, durations etc, the directive is quite clear.

*If you are a citizen of a member state then you are free to use your car in any other member state without having to register your car or pay any taxes in the host state.*

It is as simple as that!

Where time periods, durations etc have confused the issue, is because your normal state of residence is determined by how long you spend in a country, personal ties to a country, where you work etc. But determination of normal state of residency is enshrined in Article 7 of Directive 83/182/EC. And of course all member states use this article which (keeping things simple) generally implies if you spend more than 185 days in a country it's considered your normal state of residence.

Registering after 90 days in Spain may be useful for Spain's internal politics but it can't override Article 7 of Directive 83/182/EC which sets out precise rules for determining normal residence. In addition Article 7 makes it illegal to have 2 places of habitual residence at the same time.

So as I see it the requirement to register after 90 days has no weight under EU law.

Anyway I shall see what response I get as I have specifically mentioned the Spanish requirement to register as a resident even though I am tourist on holiday in my question to the EU.

Hope it's clearer now:confused2:


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## Pesky Wesky

jp1 said:


> OK googling I found this response from EUROPA - European Union website, the official EU website
> 
> The response is in relation to a question another EU citizen posed to them, his situation is not the same as mine, it's far more complicated, although the answer is applicable.
> 
> I will post my response when I receive it, but in the meantime here's the EU stance.
> 
> _Your normal residence is the UK by virtue of Article 7 paragraph 2 and your car should therefore be registered in the UK. Accordingly, European Union (EU) vehicles that are circulating temporarily within or between community Member States are allowed, under EC Directive 83/182, to be used on public roads without the need to register or pay certain duties in the host country. If at any time you should be stopped by the Spanish police, you are liable to establish that you are eligible to use the vehicle in Spain without registering and licensing it there. EC Directive 83/182 provides for the free movement of EU citizens across borders throughout the EU, and accordingly, Spain is not able to impose restrictions that might interfere with such freedom of movement. Therefore,and in the light of the above, you do not have to register your car or pay any taxes in Spain- it will remain registered in the UK which is your state of residence. And Spain is not able to impose any restrictions that might interfere with your freedom to move or circulate between the UK and Spain_
> 
> 
> Now this is my interpretation:-
> 
> The EU directive makes no mention of time periods, durations etc, the directive is quite clear.
> 
> *If you are a citizen of a member state then you are free to use your car in any other member state without having to register your car or pay any taxes in the host state.*
> 
> It is as simple as that!
> 
> Where time periods, durations etc have confused the issue, is because your normal state of residence is determined by how long you spend in a country, personal ties to a country, where you work etc. But determination of normal state of residency is enshrined in Article 7 of Directive 83/182/EC. And of course all member states use this article which (keeping things simple) generally implies if you spend more than 185 days in a country it's considered your normal state of residence.
> 
> Registering after 90 days in Spain may be useful for Spain's internal politics but it can't override Article 7 of Directive 83/182/EC which sets out precise rules for determining normal residence. In addition Article 7 makes it illegal to have 2 places of habitual residence at the same time.
> 
> So as I see it the requirement to register after 90 days has no weight under EU law.
> 
> Anyway I shall see what response I get as I have specifically mentioned the Spanish requirement to register as a resident even though I am tourist on holiday in my question to the EU.
> 
> Hope it's clearer now:confused2:


Yep, I think it's clearer now, but as Stravinsky pointed out, and as explained in the above, it's up to *you *to prove that you're *not *breaking the law rather than the guardia civil proving that you've broken it. So, you'll need some kind of document inSpanish to carry on you and a letter of explanation, 'cos the GC might not be familiar with_ Article 7 paragraph 2 _(of which document??) and/ or *EC Directive 83/182,*


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## jp1

There's an FAQ section on that EU website.

This is one of the questions:-

I'm a Polish student, enrolled on a 2-year Master's course in the UK. Do I have to register my car there? 
*NO — If the sole purpose of your stay is to study*


It all ties in to the fact above that there is no time limit on how long you can drive a UK registered car in another member state. The only requirement is that you are correctly registered as resident in your home state and hence a visitor (and also hence non resident) in the host state.

So likewise you could be legally resident in the UK but on a 2 years Master's Course in Spain, with your UK plated car.

How would you ever explain that to the Guardia Civil !!!!!!!!!


