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Registering a UK car in Spain, non-resident owner

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:26pm
6 replies135 views4 members subscribed
Jeannius

Posts: 7

1 helpful points

Location: Benitachell

Joined: 21 Jul 2020

Hi all, hope you can help. I am non-resident, own a house in Benitachell and for the last few years have kept a 10 year old, UK registered Jaguar here, taking it back every summer for an MOT and then bringing it back down in September. This has worked fine so far but came very close to going wrong this year as I was stuck in the UK because of Covid and the MOT is getting imminent. So I have to decide what to do to avoid similar problems in the future.

Option 1 is selling the car back in the UK (it is right hand drive) and buying a similar car here in Spain. However, the car is worth little in cash back in the UK due to age and 100,000 miles on the clock. A similar car here in Spain would appear to cost at least €10,000 or more and probably not be in as good a condition. So that isn't a particularly appealing option.

Option 2. Buying a smaller Spanish registered car. Even small old cars seem to be quite expensive so that doesn't appeal much either.

Option 3 is registering the car here in Spain but I've been told the costs might be considerable. Does anyone know the likely costs and the process?

Thanks in anticipation.

Mike

Kelvin1960

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:21pm

Kelvin1960

Super helpful member

Posts: 1488

1767 helpful points

Joined: 5 Mar 2017

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:21pm

Well, I'm sure you know that it is illegal to keep a UK plated car here for >6 months.

Anyway ... the cost to import will depend on age, value, CO2 rating. This will be specific to your car.

There will be a cost to change the headlights to LHD (and potentially to modify the rear lights).

The cost components are ...

- initial matriculation

- initial road-worthiness test

- import tax

- first registration tax.

Jim Taylor posted some data up a while ago to enable tax calculations .. which I have pasted in below

Official value:

There is an official list of car values published every December, giving the values applicable for the following calendar year. If the price you paid is less than the official book value, tax will still be based on the official value.

If the vehicle doesn't appear on the official list, then you can use the purchase price on the compraventa, but the authorities are entitled to assign their own valuation.

The 2019 list of values is:

https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2018-17664

Percentage to be taxed:

100% - Age less than 1 year

84% - More than 1 year, up to 2

67% - More than 2 years, up to 3

56% - More than 3 years, up to 4

47% - More than 4 years, up to 5

39% - More than 5 years, up to 6

34% - More than 6 years, up to 7

28% - More than 7 years, up to 8

24% - More than 8 years, up to 9

19% - More than 9 years, up to 10

17% - More than 10 years, up to 11

13% - More than 11 years, up to 12

10% - More than 12 years


Kimmy11

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:14pm

Kimmy11

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 6869

12554 helpful points

Joined: 8 Aug 2017

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:14pm

Many people on this forum have used and recommend Graham at:

https://www.spanish-number-plates.com/

He will be able to give you a quote.
Kind regards,
Kim
Jeannius

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:30pm

Jeannius

Original Poster

Posts: 7

1 helpful points

Location: Benitachell

Joined: 21 Jul 2020

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:30pm

Kelvin1960 wrote on Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:21pm:

Well, I'm sure you know that it is illegal to keep a UK plated car here for >6 months.

Anyway ... the cost to import will depend on age, value, CO2 rating. This will be specific to your car.

There will be a cost to change the headlights to LHD (and potentially to modify the rear lights).

The cost components are ...

- initial matriculation

- initial road-worthiness test

- import tax

- first registration tax.

Jim Taylor posted some data up a while ago to enable tax calculations .. which I have pasted in below

Official value:

There is an official list of car values published every December, giving the values applicable for the following calendar year. If the price you paid is less than the official book value, tax will still be based on the official value.

If the vehicle doesn't appear on the official list, then you can use the purchase price on the compraventa, but the authorities are entitled to assign their own valuation.

The 2019 list of values is:

https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2018-17664

Percentage to be taxed:

100% - Age less than 1 year

84% - More than 1 year, up to 2

67% - More than 2 years, up to 3

56% - More than 3 years, up to 4

47% - More than 4 years, up to 5

39% - More than 5 years, up to 6

34% - More than 6 years, up to 7

28% - More than 7 years, up to 8

24% - More than 8 years, up to 9

19% - More than 9 years, up to 10

17% - More than 10 years, up to 11

13% - More than 11 years, up to 12

10% - More than 12 years


Thanks for that table Kelvin. Looks like getting local plates for my car would be quite expensive if I'm reading the table correctly.

On the matter of keeping the car here for more than 6 months... My understanding is that that rule applies to people who become resident in Spain. They have to get a local registration within 6 months.  I, as a non-resident, can only be here for up to 6 months in a calendar year but the CAR can be here for up to 12 months at a time with the limiting factor being the need to renew the MOT. I could be wrong but I have read that elsewhere, just can't remember where right now.

Of course after 31/12/2020 all bets are off and who knows what the rules will be!

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Cheryl

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:45pm

Cheryl

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2973

3533 helpful points

Location: Albatera

Joined: 8 Jun 2017

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:45pm

Jeannius wrote on Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:30pm:

Thanks for that table Kelvin. Looks like getting local plates for my car would be quite expensive if I'm reading the table correctly.

On the matter of keeping the car here for more than 6 months... My understanding is that that rule applies to people who become resident in Spain. They have to get a local registration within 6 months.  I, as a non-resident, can only be here for up to 6 months in a calendar year but the CAR&...

...nbsp;can be here for up to 12 months at a time with the limiting factor being the need to renew the MOT. I could be wrong but I have read that elsewhere, just can't remember where right now.

Of course after 31/12/2020 all bets are off and who knows what the rules will be!

If you get in touch with Spanish number plates, as Kim suggested, they are extremely helpful. I e-mailed them because I like to get things in writing so I don't forget half of it and the replies were very detailed.

Jeannius

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:49am

Jeannius

Original Poster

Posts: 7

1 helpful points

Location: Benitachell

Joined: 21 Jul 2020

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:49am

Thanks Kim and Cheryl for the Spanish Number Plates link. I'll contact them and see what they say.

Kelvin1960

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:22am

Kelvin1960

Super helpful member

Posts: 1488

1767 helpful points

Joined: 5 Mar 2017

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:22am

Jeannius wrote on Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:30pm:

Thanks for that table Kelvin. Looks like getting local plates for my car would be quite expensive if I'm reading the table correctly.

On the matter of keeping the car here for more than 6 months... My understanding is that that rule applies to people who become resident in Spain. They have to get a local registration within 6 months.  I, as a non-resident, can only be here for up to 6 months in a calendar year but the CAR&...

...nbsp;can be here for up to 12 months at a time with the limiting factor being the need to renew the MOT. I could be wrong but I have read that elsewhere, just can't remember where right now.

Of course after 31/12/2020 all bets are off and who knows what the rules will be!

I looked into your opinion on keeping a UK car here for >6 months.

Although the legislation is complex, there are credible websites that support your view.

So I have learnt something new. 

Thanks for that

K

https://www.healthplanspain.com/blog/expat-tips/350-driving-your-uk-registered-car-in-spain.html

https://lifestylegroup.es/how-long-can-i-legally-keep-and-drive-a-uk-registered-car-in-spain/

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