Am I allowed to drive a Portuguese registered car in Spain on a UK driving licence ? I often visit Portugal where my partner lives. She has a Portuguese car but no longer drives. I have often wondered if we could tour Spain in this car on my driving licence. Any thoughts on this would be most welcome.

I don't see why not. I assume the car is insured for you to drive? but you could ask AA / RAC.

Hola

Make sure you have written permission to drive the car - If the man in the green uniform with the gun at his hip had a bad breakfast ………

Davexf

Many thanks. The reason I query it is that as a UK citizen and resident with a UK driving licence, I cannot, under EU law drive a car with foreign plates on British roads, unless it is a rental hire car. So, by extension, I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that I could not drive a such a car in Spain either.

No, you cannot drive a foreign car in the UK if you are resident in the UK. The same applies in Spain, but you are not a resident.

Dxf is correct. You really need proof that you have permission to drive it. More info on this site and a form you can download.

https://n332.es/2018/01/27/permissio...-your-vehicle/

There's been some discussion recently about whether Spanish residents can drive UK plated vehicles in Spain.

I maintain they can't but can't find any source for this fact.

Can you help?

This seems to be the rule from CAB Spain, who are usually correct.

Once you have registered as resident on the Registro de Extranjeros, you cannot drive a foreign plated vehicle anymore, unless it is owned by a non-resident and the owner is with you in the car.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.es/fa...-car-in-spain/

So, either I take the car owner with me, or one of those forms duly completed and signed by her. Got it. Many thanks for your help Fred.

No, on the basis of the CAB post, you must have the owner with you. You "might" get away with it if you only have the form.

Your choice.

Unfortunately, the links in that article are nothing to do with Spanish residents not being able to drive a foreign plated vehicle.

This is why I've come unstuck and can't provide evidence to back up my assertion.

Neither can I. I would go with the CAB advice or just not bother. Whatever rules you find to support the CAB view, you can be sure the Guardia will invent the rule at the same time as they fine you and impound the car!

It's contained in Article 3 of the EU directive https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-cont...130701&from=EN

Until or unless registered in Spain any and all UK regged private cars are, by definition, 'temporary imports'.

Don't forget that post Brexit and absent any agreement to the contrary visiting UK licence holders wishing to drive in Spain will need an IDP (1949 convention), if they drive all the way through France then they will need another one for there (1968 convention). If they want to make a grand tour out of it though I'd advise avoiding Liechtenstein because for there they'll need yet a 3rd one (1926 convention) !

I heard that many are rushing to obtain an IDP prior to Brexit and this has already cost UK residents circa £5,000,000. In the event of no deal there is a concern that the system will not be able to cope with the numbers requesting IDPs.

I had assumed you were a UK resident. If you are resident in Spain you are not permitted to drive a foreign registered car in Spain. However, many do. You are unlikely to be caught, unless you have an accident :-(