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## Stravinsky

jp1 said:


> OK googling I found this response from
> Registering after 90 days in Spain may be useful for Spain's internal politics but it can't override Article 7 of Directive 83/182/EC which sets out precise rules for determining normal residence. In addition Article 7 makes it illegal to have 2 places of habitual residence at the same time.
> 
> So as I see it the requirement to register after 90 days has no weight under EU law.
> 
> Anyway I shall see what response I get as I have specifically mentioned the Spanish requirement to register as a resident even though I am tourist on holiday in my question to the EU.
> 
> Hope it's clearer now:confused2:




Good luck with that then, but dont confuse matters

When you come to Spain and if you have to register as a resident and you drive your car on UK plates and get stopped, just refer the guardia officer to that and I am sure you will find he will be quite happy.

Well, in fact he will take your car away to the pound where it will sit and wait until you matriculate it or prove that you aren't a resident.

This isn't a made up story .... this happens in Spain.
In the UK the same applies. I take a Spanish plated car back to the UK and I have to matriculate it immediately to UK plates. It happened. I had to do it.


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## Stravinsky

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yep, I think it's clearer now, but as Stravinsky pointed out, and as explained in the above, it's up to *you *to prove that you're *not *breaking the law rather than the guardia civil proving that you've broken it. So, you'll need some kind of document inSpanish to carry on you and a letter of explanation, 'cos the GC might not be familiar with_ Article 7 paragraph 2 _(of which document??) and/ or *EC Directive 83/182,*


And they probably wont take any notice of it anyway. Up until a few years ago there were still Guardia that thought the UK licence was not acceptable in Spain. Now, there are still those that think it has to be approved by being stamped by Traffico, which it neednt.

Shall I start on LRAU and how that has been outlawed by the EU, yet it still takes place?


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## Solwriter

Stravinsky said:


> It doesnt really matter how difficult we think it is ....... the bottom line is that the onus is on the diver to prove it, not the Guardia. So we can complain all we want and say we dont have the proof, but until you satisfy the guardia you wont be getting your car back.


What I was _hinting_ at is, if jp1 wants to stay here for 5 months as a visitor, rather than signing on the foreign citizens register after 3 months (which in his case would an unnecessary cost), then a ferry ticket with his arrival date wouldn't be much good to him anyway, even though he would be following the letter of the EU law, which states he can drive a UK registered car here for up to 185 days.
Same goes for his wife, only, to the guardia, she may be more at risk of having the car impounded because she is a Spanish national.

The only way to provide proof which the guardia _may _accept, would be perhaps, to forget about keeping the ferry ticket, and stay at two or more different addresses over that time and showing his current short term rental agreement or something similar, together with the letter of explanation suggested by Pesky.

People have spoken about RV drivers getting away with it, and I suspect it may be easier for them, as it appears obvious that they are travelling, rather then setting down roots.
When we travelled throughout Spain for a year, we actually asked about matriculating our LHD RV onto Spanish plates because we were here for more than 6 months, and wanted to keep the RV here, but were told it would be difficult, if not impossible to do so as the RV was classed as a commercial vehicle.
A friendly member of the Guardia actually told us that we would be fine, as long as our RV had all the necessary paperwork (it did . We actually travelled back to the UK half way through to update the MOT, tax and insurance) and we made it clear that we were travelling through _Europe_.
So, when stopped at traffic checks (which happened several times), we were always prepared to talk about our travels through Spain and France. But no one ever asked us.

And if all this sounds like bending the rules, all I can say is that when rules are confusing, and interpreted differently according to which member of the guardia stops you, it is best to have a plan of action prepared.


Stravinsky said:


> Good luck with that then, but dont confuse matters
> 
> When you come to Spain and if you have to register as a resident and you drive your car on UK plates and get stopped, just refer the guardia officer to that and I am sure you will find he will be quite happy.
> 
> Well, in fact he will take your car away to the pound where it will sit and wait until you matriculate it or prove that you aren't a resident.


But he doesn't have to register here as he isn't intending to live here, so this comment, although perhaps accurate for those who have residencia or own a green card, does not apply in this case.
But having said that, I would still be concerned in the wife's case.


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## gus-lopez

Stravinsky said:


> Good luck with that then, but dont confuse matters
> 
> When you come to Spain and if you have to register as a resident and you drive your car on UK plates and get stopped, just refer the guardia officer to that and I am sure you will find he will be quite happy.
> 
> Well, in fact he will take your car away to the pound where it will sit and wait until you matriculate it or prove that you aren't a resident.
> 
> This isn't a made up story .... this happens in Spain.
> In the UK the same applies. I take a Spanish plated car back to the UK and I have to matriculate it immediately to UK plates. It happened. I had to do it.


