It is quite legal for the vehicle to remain in Spain on UK plates for up to six months. We fly back to the UK for extended visits regularly while our car remains garaged at our Spanish holiday home. We never stay in Spain longer than 90 consecutive days and the car stays no longer than six months. We have certificates of non-residence to ensure that our bank account will not be frozen. We are also registered on the local Padron. We ourselves never spend more than six months in Spain in each calendar year.

We do however intend to move to Spain in a few years time and will then comply with all the necessary requirements to suit that scenario, including matriculation. Perhaps we will update Finca Steve's matriculation experiences at that time!

Good man, but how can you be on the padron and not live here ?

We are entitled to be on the Padron as we have property in the village and live here for up to six months each year. Our main home is in the UK, although hopefully not for too much longer. Spain does not need to be your main place of residence to qualify for Padron registration, although it is certainly not compulsory for temporary residents such as my wife and I.

When you register on the Padron you are given the opportunity to register to vote in local elections. You have to take up permanent residence before you are entitled to vote in National and regional elections. We do not yet qualify for such status as our main home is in the UK.

Legally you cannot be on the Padron unless it is your permanent home - that does not stop Town Halls encouraging you to (illegally) sign on as it is to their benefit.

You will never be allowed to vote in national or regional elections unless you are a Spanish national. You can vote in local and EU elections but that's all.

We took this advice found in the FREE BEER section under residency rules:

It is, like the local town hall Padrón certificate, simply a piece of paper saying that the person does live in Spain for more than 3 months and has a legal address and ID number, it does not necessarily mean they are full time residents but it does catch many people now who were not declaring holiday homes etc

We told the town hall our main home is in the UK and they didn't raise any queries about it. Sorry for my incorrect assumptions regarding national and regional elections. I agree this is only available to Spanish nationals.

We were offered the option to vote in European elections but declined, explaining we have this right in the UK and did not want to relinquish it at this time.

If we are on the Padron erroneously can we ask to be removed from it?

I guess you can vote in both if you wish - not that it will change anything in either country!

Don't worry about the Padron - it doesn't make much difference if you are wrongly registered and it will keep the mayor happy - if enough people sign on he can afford a new Merc!

Thanks for the advice Fred. Above all we are anxious to remain non-resident in Spain (for now) as we believe residency status would preclude us from driving UK registered cars within Spain.

Our village has a mayoress but as far as we can tell she is still saving up for the Merc!

It seems one of you lot went to Germany to purchase your car after all.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8051476.stm

LOL.

Some more news about purchasing a new car in Europe and exporting it.
http://www.euronews.net/2009/05/19/c...er-car-buying/

Make sure you get your paperwork when you pick up your car. It is doubtful if the salesman wil know too much about this.

Thanks for that. Surprisingly, perhaps in light of my earlier comments, our dealer did know. But the proof of the pudding.....