# Road Tax



## Silversally (Jan 30, 2016)

I am driving over to Spain at the end of the month and I just wondered where I stood with road tax. 

It is a UK registered car with UK number plates, so do I need to have it taxed in the UK system or wait until I get to Spain and pay that road tax? 

Also, I will be travelling back to the UK - probably by plane, but there is a very slim chance I could drive - every 2/3 months for family commitments and just wondered where I stood legally with the road tax while in Spain.

The reason I ask is because the UK road tax expires at the end of the month and just wondered what the best way was.


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## Localizer (Jun 23, 2016)

..... your car needs to be legal in the country which it is registered, so you will need UK tax and insurance as well as a valid MOT. Others will add more details, but there are rules about how long you can keep a UK car in Spain without importing it and there are lots of other threads on that subject.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

For importing cars try the FAQ's here, number 4


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## Ibizatog (Feb 6, 2017)

HI
Yes you will need a current MOT and road tax for the time you are planning to be in Spain, we moved over a year ago and I renewed my road tax online and kept an eye on the MOT.
I purchased a left hand drive small van in the UK which was UK registered (taxed and tested) now in Spain I have been through the process of changing it to a Spanish registered vehicle (time consuming)


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

As a Spanish resident, you can only drive a foreign plated vehicle for a maximum of 6 months.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

If you are planning to come to Spain to live, once you are officially a resident you will have to re-register your car with Spanish number plates etc. It's quite a complicated process and quite expensive too (ours cost nearly €1,000 including €300 for new headlights). It depends what your car is worth, but some people prefer to buy a Spanish left-hand-drive car instead.


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## trotter58 (Feb 8, 2017)

Silversally said:


> I am driving over to Spain at the end of the month and I just wondered where I stood with road tax.
> 
> It is a UK registered car with UK number plates, so do I need to have it taxed in the UK system or wait until I get to Spain and pay that road tax?
> 
> ...


Your UK registered vehicle will need to be taxed, insured and MOT'd to be legally driven in Spain. The traffic police now have access to the UK database(s) and can/will check at the roadside that the vehicle complies. Your vehicle may be impounded if the MOT runs out while you are still in Spain. Tax & insurance can be arranged online but a UK registered vehicle can only be MOT'd in the UK.....I would pay careful attention to the MOT expiry date 

If, as it would appear from your post, you intend to remain a UK resident, please be aware that if you re-register your UK vehicle onto Spanish plates you'll no longer be able to drive it in the UK.


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