I was watching 'Murcianos en el Mundo' saturday night & they showed some who live & work in Leeds. Who should pop up but a friend of a friend, Antonio, who is a professor at Leeds University. He's worked their for 14 years & whilst following his daily routine they showed him driving home in his lhd, spanish registered , 80's mercedes !! :clap2: Admittedly he & his wife both have other UK reg. cars as well but it does make you wonder how he gets away with it. ( & a nice MG midget ! ) I'll have to ask sometime .

:focus:
I don't think the Op's wife would have a problem because as soon as she shows the Uk licence she's half way home to proving she doesn't live in spain. It's the OP who would have the harder task in my opinion.


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## Stravinsky

gus-lopez said:


> I was watching 'Murcianos en el Mundo' saturday night & they showed some who live & work in Leeds. Who should pop up but a friend of a friend, Antonio, who is a professor at Leeds University. He's worked their for 14 years & whilst following his daily routine they showed him driving home in his lhd, spanish registered , 80's mercedes !! :clap2: Admittedly he & his wife both have other UK reg. cars as well but it does make you wonder how he gets away with it. ( & a nice MG midget ! ) I'll have to ask sometime .
> 
> :focus:
> I don't think the Op's wife would have a problem because as soon as she shows the Uk licence she's half way home to proving she doesn't live in spain. It's the OP who would have the harder task in my opinion.


Yes, it does happen in both countries, but you only have to get caught once dont you .


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## Guest

I am now completely confused! We are about to take possession of our motorhome and are organising insurance, which is based on our being resident in the UK until we buy in Spain, which might be anything up to 9 months in the future. Our van has UK registration and is RHD. As I understand this discussion, we can legally travel throughout Spain and Europe for up to 185 days under specific EU legislation. However, on the ground, it might get dodgy in Spain after 90 days, in which case a Spanish translation of the EU legislation will come in handy. However, we might in the meantime have had our van taken from us. We have less chance of being stopped as we're in a motorhome than being static in one place but it could happen. Would this be a fair summary of the situation? And that leads to a question - insurance. If we decide to matriculate to Spanish plates and go through the ITV at 90 days, does one automatically have to move to a Spanish insurance company or does anyone have experience of staying with their original UK insurer? One affects the other, it seems to me. it's a big jump changing over to Spanish registration and perhaps insurance but it may be worth it if there's a possibility of our van being impounded. What a nightmare.... Any help appreciated.


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## stevelin

Im not 100% sure but have been told you can not register a RHD van onto Spanish plates as they are deemed unsafe due to the poor visibility on turning right or is it left ? also with a motor home door opening onto road


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## VFR

meetloaf said:


> I am now completely confused! We are about to take possession of our motorhome and are organising insurance, which is based on our being resident in the UK until we buy in Spain, which might be anything up to 9 months in the future. Our van has UK registration and is RHD. As I understand this discussion, we can legally travel throughout Spain and Europe for up to 185 days under specific EU legislation. However, on the ground, it might get dodgy in Spain after 90 days, in which case a Spanish translation of the EU legislation will come in handy. However, we might in the meantime have had our van taken from us. We have less chance of being stopped as we're in a motorhome than being static in one place but it could happen. Would this be a fair summary of the situation? And that leads to a question - insurance. If we decide to matriculate to Spanish plates and go through the ITV at 90 days, does one automatically have to move to a Spanish insurance company or does anyone have experience of staying with their original UK insurer? One affects the other, it seems to me. it's a big jump changing over to Spanish registration and perhaps insurance but it may be worth it if there's a possibility of our van being impounded. What a nightmare.... Any help appreciated.


IMO ...............
You have more chance winning the lottery than having the motor-home taken away.
You often pop into France every few months for a look see, do you not, in that case you are not in Spain.
As far as I know you are very unlikely to be able to put the motor-home (assuming its RHD) onto Spanish plates.
No you cannot use the UK based insurer.
Down in the CDS there are thousands of UK plated cars that have been here for donkeys years & hundreds of motor-homes as well.

Again IMO, I think that the Guardia are more concerned about a vehicle being insured & as you have read if insured the insurer must cover the third party regardless of whether the vehicle is taxed or MOT'd.
Not right of course, but that is the reality.

Your vehicle will though have a valid Tax Certificate/MOT/Insurance, so enjoy your visit to sunny Spain.


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## Guest

Thanks - that makes it clear. I'd missed the part about needing to ensure third parties so thank you for highlighting this. Noted - we have to travel to, e.g., France at regular intervals. We'll hate this. Of all things, we detest visiting French vineyards. This will be the stuff of nightmares.


