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Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Old Nov 18th 2015, 10:59 am
  #31  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by snikpoh
... and that's the point, if you are Spanish resident, driving a Spanish plated vehicle in UK is not an issue.

The problem comes when you are either Spanish registered with a UK plated car or are UK resident with a Spanish plated car.
Exactly, that's why i have a UK car in Spain, because its the only way as a UK resident i can drive my car in the UK when i take it back for the summer
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 12:59 pm
  #32  
 
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Bri and Katee
You have it wrong. According to dvla you can drive a foreign registered car as a UK resident in the UK. As long as that vehicle is only visiting the country and is not being kept there in which case it must be re registered. Keeping it there and driving it is breaking the law, temporary visit as per holiday is not.

Think about it. You could rent a car from Hertz or Europcar or any number of others. It is registered in Spain. France elsewhere. You have rented it to drive home back to the UK. In your scenario once you set wheels in the UK you are breaking the law! It's a give and take situation with leeway as far as the dvla is concerned. The police might have a different outlook and issue a ticket if you don't have all your supporting paperwork, ie a return ferry ticket or a date to return the vehicle to an office of the rental company.

Well suppose you do not have a return ticket? Suppose you do not know your return date. This can happen. It is up to the police to prove you guilty in a court if need be.

Question for Longlegpete: How long do you "live" in Spain and how long in the UK?Being a resident is not all amount registering here in Spain.
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 1:49 pm
  #33  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by snikpoh
Why not?

My wife kept hers because we had it from new and knew exactly what the service history was.

It's never been an issue to have a RHD car here (on Spanish plates of course!).
OK i understand now, You cant afford another car so it's cheaper to keep the UK car.
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 2:35 pm
  #34  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by newpower
OK i understand now, You cant afford another car so it's cheaper to keep the UK car.
He has not said that he cannot afford another car but has stated that his preference was to keep the car that they had due to knowing its history.

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Old Nov 18th 2015, 3:37 pm
  #35  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Bri and Katee
You have it wrong. According to dvla you can drive a foreign registered car as a UK resident in the UK. As long as that vehicle is only visiting the country and is not being kept there in which case it must be re registered. Keeping it there and driving it is breaking the law, temporary visit as per holiday is not.
I don't believe this is correct, my understanding of the situation is the same as Snikpoh posted. With regard to the DVLA it says

You can usually use a vehicle with non-UK number plates without needing to tax or register it in the UK if all of the following apply:

- you’re visiting and don’t plan to live here
- you only use the vehicle up to 6 months in a 12-month period (one single visit, or several shorter visits adding up to a 6-month period)
-the vehicle is registered and taxed in its home country

If you are a UK resident then you automatically fall at the first hurdle. This is the same as the situation in Spain, and is all based on an EU directive from 1983. I believe that as a resident you can drive a non registered vehicle, providing the non resident registered owner is in the vehicle at the same time. That's because it's not a driving offence, but a customs issue.
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 4:08 pm
  #36  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by newpower
OK i understand now, You cant afford another car so it's cheaper to keep the UK car.
I actually have my own car and the children (3) all have their own vehicles.

My wife chose to keep her UK car unlike me who sold and bought new when we arrived here.
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 6:31 pm
  #37  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Bri and Katee
You have it wrong. According to dvla you can drive a foreign registered car as a UK resident in the UK. As long as that vehicle is only visiting the country and is not being kept there in which case it must be re registered. Keeping it there and driving it is breaking the law, temporary visit as per holiday is not.

