helen17

glad they are finally doing something about all those unregistered, untaxed, un MOT'd and probabley uninsured uk plated vehicles at last. When you try and do things right - we have spanish vehicles - and see all those "getting away" with the above mentioned it does get to you! Most of them would not dream of doing the same in the uk but its ok here? Where can you apply to join the force dealing with ..........................

Bigger Jim

I went off and read the e-mail referred to.

Of the two cases cited the first was clearly in breach of UK regs in that he didn't have his registration document and so the car could clearly have been stolen, if nothing else, as he couldn't prove he owned the car. See DVLA web site.

The second was here to become and had become a resident and was then in breach of Spanish regs.

It was a very emotive title clearly designed to upset readers, those who deserved it and those who didn't.

I read the articles by Spanish lawyers and the EC on movement of private vehicles throughout the EU and as a resident of the UK I can drive my UK car anywhere in the EU provided my car is legal in the UK. The only thing that stops me leaving it here all year and only using it for 6 months minus 1 day each year is I can't get a UK MOT here.

By the way what ever happened to all that information.

Regards

Jim

jdr

I think you will find that the wording is " the vehicle in Spain for more than six months maximum"
Also the amount of days that you are in Spain decides if you are resident of Spain or UK.
If you are deemed resident in Spain then you must re-register your UK plated car to Spanish plates within 30 days.

Bigger Jim

Yeah but isn't the "six month thing" why people do day trips to other counties? Or is that an "urban myth"?

FWIW we winter and summer in the UK spending just under 6 months total here. Thought I would stress that so people wouldn't get apoplexy, do they still get that, thinking we were illegal. Mind you I do read tjhe Daily Mail!

Regards

Jim

jdr

I dont think a day trip to Gib counts. ;-)
I cant remember how many days, 100 and something in Spain then you are classed as resident.

mikelincs

Sorry but that is not the case, Once the car has been here for 6 months and a day it is illegal, it's nothing to do with how long YOU are here, but the car. Doesn't matter whether it is taxed and tested and still in date, the 6 months and a day is the cut off point. To be legal on a UK plated car in Spain you have to be able to PROVE that it has not been here more than 6 months, and the only acceptable way is to have the ferry ticket. Lack of that, even if the car hasn't been here 6 months could well result in the car being impounded immediatley on being stopped. Lack of valid documents in a car in Spain doesn't get the '7 days to produce them at your local police station' its an offence and usually results in the impounding of the car until you can prove it is legal. You could be 300 Km from home, but the result would be the same. Dont forget that in many places they do not have traffic wardens as we know them, the local police go round, and if they see a car parked illegally, then when you return you are likely to find a paper stuck on the pavement where you left the car saying it had been towed away. They do NOT use the Denver Boot. I've been sat in cafes and watched many cars towed away like this, then the owner turns up and looks most perplexed at the space where the car had been left.

mikelincs

Urban Myth I'm afraid, you have to be able to PROVE that your car hasn't been in Spain more than the 6 months, just crossing a border will not suffice as there is not proof of that as passports etc are NOT stamped. SORRY BUT YOU ARE ILLEGAL. And illegal UK cars in this country is one of the main things that gets me very angry. I just wish the police would have a massive crackdown on them round here. I know of at least two on my urbanisation.

mikelincs

If you spend more than 183 days in any year here in Spain, then you are classed as a Spanish resident, both by the Spanish and UK authorities, it doesn't have to be 183 consecutive days.

scampicat

You CAN get it re-registered without too much hassle.

Go to the DVLA website and look under the section that says 'importing cars'.

Fred James

The 183 days refers to tax residency and applies to a calendar year. That means that you could be in Spain consecutively for 364 days and not be tax resident.

For residency purposes the law says that you can stay as a tourist for only 90 days, after which you are obliged to register as a resident.

I have lost count of how many times I have seen the 183 day rule incorrectly applied to (physical) residency status.

jdr

I think the reason the time limit was to point out that if you are here a certain amout of time then you are resident,
As you say it is an even shorter period then we thought, 91 days, then from that period you will need to re-register your car within 30 days.
In fact if they like to think that you was going to stay as resident from your arrival in Spain, then maybe they would not even consider the 91 days rule and expect it to be re-registered in 30 days ?

mikelincs

Certainly always was just 30 days after registering on the Padron from what I was told.

Fred James

Again there is some confusion about this.

If you wish to "import" your car without paying the registration tax, then you must do so within 30 days of applying for residency.

If you do this, your car is considered to be part of you personal goods which are free of any "import" taxes.

If you choose not to take this option and pay the tax you have 6 months to reregister the car. After 6 months it can be impounded and you will be fined quite heavily.

scampicat

This is all very well, but do they make any allowance for the snail's pace and complications of Spanish bureaucracy?

As I have pointed out on another thread, it took nearly nine months to import ours, and I know plenty of other people for whom it has taken the same time or longer.

Some friends of mine have now spent over six months trying to get the lights changed! To be fair, this is because it is an ancient BMW and the gargae can't get the lights and are also having to contact BMW in Germany for the spec, but nevertheless it is hardly or friends' fault that they are outside the time limit.

mikelincs

I suspect that as they will ahve proof that thye did start the process withing the time limit, then shouldn't be a problem. The problem is with those who do not, or have no intention of becoming legal here.