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## Guest

Me again. Sorry - I've got another question. Can someone give me a reference or source about not being able to register RHD vehicles? Tks.


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## Stravinsky

meetloaf said:


> Me again. Sorry - I've got another question. Can someone give me a reference or source about not being able to register RHD vehicles? Tks.


You _can_ register RHD vehicles. What you cant do is register RHD _commercial_ vehicles such as Vans, and getting a motorhome registered can be very difficult indeed.


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## Solwriter

*meetloaf*,
When I talked about us travelling around Spain in our RV and the suggestion being made to us (by a member of the guardia) that we were travelling in Europe, I didn't mean that we actually travelled there.
We did arrive via France and spent quite a few days travelling there, but once in Spain that's where we travelled (apart from the one short trip back to the UK via France).

Our main concern was being legal as RV _tourists_ and all the paperwork that involved. 
Thinking that it would be best to have a 'home from home', we purchased a real home on wheels. It was very comfortable to live in, but in hindsight, that decision cost us much more than we had bargained for.

Because our RV was a large American motorhome, it was over the weight limit for the normal drivers licence and required a HGV licence. Luckily my husband had one!
We also had trouble getting insurance cover for the vehicle because it was 15 years old. We could only get third party cover, with no roadside assistance for breakdowns (and that cost us dearly as it turns out). The insurance cover we managed to obtain was only available short term (I think six months but could be wrong), which was the main reason we had to go back to the UK and negotiate insurance cover all over again before we returned.

But having said all that, as long as your motorhome is of reasonable size and under 15 years old, then the troubles we had should not apply.
My husband did most of the research for this, but I think it depends on your driving licence as to the weight of the vehicle you can drive in Europe on a normal licence, but the DVLA should have details on that.

For using the RV to travel in Spain, you really should have no problems.
Sure, you may hear of the odd case when a RV gets impounded (although I never have), but that is more likely to be because the driver didn't have the necessary UK paperwork than to do with 90 rules (which do not apply in this case anyway).
Enjoy your travels here. 

*As for eventually matriculating the RV onto Spanish plates....*
This depends on several things.
The size of the vehicle.
The country of origin and make.
And, of course, whether it is LHD or RHD.

*If the vehicle is LHD* then you are in with a reasonable chance.
As long as the vehicle does not weigh more than 3.5 ton.
As long as the model is compatible with spares available in Spain (ours, being American, wasn't).
You will need to obtain a Certificate of Confirmation and you may also be told that the vehicle requires a technical imspection which you will have to pay for.
The technical inspection may require a number of adjustments to the vehicle - the placement of lights are the main issue, and double fog lights. 
The speedo will need to be in K per hour, rather than Miles per hour. 
Some inspectors may insist that the vehicle carries the same number of High Visibility vests as the berth of the vehicle allows. 
But there may also be issues on things like the fuel supply for cooking, etc. If so, these will have to be altered to fit with Spanish safety standards.

And most of all, it will help if you have owned the vehicle for at least 6 months before you attempt to matriculate it, as this should prevent you having to pay import duties.
*
If the vehicle is RHD,* then all the above applies, but here life will get even more difficult.
The main problem with RHD RVs is that RVs are usually classed as commercial vehicles or vans. The problem with this is that there are specific rules for this type of vehicle about range of vision from the drivers seat and with many RHD RVs, this will not be possible unless a number of alterations are made.

There may also be a problem when the exit door in the living part of the vehicle is on the left hand side (as it will be with many RHD RVs) and therefore opens onto the road, rather than the pavement side. However, this will depend on who checks the vehicle, but if flagged, it would be expensive to adjust to the other side.

But above all, the cost of matriculating a UK registered RV onto Spanish plates can be quite prohibitive and will require a great deal of paperwork (and time to process all of it).

It is not for the faint hearted.

We decided to cut our losses and sold our RV to a Spanish caravan park owner (it was a sad day as it had been our home for quite a while).
He said that he had 'friends in the motor trade who would make it possible for him to drive it legally', so we took his word on that....


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## gus-lopez

This was the e-mail reply from the dvla when I asked the question 2 years ago.
" Dear Mr Lopez

Thank you for your email received on 9/3/10. Your email reference number is 274778.



I can confirm that all vehicles, if taken outside the UK for more than 12 months, should be notified as exported, regardless of whether the keeper still has a UK address.



This would include motorhomes.

