# catering van in spain info needed



## byebye (Jan 29, 2013)

Hi can any help me please I, m hoping to move to spain shortly and been trying hard to find out if I can run a mobile catering van in spain so far no luck, any information will be greatly accepted.thank you.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

byebye said:


> Hi can any help me please I, m hoping to move to spain shortly and been trying hard to find out if I can run a mobile catering van in spain so far no luck, any information will be greatly accepted.thank you.


:welcome:

each town will have its own version of the rules - but essentially you'd need a licence from the ayuntamiento (local council) & also a food handling certificate

I believe that you also have to have a 'proper commercial kitchen' to work from too - but the local ayuntamiento would be the place to get specific, definitive info.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

byebye said:


> Hi can any help me please I, m hoping to move to spain shortly and been trying hard to find out if I can run a mobile catering van in spain so far no luck, any information will be greatly accepted.thank you.


In addition, since you will be self employed you will need to pay 'autonomo' which is about €260 per month no matter how much, or little, you sell.


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## jamezz34 (Jan 31, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> In addition, since you will be self employed you will need to pay 'autonomo' which is about €260 per month no matter how much, or little, you sell.


Couldnt you incorporate a business and be an employee of that instead? which way is the most costly?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

jamezz34 said:


> Couldnt you incorporate a business and be an employee of that instead? which way is the most costly?


 You need to contact a gestor, But you have to pay 250€ + a month for your employees

Jo xxx


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## jamezz34 (Jan 31, 2013)

ok...so how long would it take to gain self-employment...sounds like a bit of a minefield

guess you would also have to import a food van as well which is a bit of a hassle,


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

jamezz34 said:


> ok...so how long would it take to gain self-employment...sounds like a bit of a minefield
> 
> guess you would also have to import a food van as well which is a bit of a hassle,


If you are here more than three months you have to be come a resident and you would not be able to re-register a RHD vehicle in Spain, nor could you keep a foreign registered vehicle on the road for more than three months as a resident.


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## jamezz34 (Jan 31, 2013)

ok so it would have to be a food trailer then? and just buy a LHD car in spain after you become a resident?

What do I need to put in place to become a resident? I guess I obviously need to rent out an apartment etc.

Thanks for the help!!!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

To become a resident in Spain you'll need to prove income and healthcare provision within 90 days. To become self employed you'll need to become autonomo and pay 250€ - however, that would then cover your healthcare - so then instead of the income provision, you could use a financial buffer - I think the minimum accepted is around 5000€ per person. So its not easy or cheap!

I'm not sure about the mobile food thing, you'll need to find an area and check out their criteria. The best thing to do is seek out a gestoria who will advise you on the details

Jo xxx


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Please don't get the impression that we are being deliberately negative but the rigmarole to get anything started, let alone underway here in Spain is a path filled with potholes and tripwires. If it weren't, some of the masses of unemployed in Spain would be doing it and they have the advantage of not needing to get residency nor qualify for healthcare.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Please don't get the impression that we are being deliberately negative but the rigmarole to get anything started, let alone underway here in Spain is a path filled with potholes and tripwires. If it weren't, some of the masses of unemployed in Spain would be doing it and they have the advantage of not needing to get residency nor qualify for healthcare.


actually registering as autónomo is pretty simple, to be fair - it's _being _ autónomo which is expensive


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## jamezz34 (Jan 31, 2013)

no worries baldilocks...yea i can understand but I guess no country is a walk in the park when it comes to a foreigner setting up a business.

Would the same advice also pertain to the canary isles?

Cheers


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

jamezz34 said:


> Would the same advice also pertain to the canary isles?
> 
> Cheers


 yes

Jo xxx


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

jamezz34 said:


> ok so it would have to be a food trailer then? and just buy a LHD car in spain after you become a resident?


Seems like a plan

I would add though that if you import a food trailer it will need to be ITV'd (MOT) and that if you fit a tow hook to a car it will need to be approved and be incorporated into the car ITV also

Strange to say, I dont think I have ever seen a handful of mobile food trailers in Spain, and they have usually been at markets selling simple stuff like churros


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Just for my own curiosity and because this question crops up every so often I decided to do a bit more investigation and have found out a little more about this as the whole van- moving- around -selling- food idea just doesn't seem to happen here. On the other hand we've all seen from time to time some kind of food stall. According to this guy, that's exactly it - you can't move around an area like a ice cream van in the UK.


> He de comenzar diciendo que sí, la legislación española reconoce, regula y autoriza –con determinados requisitos la figura de la venta ambulante de alimentos, aunque hay un gran inconveniente para este tipo de negocios en España ya que se restringe su existencia a lugares o a eventos determinados: mercadillos, ferias, festejos populares o en puestos aislados. Es decir, adiós a la movilidad absoluta.
> ¿Puedes montar un ?foodtruck? en España? | Gastroeconomy


_I should start by saying that yes, Spanish law recognizes, regulates and authorizes, with certain requirements, the idea of of street food, although there is one major drawback to this type of business in Spain since *its existence is restricted to certain places or events:* markets, fairs, public entertainment or set places. That is to say, goodbye to absolute mobility ._

There are also some ideas of the paperwork you have to do.

The comments are very interesting and one guy says he is the owner of the "foodtruck" Hambroneta
http://www.hambroneta.com/
This looks more like what we know from the UK, but if you look at "localización" he too dedicates his time to going to events.

On this page of legal advice you can see the paperwork you have to do in Madrid. It's a pretty long list, but it seems to be much more complete than what was quoted on the previous page!
Foros - rinconlegal.com - Directorio de abogados, bufetes, despachos de abogados
You have to get a temporary licence to sell from a van in Madrid, you have to have a food higiene certificate (isssued in the UK or Spain??), you have to have residency if you're from the EU, you need to hand in a description of the stall/ van, and of the goods you wish to sell, insurance papers, show that your tax payments are up to date, etc, etc.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Just for my own curiosity and because this question crops up every so often I decided to do a bit more investigation and have found out a little more about this as the whole van- moving- around -selling- food idea just doesn't seem to happen here. On the other hand we've all seen from time to time some kind of food stall. According to this guy, that's exactly it - you can't move around an area like a ice cream van in the UK.
> _I should start by saying that yes, Spanish law recognizes, regulates and authorizes, with certain requirements, the idea of of street food, although there is one major drawback to this type of business in Spain since *its existence is restricted to certain places or events:* markets, fairs, public entertainment or set places. That is to say, goodbye to absolute mobility ._
> 
> There are also some ideas of the paperwork you have to do.
> ...


I thought that was the case, I read something like this several years ago, altho knowing Spain I wasnt sure if it was still the case - hence I havent mentioned it?!

Jo xxx


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