# British car in Spain



## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Does anyone know if the rules have changed about having a British registered car in Spain for up to six months please? We are reading reports that the Guardia Civil are stopping those with GB registrations and giving them a fine if they have been in the country for more 30 days. One couple was told by them it was because they owned a Spanish property, but another was fined in any event without being asked for this information. I can understand if they are stopping those who have not registered their car after what we thought was the 180 days, but if you have not flouted this rule, why would they be stopping people? Any information would be gratefully accepted.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I haven't heard of any change in the law. Sounds like the GC being over-zealous, maybe assuming that if the couple own property in Spain they must be resident? Where is this happening and where did you read about it?


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Through Javea Connect, but one of the incidences was in Torrevieja.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

*Residents cannot drive a foreign plated car, which they own.* So once you are registered as resident you can no longer drive it. You are required to register as resident with three months of your arrival.

Obviously at that point, you must at least start the process of rematriculaton. I believe that you have 30 days (I'll check later to be certain) from registration (or presumed residency) as resident to rematriculate /import as part of your goods & chattels.

It sounds as if we're only getting part of the whole story from those reporting it, or the Guardia misunderstood / made assumptions about the actual residency status of those fined. 


Possibly the drivers had registered as resident? Possibly they were on the padrón, which is self-declaration of residency in a town? 

The police won't know if the car has been here 180 days (unless they've been keeping track of individual vehicles for some reason) until they stop it. Then, the onus is on the driver to prove that the car hasn't been here that long, & for the driver to prove residency status.

*Non-residents can keep a car here on foreign plates for six months*. So could perhaps drive a car to Spain & leave it here, while returning home & visiting for holidays, never staying long enough to be either resident or tax resident. At the end of that time, the car must either be re-matriculated or leave the country, not returning for another 6 months. It's basically 6 months in any 12.



*So as you see, it isn't as simple as 6 months,* so whoever wrote that is over-simplifying the matter. Residency status makes a huge difference.

But if the car has been here 6 months then it definitely must be rematriculated or be taken out of the country.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

Just to add you can get a special document (I forget the name) which allows you to drive to and from an ITV station, so even after 30 days you can easily get it onto Spanish plates.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Simon22 said:


> Just to add you can get a special document (I forget the name) which allows you to drive to and from an ITV station, so even after 30 days you can easily get it onto Spanish plates.


It would be helpful if you could recall the name of that document.

However, this doesn't alter the fact that a Spanish resident can NOT drive a foreign plated vehicle in Spain outside the 30 day period.


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Thank you for the clear information. It is what we understood, but have been getting a bit nervous as we don't want to fall foul of any change in the rules. We have been onto the consulate website and couldn't see any changes. As much as we love visiting Spain, what with Brexit, we may have to change our plans in future. We wish we had been able to make a permanent move but this has not been possible and so visiting for a long holiday is the only option we have now. Once again, thank you.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

snikpoh said:


> It would be helpful if you could recall the name of that document.
> 
> However, this doesn't alter the fact that a Spanish resident can NOT drive a foreign plated vehicle in Spain outside the 30 day period.


I have looked back and it was a letter of intent from the gestor which also allowed temporary insurance to be fully legal. The letter detailed the process of matriculation and included a date for ITV.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

One of the first Gestors I approached in Spain was advising newly arrived Expats who intended to stay in Spain and
obviously change their UK British plates for Spanish ones. To drag their feet over registering as Resident and 
going on the Padron ( upto the 3 month legal limit ) because of the length of time it takes bureaucracy, 
to come up with the car homologation for your make of car in Spanish and all the other bits of the approval 
and forms necessary to get it to the ITV and onto Spanish plates - particularly over the holiday period.

Better still sell your car ( for a better price ) in the UK and buy a Spanish car upon arrival.


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Unfortunately, we are not in a position to make a permanent move, but interesting information for anyone who is that fortunate!


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## trotter58 (Feb 8, 2017)

xabiachica said:


> *
> ....
> 
> ....Possibly the drivers had registered as resident? Possibly they were on the padrón, which is self-declaration of residency in a town?
> ...


*

Thanks, that's something I hadn't considered!  We're non resident and drive our UK registered car (street legal) when we're in Spain. Our Ayuntamiento are actively encouraging property owners to sign on the padron, even if they don't intend to become resident and visit less than 90 days. I understand the motivation (extra cash from central government) but I'm definitely not signing if this will result in having to matriculate our car. AFAIK, as a UK resident, I would no longer be able to drive our car in the UK on Spanish plates. 

Has anyone ever been stopped and had to prove that their UK car had not been in Spain for more than 180 days? It's relatively easy to prove that you spend time outside Spain; ie UK receipts, UK utility bills and ATM records. However it's not as easy to prove when your car has entered & exited the country, bearing in mind that the car could have circulated France and not required ferry tickets.*


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

trotter58 said:


> Thanks, that's something I hadn't considered!  We're non resident and drive our UK registered car (street legal) when we're in Spain. Our Ayuntamiento are actively encouraging property owners to sign on the padron, even if they don't intend to become resident and visit less than 90 days. I understand the motivation (extra cash from central government) but I'm definitely not signing if this will result in having to matriculate our car. AFAIK, as a UK resident, I would no longer be able to drive our car in the UK on Spanish plates.
> 
> Has anyone ever been stopped and had to prove that their UK car had not been in Spain for more than 180 days? It's relatively easy to prove that *you* spend time outside Spain; ie UK receipts, UK utility bills and ATM records. However it's not as easy to prove when your car has entered & exited the country, bearing in mind that the car could have circulated France and not required ferry tickets.


Yes many aytos wrongly encourage property owning non-residents to register on the padrón. I've had discussions with councillors here about the problems this can cause non-residents. Now that different departments' computers communicate, it's even more likely that there could be problems. 

And you are correct regarding not being able to drive a Spanish plated car in the UK, as a UK resident.


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