It is also important that keepers contact the licensing authorities of the country their vehicles are being used in, to establish their requirements. " 

& this the reply when the qustion of period of time was asked.

" Dear Mr Lopez

Thank you for your email received on 11/3/10. Your email reference number is 278553.

European Union (EU) vehicles which are circulating temporarily within or between community Member States are allowed under EC Directive 83/182, to be used on public roads without the need to register or pay duties in the host country. These provisions limit visits to six months in a twelve-month period and the vehicle must comply with the registration and licensing requirements of its home country. "

We cannot comment on the registration and licensing requirements of other licensing authorities. You will need to check the domestic requirements with each individual authority.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful."

You also cannot keep a UK registered vehicle, that has tax , mot & insurance, outside of the country & keep returning it to mot every year . As stated here;

"Dear Mr Lopez

Thank you for your email received on 6/3/10. Your email reference number is 271969.

It appears that the vehicle will be taken to Spain and only brought back to the UK to obtain an MOT. Your acquaintance is not able to keep the vehicle registered in the UK under these circumstances if it is being kept abroad.

The following information will be useful to your acquaintance.

It may be helpful if I explain that, if you are taking your vehicle out of the country on a permanent basis (over 12 months) you must notify us immediately of the vehicle's intended export.

If you have a Registration Document V5 you can do this by filling in section C to show the intended date of export. The V5 should then be returned to:

DVLA

Swansea

SA99 1AG



or to a DVLA local office. In its place you will receive a certificate of permanent export V561 as confirmation of your vehicle's registration within 30 working days.


If you have a Registration Certificate V5C then you must notify export on the purple section V5C/4. The V5C/4 should then be returned to:



DVLA

Swansea

SA99 1AG. 

The rest of your V5C must be taken with you as you may have to hand it over to the relevant authority when the vehicle is registered abroad.

If you are not in possession of the V5 or V5C, you will need to apply for a V5C using an application for a registration certificate V62. Alternatively, if there are no changes to your address details, you may telephone 0300 123 4321, for a replacement V5C. You should then receive your new V5C within 5 working days. Please note, both applications will require a non-refundable fee of £25.

Once your new V5C has been received you should then send notification to us immediately of the intended export as explained above. 

Please note, the V62 application form is available to download from the website below, at all tax issuing Post Office®, DVLA, Swansea and DVLA Local Office. A list of local offices can be found on the website address Motoring : Directgov. "

I kno plenty of people that have no property in the UK & only have motorhomes. One even has his sky subscription registered to his vehicle number plate at a friends house !

Regarding insurance, no you can't insure a spanish registered vehicle with a UK insurance company but you can insure a UK registered vehicle with a spanish company & one or two have direct links to the dvla which means that the vehicle would always flag up as insured on the police APnr camera systems.


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## Stravinsky

OK, heres one for you!!! 

What if I buy a UK motorhome in the UK and keep it in the UK at my UK address?


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## Solwriter

gus-lopez said:


> This was the e-mail reply from the dvla when I asked the question 2 years ago.
> " Dear Mr Lopez
> 
> Thank you for your email received on 9/3/10. Your email reference number is 274778.
> 
> 
> 
> *I can confirm that all vehicles, if taken outside the UK for more than 12 months, should be notified as exported, regardless of whether the keeper still has a UK address.*
> 
> 
> 
> This would include motorhomes.


That is why we cut our losses and sold our RV after using it here for a year in all.
In our case, we had no other option.


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## gus-lopez

Stravinsky said:


> OK, heres one for you!!!
> 
> What if I buy a UK motorhome in the UK and keep it in the UK at my UK address?


That's ok as long as you are over here ! :thumb:


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## Stravinsky

gus-lopez said:


> That's ok as long as you are over here ! :thumb:


Trouble is though, its not OK it seems! 

As a non UK resident I am not allowed to register a car in the UK

Stuffed either way, we are


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## jp1

Well back on topic.

I got my reply. I won't copy/paste here as it doesn't really add anything to the above, so I will summarise instead.

1) Confirms the following.

"*When you reside in Spain for more than 3 months*, you are required to register with the local authorities and apply for a registration certificate"

2) Mentions about car registration

"The rules on vehicle registration remain by and large governed by national law and are not regulated by EU legislation. *Therefore if you are residing in Spain, you need to register your car with the authorities there*. We understand that the deadline to register your car in is usually six months from the date you first entered the country in question with the intention to reside there"


*BUT it also stated this !!!*


We understand that when you enter Spain with your car, you should obtain a temporary registration certificate from Spanish customs. This will enable you to drive in Spain in your UK-registered car for up to 6 months as explained on this official Spanish tourist office website: 
Driving in Spain: practical information and advice. |spain.info in English


And this is the statement from the official Spanish Website

Quote:

"Tourists travelling in their own vehicles should be aware that the following documentation is required:

*Temporary registration certificate: It is valid for six months and you can request it at customs*."

