best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi. I have a LHD uk registered car, bought in the UK, and we are moving to spain with the car. By the time i get there, i will only have owned the car for 3 months.

If i register it then into Spanish, i understand i will have to pay a hefty tax, in addition to the registration and itv charge? Is this correct?

Can i not just wait for 3 months living there and THEN have it replated?

any ideas? The car already has a european conformity cert and LHD headlights.

would be grateful of any advice..........

:thumbsup:

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

You have 90 days as a tourist in Spain before you are obliged to register.

You can start the reregistration process at that time and by then you will have owned the car for the requisite 6 months.

It is the registration tax which is the expensive one as it is based on the car's value. This is the tax that you can avoid by prompt action.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi

There are other ways around it. But they are not considered legal therefore pm me for a diferent outlook on life (I do not wish to upset the moderators)

Davexf

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

cool! :D

It is myself and my wife going over, so does that mean SHE registers (so our daughter can go to school) but i am just "possibly in the country temporarily" ;) until the car gets matriculated, and THEN i put myself down as a permanent resident yes?

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

No, you wait the 3 months and then register - THEN you start the registration process.

As DFX says, there may be other ways - ask him.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

:huh:

thanks for the answer but what i meant was my wife will HAVE to register as far as i know or we cant get my girl into a spanish school, but i WAIT for a few months yes?

sort of..........my wife will be registered as living in spain but myself will only be a tourist etc? (until a few months down the line)???????????

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Yes, that was my understanding of your post.

She registers immediately, you wait 90 days. Both options are perfectly legal.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

:thumbsup:

thanks fred, your advice is very much appreciated.

Muchos gracias amigo.
:thumbup:

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi Davexf, can you pm me? I am very curious! Thanks in advance.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi

I have pm'd you; to other forum members I will add that the empadron is now dated as to when the first empadron was issued. The consulate now demands that they see the empadron. This means that it is more difficult to avoid the tax unless you do it immediately you buy the house as most estate agents "helpfully" put you on the empadron at the same time as getting the NIE number.

This has caused problems for people who have had their house as a holiday home until they retire here

Davexf

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

blimey who resurrected this post?????????

........sold the car (still uk plated) and bought (a crap) spanish plated car instead.

case closed!

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

who cares, its still relevant. and its a "thread" not a "post".

im in the process of transferring a jeep, but im not sure its worth it - 40+ k € book price new - could sell it for 2k tomorrow.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

How olds your Jeep ? be aware they are not worth much after 5/6 years and it may well be better not to bother ,sell it in the UK, the prices for Jeep spares are frightening and I see major failures regulary in the motor trade.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

oh its here in spain already, not being used. just figured i´d put it on spanish plates and use it for weekends / 4x4 fun in the campo with the mijas club.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi

Watch out on Jeeps - the tyres MUST be european (Not american) and the lights must conform - we have had problems in the past

Davexf

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Glad someone did reopen this thread, we are in the process of buying a 4 x 4 just for the purpose if bringing it to Spain, as during our last viewing trip the estate agent informed us she had wrecked the suspension on her 4 x 4 and during our visit did a really good job of killing her husbands estate car.

Some of the roads since the rain are non to healthy and I would not have had a clue where to start sorting out the legalities, this saves me starting a new thread and wasting people's time.

Would see about getting one when we are there as it is T minus 23 days but again having done the research on car buying you have to be careful where you get it from and they do tend to be pricey.

lesson learned "really should use the info search box more" :D

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

best way to avoid it... dont bring it ;)

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

where did she drive ?? :eek::eek: my cars 3 inches off the ground and i´ve had it for nearly 4 years now. ive never had any "big" trouble with it. we´ve also got a jeep cherokee, ive taken that off road and gone up slopes i´d have trouble walking up...

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

lol,rural southern Spain.

we drove our vectra over when we went just to see how long it would take us and some of the roads in the campo are almost non existent, some of the pot holes were lethal, just glad it was not our car that took the hits.

Were we are moving to the main road at the moment is a building site, and that is on the outskirts of a town, dirt track is more like it.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

ahh.. but it´ll be tarmacced in a few months, so all will be good :D

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi,

i hope you dont mind me asking DXF but i would am in the same predicament and would be grateful if you would private message me regarding bypassing the import tax.

Thanks

Rory

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi folks


From a month old “Form Modelo 06” from the Hacienda

Exento
Fundamento

Los medios de transporte que se matriculen como consecuencia del traslado de residencia de su titular del extranjero al territorio espanol.

End quote

Which interprets as " I formally declare that I have abandoned my country of birth with the intention of living permanently in Spain"

This is obtainable from the British Consul and means that nowadays you do NOT HAVE TO PAY THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX. There were conditions like you must live here for at least one year (or pay the tax if you want to sell or move back).

Dave Fisher

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Do you need a quote?

it's so much better to get things done the right way here in Spain - everybody on this forum seems to be trying to cut corners!!! Whatever the topic - tax, car registration, etc the relevant agency will catch up with you and taking sound advice before that happens is well worth it.

Not talking directly to you btw :)

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Don't you have to pay a fee to the British Consul though and that costs quite a bit say €75!

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

I thought that has always been the case and you have to get this "Baja" certificate from the Embassy.

The problem that has been raised in the past is the timing of this - it used to be that it had to be done very soon after you became resident in Spain - 30 and 60 days were commonly mentioned.

Has this requirement now been relaxed?

If so it would be a great move in the right direction.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

When I recently did my car my Gestor advised that I had been on the padron for too long, I signed up to enable my wedding here ! while just a holidaying owner. I had to pay the required tax.

I believe the limit is 30 days and the "Baja" costs 140€ from the consulate. Anecdotal however.

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

No it doesnt. It translates as:

"The means of transport to be plated (matriculated) as a consequence of the registered owner of the car moving residence from overseas to Spanish teritory"

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi

We helped a guy recently who had been on the padron since 2003. We "did a runner" when we saw the clerk had put an "X" in the exempt box. We subsequently warned that they might come after the 2,409 euros first registration tax (which he "had in his back pocket" as we had enquired as to what it might be)

We have done about ten since all but one well outside the old 60 day limit; not one has been asked for the tax, neither in Chiclana nor Utrera. All have had a Baja from the British Consulate.

Form 06 has recently changed and we don't have a copy of the old forms to compare. But the wording has been simplified.

Davexf

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

So Cricketman,

Would you care to advise the consulate on what wording the Hacienda would prefer?

Davexf

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi,

Iºve recently arrived in Calpe, North Costa Blanca and thought I was doing the right thing in buying a cheaper LHD car from germany and bringing it here. I went to a Gesteria who have said I will need to pay 2,400 euro import tax. I asked about the exemption but she said something about having to go back to Britain and going to a consulate there to declare to have permenantly left UK. Can anyone tell me what forms I need to ask for at the British Consulate in say Alicante ?

Yours Dave

Re: best way to avoid car import tax?
 

Hi

Your Gestor is talking about a "Baja de Residencia" from your local British consulate. It can be obtained by post / courier or in person.

However the tax man (Agencia Tribunal or Hacienda) will look at your Volante de empadronamiento which will have the first day you registered as being resident in Spain.

Not an exact science as I have known the Hacienda make the odd mistake (in favour of the importer).

Davexf