Think about it. You could rent a car from Hertz or Europcar or any number of others. It is registered in Spain. France elsewhere. You have rented it to drive home back to the UK. In your scenario once you set wheels in the UK you are breaking the law! It's a give and take situation with leeway as far as the dvla is concerned. The police might have a different outlook and issue a ticket if you don't have all your supporting paperwork, ie a return ferry ticket or a date to return the vehicle to an office of the rental company.
When I made contact with the DVLA they said nothing of the sort, they told me under EU law each country was allowed its own say on the length of time a resident can drive a foreign registered vehicle, the UK has said immediately which according to the DVLA is around 10 days of arrival with the vehicle, If you are a resident of the UK you cannot drive a foreign registered car, the leeway as you put it is an unofficial 10 days, this is to sort the paperwork out not to drive around on holiday, if you rent a car the car rental companies would arrange for you to have a UK car wile you are touring
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 7:08 pm
  #38  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Casa Santo Estevo
Question for Longlegpete: How long do you "live" in Spain and how long in the UK?Being a resident is not all amount registering here in Spain.
These days around four and a half months on and off a year, wife the same but not always at the same time, I'm here now for 2 weeks she not, she also stays here on her own sometimes, not sure what you mean buy , "being a resident is not all amount registering here in Spain " ?
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Old Nov 18th 2015, 7:44 pm
  #39  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Rosemary
He has not said that he cannot afford another car but has stated that his preference was to keep the car that they had due to knowing its history.

Rosemary

Right, sorry was a little confused thats all, i just didnt realise anyone would want to keep a RHD if staying.
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Old Nov 19th 2015, 5:54 am
  #40  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Longlegpete
These days around four and a half months on and off a year, wife the same but not always at the same time, I'm here now for 2 weeks she not, she also stays here on her own sometimes, not sure what you mean buy , "being a resident is not all amount registering here in Spain " ?
The law states that if they consider that your 'centre of economic interest' is in Spain, then you are deemed to be resident here irrespective of the 183 day rule.

What this means in reality is that if your main residence is here, your family are here etc. etc. then you are really already resident here.
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Old Nov 19th 2015, 7:32 am
  #41  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by snikpoh
The law states that if they consider that your 'centre of economic interest' is in Spain, then you are deemed to be resident here irrespective of the 183 day rule.

What this means in reality is that if your main residence is here, your family are here etc. etc. then you are really already resident here.
I am fully aware of the law sir and as my centre of economic interest is firmly in the UK, I spend less than 183 days a year here and no more than 21 days at a time then I am firmly within it, I pay my taxes for UK interests in the UK and tax in Spain for La Renta and on our Summer rentals.

I do sometimes wonder why people can't understand its quite possible to do this!!!
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Old Nov 19th 2015, 11:42 am
  #42  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Longlegpete
I am fully aware of the law sir and as my centre of economic interest is firmly in the UK, I spend less than 183 days a year here and no more than 21 days at a time then I am firmly within it, I pay my taxes for UK interests in the UK and tax in Spain for La Renta and on our Summer rentals.

I do sometimes wonder why people can't understand its quite possible to do this!!!
I was merely answering your question;
... not sure what you mean buy , "being a resident is not all amount registering here in Spain " ?
I too am aware that it is possible to do exactly what you are doing.
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Old Nov 19th 2015, 12:17 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by snikpoh
I was merely answering your question;
I'm not sure that was the original question asked of me by Casa Santo Estevo ?, anyway if it was it has indeed been answered, going back to the original subject something that also came out of my conversations with the DVLA is they class any vehicle that has been out of the UK reguarless of Age for more that 12 Months as permanently exported, i guess they have no way of knowing this but it is what they said
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Old Nov 19th 2015, 4:33 pm
  #44  
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Default Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Originally Posted by Longlegpete
I'm not sure that was the original question asked of me by Casa Santo Estevo ?, anyway if it was it has indeed been answered, going back to the original subject something that also came out of my conversations with the DVLA is they class any vehicle that has been out of the UK reguarless of Age for more that 12 Months as permanently exported, i guess they have no way of knowing this but it is what they said
If the vehicle is not SORNd, taxed, or MOTd, DVLA safe to assume it is out of the UK, ergo exported.
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Old Feb 25th 2016, 2:46 pm
  #45  
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Smile Re: Keeping a UK registered car in Spain

Hi!!! new member here, just want to ask if anyone can tell me if this issue of keeping a vehicle in spain for 6 months means- 6 months in any one calender year or 6 months in any 12 month period. Bit confusing but then I am 74yrs old so maybe can be forgiven!!!!!
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