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Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Old Nov 12th 2015, 4:10 pm
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Default Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Hi, this has been discussed in a previous thread but I don’t wish to hijack that thread with additional questions....
We are in the process of purchasing an apartment with a basement parking space and would like to leave a UK registered car for use during our visits to Spain. We are non-resident and happy to drive the car back to the UK for the MOT once a year. We are currently insured with Saga who cover 90 day trips but won’t cover the car if left in Spain.

Is it possible to insure the car with a Spanish insurance company allowing cover in Spain, France and the UK ? ....I think some forum members are already doing this and we’d appreciate any recommendations/advice.

Will this insurance appear on the DVLA insurance database so the vehicle can be taxed online? This is also important as this info is freely available to the Spanish & UK police.

Is there any discount given for No Claims earned in the UK?

We appreciate that matriculation, or buying a Spanish car, is probably the best way to go and will probably do this eventually but in the meantime we’d like to avoid as much bureaucracy as possible.

Thanks for reading and all advice & recommendations gratefully received.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 4:47 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

A UK registered car (even if MOT'd, taxed and insured) can only legally remain in Spain for 6 months, after that its illegal.

Yes you could buy Spanish insurance. The car would still be illegal if it remained in Spain more than 6 months, whether it is insured or not.

Just buy a cheap Spanish registered car and save yourselves the hassle.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 5:12 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by frigilianafreddy
A UK registered car (even if MOT'd, taxed and insured) can only legally remain in Spain for 6 months, after that its illegal.

Yes you could buy Spanish insurance. The car would still be illegal if it remained in Spain more than 6 months, whether it is insured or not.

Just buy a cheap Spanish registered car and save yourselves the hassle.
Hi,
Many thanks for the reply. However, I've been looking at the following thread which suggests that it's the person not the car that cannot remain in Spain ...http://britishexpats.com/forum/spain...gister-866784/
and Car registration and taxes - Your Europe
I do hope that you're incorrect...
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 5:22 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by bolton wanderer
Hi,
Many thanks for the reply. However, I've been looking at the following thread which suggests that it's the person not the car that cannot remain in Spain ...http://britishexpats.com/forum/spain...gister-866784/
and Car registration and taxes - Your Europe
I do hope that you're incorrect...
Its the vehicle, just as it is in the UK.Portugal etc.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 5:25 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by frigilianafreddy
A UK registered car (even if MOT'd, taxed and insured) can only legally remain in Spain for 6 months, after that its illegal.

Yes you could buy Spanish insurance. The car would still be illegal if it remained in Spain more than 6 months, whether it is insured or not.

Just buy a cheap Spanish registered car and save yourselves the hassle.
Sorry, that is not correct. The problem is if the owner stays for more that 6 months. So long as the car is taxed and insured and has a valid UK MOT, if required, it can stay indefinitely.

Of course, explaining that to the Guardia after they have wrongly impounded it could be a challenge, but it would be perfectly legal to leave it in Spain.

Last edited by Fred James; Nov 12th 2015 at 5:27 pm.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 5:40 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Hi again,
Thanks for the replies so far. Could I clarify that we don't intend to stay in Spain for longer that 6 months, in any calendar year, and that the car will leave the country for about 1 month in order to obtain a UK MOT. The car will be taxed & MOT'd and legal in the country of registration (UK).

We do have an alternate vehicle that we could bring over after 6 months but would prefer to use just one vehicle for Spain.

Thanks again.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 6:31 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

That is OK according to all the information that I have.

As I said, it is just possible that keeping the car in Spain for an extended period could just attract the attention of the Guardia which would mean that you might have to justify your position.

That said, there are thousands of old UK vehicles without UK tax or MOT, that have been here for years, owned by full time residents and the Guardia has done absolutely nothing about it.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 7:19 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

The fact is, it is indeed legal to keep the car in Spain, but it's also true that the Guardian *can* seize the vehicle and impound it if they see fit. That doesn't mean they will, but if they choose to, the onus will be on you to prove it's legal in some way. And the law doesn't necessarily matter to the Guardia. If at the end of the day, they have little chance of imposing some criminal charge, then they'll let it go (but at your expense for grua, etc.). But if they have a chance of proving you "criminal" in some way, they will. And then it gets very expensive.