So even if you take a 1 day day-trip into Spain you have to get an import certificate.

The situation is ridiculous. I appreciate that no-one does this, but was anyone aware of this requirement??


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## Stravinsky

jp1 said:


> Well back on topic.
> 
> I got my reply. I won't copy/paste here as it doesn't really add anything to the above, so I will summarise instead.
> 
> 1) Confirms the following.
> 
> "*When you reside in Spain for more than 3 months*, you are required to register with the local authorities and apply for a registration certificate"
> 
> 2) Mentions about car registration
> 
> "The rules on vehicle registration remain by and large governed by national law and are not regulated by EU legislation. *Therefore if you are residing in Spain, you need to register your car with the authorities there*. We understand that the deadline to register your car in is usually six months from the date you first entered the country in question with the intention to reside there"
> 
> 
> *BUT it also stated this !!!*
> 
> 
> We understand that when you enter Spain with your car, you should obtain a temporary registration certificate from Spanish customs. This will enable you to drive in Spain in your UK-registered car for up to 6 months as explained on this official Spanish tourist office website:
> Driving in Spain: practical information and advice. |spain.info in English
> 
> 
> And this is the statement from the official Spanish Website
> 
> Quote:
> 
> "Tourists travelling in their own vehicles should be aware that the following documentation is required:
> 
> *Temporary registration certificate: It is valid for six months and you can request it at customs*."
> 
> So even if you take a 1 day day-trip into Spain you have to get an import certificate.
> 
> The situation is ridiculous. I appreciate that no-one does this, but was anyone aware of this requirement??


What official Spanish Website? Trafico?


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## jp1

Stravinsky said:


> What official Spanish Website? Trafico?


The one I linked.

www.spain.info

It is also listed on the (London) Spanish Embassy website as the official tourist site for Spain.


Consulado de España en Londres


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## jp1

Just to clear up any confusion...

The scripting on this website is adding a url description to the link I post.

So in my original post (2 up) the official website I refer to is the motoring pages of spain.info (but the description of the link doesn't state that) that is why you are probably confused about WHICH official website.


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## Stravinsky

jp1 said:


> The one I linked.
> 
> www.spain.info
> 
> It is also listed on the (London) Spanish Embassy website as the official tourist site for Spain.
> 
> 
> Consulado de España en Londres


Ah, I see .... So its not an official Spanish web site, it's a tourist web site. There are so many different rules, interpretation of rules, and rule changes ... its always best to go to the authority site, such as trafico

No, I wasnt aware of the temporary registration document


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## gus-lopez

When I drove to Germany & back , last summer, I never saw any buildings at border points , let alone officials! 
The only place you'd be likely to get something like that would be if you exited at the special 'hgv customs clearance ' sites which are located some kms before where the old borders used to be. Don't think they'd be too pleased finding streams of vehicles coming in for certs, that they'd probably know nothing about !


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## xabiaxica

Stravinsky said:


> Ah, I see .... So its not an official Spanish web site, it's a tourist web site. There are so many different rules, interpretation of rules, and rule changes ... its always best to go to the authority site, such as trafico
> 
> No, I wasnt aware of the temporary registration document


I've checked out _turespaña.com_ & it is indeed an official Spanish govt. tourist website so I guess we can takethe info. as being correct

who knows if tráfico are aware though 

I'll link to it in the sticky


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## chrisnation

*No Border Post*

When I drove from France along the Val d'Spir into Spain over the Pyrenees on the D115, there was only the crumbling long-deserted remains of a customs post and a graffito on the rock face with an arrow pointing back into France and "Francia 80kms" and another one pointing into Spain "Espania 360Kms" 

So as far as the Catalans were concerned, I didn't reach Spain until I'd got to Sant Carles de Ràpita. 




gus-lopez said:


> When I drove to Germany & back , last summer, I never saw any buildings at border points , let alone officials!
> The only place you'd be likely to get something like that would be if you exited at the special 'hgv customs clearance ' sites which are located some kms before where the old borders used to be. Don't think they'd be too pleased finding streams of vehicles coming in for certs, that they'd probably know nothing about !


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