Fred James

You are talking about a used car.

There is no import tax.

What you pay is a special registration tax which is 12% of the current value of the car (as determined by Hacienda from their tables of values).


If the engine is less than 1600cc (petrol) or 1900cc (Diesel) the tax is reduced to 7%.

Mitzyboy

Whatever name you call it mate, its still an import tax
God knows how they worked ours out then Fred But I won't complain

Mercedes

Well it has got to be done, it's got to be cheaper than transporting it back to UK every year for Mot and Tax and then back again. When I've done it will let you know. I'm off again to UK so will be in a couple of weeks time ish. Unless I can find someone to do it whilst I'm away....I'll ring the bloke later today and see what he says....

Mercedes

I wouldn't bring a new car down here again. I had an MX5 in mint condition and I had some idiot back into it, then later my roof got slashed, my window broken so decided that it wasn't worth it.

valandgef

I have read loads of posts about importing your car to Spain and I am still a bit confused. We bought our Zafira in February this year for the intention of transporting ourselves, our dog & a few personal belongings to our home in Spain where we intend to live permanently. I read somewhere, & haven't been able to find it again that if you haven't owned the vehicle for 6 months there is an extra tax to pay. Is this right? Can anyone confirm what we will have to pay to make the car legal in Spain? I understand the time-frames etc.
Many thanks
Val

jdr

Its in the free beer thread, under driving in Spain, unless the rules have changed again...... ?

"If you have owned the vehicle for less than six months, or did not register it in your home country and pay all relevant taxes (in the EU country of origin), a registration tax (impuesto municipal sobre circulacion de vehiculos) of 12% is payable on vehicles imported into Spain and is calculated on the vehicle's current value which is based on the price which would have been paid new in Spain."

valandgef

thx jdr,

does it make a difference that the car is a 2003 model, not new?

Val
ps. my dad has lived in Arroya de la miele for the last 25 years!

jdr

Its down on a list they use, so I would imagine an older car would be less tax.
If its a small engine you will also pay less.

I bet your dads noticed a change round here then ;-)

valandgef

Is there any site we can go on to find out what we would actually be charged to import the car? We are now in two minds whether to sell it in the UK (probably at a loss), drive it down to Spain & try to sell it or keep it and import it legally. Decisions, decisions!! It's trying to work out which would be the least expensive.

Val

Fred James

The registration tax, as I said before, is either 7% or 12% and is based on the current value of the car.

There are lists of new values for almost all cars but the tax office just applies a depreciation percentage to the new value.

Just work out what you reckon the car is now worth and apply the percentage to the value. That will give you a good enough idea to decide whether to do it or not. Remember to add in the costs of changing headlamps etc, the ITV fees and plates etc and the gestors fees if you use one.

The 6 month ownership rule on a second hand car only applies to the situation where you want to bring it in as part of your goods and chattels when you apply for residence. To avoid the tax you must have owned it for more than 6 months.

Most people reckon it just isn't worth the effort to end up with a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side and zero second hand value.

scampicat

Unless of couse the vehicle would you much more than the £6000 that you paid in the UK.

That is the main reason we matriculated our car and didn't buy a Spanish one. A second-hand Seat Alhambra would have cost us more than twice what we paid in the UK, and MUCH more than the 850 euros (incliding change of headlights) that we paid to matriculate it.

Mitzyboy

or you have a car you can't buy / replace over here

valandgef

thanx for all your replies. Going to look at a few car sales sites to compare what we could possible buy in spain against what we have. We appreciate your help. I am sure I will be back asking more questions before we move over!! thanks again.
Val

Mercedes

Just updating my situation. I brought my car in UK on belgian plates and shipped it down to Spain. For me to import it in it will take 2 weeks and the cost is 1400 euros providing it passes it mot test. Apparently if I had brought the car in Belgium in my name it would have been cheaper and of course if I had had it for 6 months. The trouble was insurance so rather get it all sorted so I know it is legal which wasn't for a couple of weeks. But still got the car cheaper than I would have done if I had brought second hand in Spain especially a RAV 4. Luckily I was given a contact by my transporters who deal with a car company who does alot of importing and exporting so he was good enough to help me get it sorted. So whilst I'm in Uk hopefully when I go back it will be be okay. Fingers crossed.