Better to take the advice of others, and buy an old Spanish-registered golf or fiesta. Should be able to buy a decent one for €1000 or so. Could save you €5000 in misery. Besides, a left hand drive is quite a bit safer to drive in Spain.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 8:05 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

I used a company called Andrew Copeland for my UK car when I first came here for an extended stay. Then I use Abbeygate. Both will cover a UK car for up to 12 months.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 9:54 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by bolton wanderer
Hi, this has been discussed in a previous thread but I don’t wish to hijack that thread with additional questions....
We are in the process of purchasing an apartment with a basement parking space and would like to leave a UK registered car for use during our visits to Spain. We are non-resident and happy to drive the car back to the UK for the MOT once a year. We are currently insured with Saga who cover 90 day trips but won’t cover the car if left in Spain.

Is it possible to insure the car with a Spanish insurance company allowing cover in Spain, France and the UK ? ....I think some forum members are already doing this and we’d appreciate any recommendations/advice.

Will this insurance appear on the DVLA insurance database so the vehicle can be taxed online? This is also important as this info is freely available to the Spanish & UK police.

Is there any discount given for No Claims earned in the UK?

We appreciate that matriculation, or buying a Spanish car, is probably the best way to go and will probably do this eventually but in the meantime we’d like to avoid as much bureaucracy as possible.

Thanks for reading and all advice & recommendations gratefully received.
We have started keeping a UK reg car in Spain as we were spending loads on hire cars, we have insurance that covers us fully comp throughout Europe for any length of time in any country, this is via a broker but the insurer is Liberty Seguros, they allowed me 50% NCD but in the end its the price you pay and not the discount that matters

I did a lot of research to make sure i was doing the right thing including contacting the EU commission and DVLA, the 6 months is definitely related to the person and not the car as long as its UK road legal, i was originally going to buy a Spanish reg car and take it back to the UK for the summer when we rent our house out but this is not legal in the UK, as a UK resident i cannot legally drive a foreign reg car so a UK car in Spain is the only way to do it.

As to it showing as insured on the UK database I dont know but i will sort that out at the time if a problem crops up, i know there are people that do drive uninsured, untaxed UK cars with no mot's but there are I am sure plenty of us that are doing it all legally!

As far as being in a RHD car i am amazed at how little difference it makes over LHD, in fact only parking and tolls spring to mind, i have a help in hand under the passenger seat, works a treat for ticket machines and saves getting out the car
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 10:10 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

I drive a RHD car, have done for the last 7 years, it is on Spanish plates, and I must be more athletic than you as I have NEVER had to get out at a machine, I just lean over. It is not the slightest problem and indeed I consider it a plus on narrow campo tracks.
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Old Nov 12th 2015, 10:45 pm
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by lyric050203
I must be more athletic than you as I have NEVER had to get out at a machine, I just lean over. It is not the slightest problem and indeed I consider it a plus on narrow campo tracks.
Too many years of motocross have put pay to any athleticism i may have had in the past
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Old Nov 13th 2015, 7:28 am
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by bolton wanderer

....but in the meantime we’d like to avoid as much bureaucracy as possible.....

Joked on my coffee when I read that bit. Have to ask why you are even purchasing a property here in Spain?
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Old Nov 13th 2015, 8:06 am
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Fred James
Sorry, that is not correct. The problem is if the owner stays for more that 6 months. So long as the car is taxed and insured and has a valid UK MOT, if required, it can stay indefinitely.
Hi Fred, I thought that the law stated -

that the vehicle can only be in the country for 6 months in any calendar year as a "temporary import".

or is this only if owned by a resident?
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Old Nov 13th 2015, 9:07 am
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by snikpoh
Hi Fred, I thought that the law stated -

that the vehicle can only be in the country for 6 months in any calendar year as a "temporary import".

or is this only if owned by a resident?
I am sure Fred will answer for himself in good time but the information re length of stay is here, Car registration and taxes - Your Europe
When I contacted the EU commission with my scenario they pointed me to this page and pointed out that everything relates to you and not the car, you will also see there is a link on that page for each individual country to state the amount of time a resident of said country has to register the vehicle, the UK state's immediately, on contacting the Department of transport in the uk they informed me its the DVLA that handle it, they said 10 days.

You will notice in that same link Spain has not entered a time, my lawer in Spain is telling me it is now 30 days but i have no evidence to support this.

One more thing to add was I spoke to a few different traffic cops in the UK when i was making my enquiries and none of them had knowledge of the rules so its not only the Spanish police that are unsure sometimes of what is right and wrong.

Last edited by Longlegpete; Nov 13th 2015 at 9:15 am. Reason: more information
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