Bringing Car To Spain
 

Hi -
I will be moving to Spain in July from England (Non EU), with my wife, and I will be working in Zaragosa ( Aragon ) for at least 2 years.

I want to bring my car, which is almost new, rather than buy another one in Spain.
However, the information I see online is a bit confusing and contradictory.
As my wife will be the driver (I don't drive) - is the best way to use the car for 6 months (182 days) in Spain and then garage it for 6 months in Spain ? and repeat...
Could my wife do this as a 'tourist' - spending 6 months of each year in Spain and 6 months in England while car is garaged?
as the process of registering it in Spain looks painful and protracted.
I read somewhere about driving it to Portugal to reset the '182 day' rule, but that sounds a bit odd to me.
Any advice is very welcome here.

Re: Bringing Car To Spain
 

Re: Bringing Car To Spain
 

After 90 days, your wife should register as a resident in Spain surely?

Re: Bringing Car To Spain
 

Is your wife going remain a UK resident and return to the UK to adhere to the 90/180 rule, or will she also become Spanish resident? Basically that means she could stay in Spain or 3 months (90 days) but after that period she would have to leave and would be prohibited from returning for another 3 months (90 days).

As a Spanish resident she, like you, wouldn't be able to drive a UK registered car in Spain. The vehicle would need to be matriculated onto Spanish plates within 6 months or removed from Spain.

If she wishes to remain a UK resident she may also be required to demonstrate that she is a tourist if stopped by the traffic police by showing passport stamps, return tickets etc.

Either way the vehicle will need to be removed from Spain before 12 months as after that time the vehicle will be deemed exported by the DVLA. Older vehicles will need to be taken back to the UK for the MOT (this can't be done in Spain).

BTW Sorry but a visit to Portugal doesn't reset anything for you, your wife or your UK registered vehicle

Re: Bringing Car To Spain
 

Garaging your car for any period of time doesn't remove it from Spain, so if your wife is stopped the day after she takes it out of the garage after six months storage it will still show as having "been in Spain" (per border records) for 366 days. Hence the advice to drive to Portugal.

I am not qualified to comment on whether taking a day trip to Portugal would reset the clock for usage in Spain.

Re: Bringing Car To Spain
 

Sorry I had to chuckle because your post kinda suggests that you would rather send your wife away for 6 months of the year than go to the trouble of registering your car. If I was her and I read that you would get no dinner tonight.
But as has been pointed out, the flaws in the plan are:
You said you will be moving with your wife, which suggests she is coming to live in Spain ie a resident not a visitor.
If she is not resident she cannot stay in Spain for 6 months consecutive. As a Brit visiting Spain she is limited to 90 days in 180.
In any case this is about how long the car spends in Spain. I think from the UK's point of view the longest a UK car can stay in Spain is 6 months. But that would not synch well with your wife spending 90/180 in Spain.
The only solution I can see is for her to do 3 months in Spain / 3 months in the UK and take the car back and forth with her.
But then you would not be moving to Spain with your wife, which you say you will be.

Re: Bringing Car To Spain
 

Nobody has mentioned that as a resident she will, within the first 6 months, be obliged to take a Spanish driving test.

Border hopping may work for EU citizens (who nobody cares abut anyway) but not for Brits for whom it's 90 days in 180 or residence, no other options.

I believe if you import a car which you have owned for at least 6 months and register it in within the first month you escape import duties but don't quote me on that.