Using A UK Trailer ?
Oct 19th 2023, 7:20 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2017
Location: Lanzarote
Posts: 94
Using A UK Trailer ?
I've Googled for ages and becoming more and more confused. I need a motorcycle trailer but they are stupid prices here. I have a UK one that I towed here behind my UK camper.
I've seen conflicting reports as to whether I can can just use that as it's way under the 750 Kgs limit.
This is what I've seen but not sure if it's actually true
RULES
Firstly, if you have an unbraked trailer that has a maximum permitted mass (MMA) of 750 kg or less then it does not have to be registered in Spain and can be used by any vehicle that has an authorised tow bar. For braked trailers and those with a maximum permitted mass greater than 750 kg, registration is always required and they will be issued with a red number plate with black lettering that starts with the letter R for Remolque.
Any experience of using a UK trailer ?
I've seen conflicting reports as to whether I can can just use that as it's way under the 750 Kgs limit.
This is what I've seen but not sure if it's actually true
RULES
Firstly, if you have an unbraked trailer that has a maximum permitted mass (MMA) of 750 kg or less then it does not have to be registered in Spain and can be used by any vehicle that has an authorised tow bar. For braked trailers and those with a maximum permitted mass greater than 750 kg, registration is always required and they will be issued with a red number plate with black lettering that starts with the letter R for Remolque.
Any experience of using a UK trailer ?
Oct 24th 2023, 9:10 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Andalucia
Posts: 36
Re: Using A UK Trailer ?
This was my experience and it was BEFORE Brexit, so may be different now.
I had a UK built (i.e. RHD) Discovery that I put on to Spanish plates.
I also had a UK trailer (over 750Kgs and used for firewood mainly) and when I used it I was stopped by the Guardia and fined €500.
The trailer was braked and had all the safety gizmos that are standard even in the UK.
Why was I fined?
Because the trailer had no paperwork (i.e. was not registered nor ITV'd) and was being towed by a Spanish registered vehicle.
Had it been towed by a UK registered vehicle, they couldn't have touched me under EU rules at the time.
That fine was reduced by 50% if paid within (I think) a month.
I enquired about registering the trailer but ran into the predictable Spanish bureaucracy with their requirements for engineers' reports and paperwork raised anew, so I gave up.
It's anecdotal, but a friend, who had an Ifor Williams trailer, approached Ifor Williams who said they did not provide (from the UK) paperwork that complied with Spanish requirements.
I had a UK built (i.e. RHD) Discovery that I put on to Spanish plates.
I also had a UK trailer (over 750Kgs and used for firewood mainly) and when I used it I was stopped by the Guardia and fined €500.
The trailer was braked and had all the safety gizmos that are standard even in the UK.
Why was I fined?
Because the trailer had no paperwork (i.e. was not registered nor ITV'd) and was being towed by a Spanish registered vehicle.
Had it been towed by a UK registered vehicle, they couldn't have touched me under EU rules at the time.
That fine was reduced by 50% if paid within (I think) a month.
I enquired about registering the trailer but ran into the predictable Spanish bureaucracy with their requirements for engineers' reports and paperwork raised anew, so I gave up.
It's anecdotal, but a friend, who had an Ifor Williams trailer, approached Ifor Williams who said they did not provide (from the UK) paperwork that complied with Spanish requirements.
Oct 24th 2023, 9:05 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Valencia area
Posts: 1,160
Re: Using A UK Trailer ?
This was my experience and it was BEFORE Brexit, so may be different now.
I had a UK built (i.e. RHD) Discovery that I put on to Spanish plates.
I also had a UK trailer (over 750Kgs and used for firewood mainly) and when I used it I was stopped by the Guardia and fined €500.
The trailer was braked and had all the safety gizmos that are standard even in the UK.
Why was I fined?
Because the trailer had no paperwork (i.e. was not registered nor ITV'd) and was being towed by a Spanish registered vehicle.
Had it been towed by a UK registered vehicle, they couldn't have touched me under EU rules at the time.
That fine was reduced by 50% if paid within (I think) a month.
I enquired about registering the trailer but ran into the predictable Spanish bureaucracy with their requirements for engineers' reports and paperwork raised anew, so I gave up.
It's anecdotal, but a friend, who had an Ifor Williams trailer, approached Ifor Williams who said they did not provide (from the UK) paperwork that complied with Spanish requirements.
I had a UK built (i.e. RHD) Discovery that I put on to Spanish plates.
I also had a UK trailer (over 750Kgs and used for firewood mainly) and when I used it I was stopped by the Guardia and fined €500.
The trailer was braked and had all the safety gizmos that are standard even in the UK.
Why was I fined?
Because the trailer had no paperwork (i.e. was not registered nor ITV'd) and was being towed by a Spanish registered vehicle.
Had it been towed by a UK registered vehicle, they couldn't have touched me under EU rules at the time.
That fine was reduced by 50% if paid within (I think) a month.
I enquired about registering the trailer but ran into the predictable Spanish bureaucracy with their requirements for engineers' reports and paperwork raised anew, so I gave up.
It's anecdotal, but a friend, who had an Ifor Williams trailer, approached Ifor Williams who said they did not provide (from the UK) paperwork that complied with Spanish requirements.
To the OP your quoted rules say that you can use it !, so use it.
Oct 25th 2023, 10:10 am
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2017
Location: Alicante
Posts: 932
Re: Using A UK Trailer ?
Let me rephrase.
Not to condone law breaking but when you see just about every non commercial trailer of every weight, and some commercial ones, being towed under the tow vehicles reg you do have to wonder just how seriously the rules are being taken and/or enforced.
Re discoman's tale, I'll wager the real reason he was stopped was not so much the number plate issue but more because he was driving an obviously ex UK RHD vehicle.
Re Ifor Williams trailers, I know from personal experience that their policy is to only issue CoC's relevant to the country in which they are purchased and are to be used. There are practical reasons for this as rules and specifications can vary significantly between countries. The first one which stands out is the ID plaque and the way in which the various weights are written on them.
There is no such thing as a pan European CoC and in fact for trailers sold in the UK, where registration is not necessary, if a CoC is issued at all it will be on a voluntary basis by the manufacturer in order to show that their product meets certain quality standards, outside of UK it will be completely worthless.
My strong advice to anyone thinking of bringing a UK trailer to Spain is don't!
Not to condone law breaking but when you see just about every non commercial trailer of every weight, and some commercial ones, being towed under the tow vehicles reg you do have to wonder just how seriously the rules are being taken and/or enforced.
Re discoman's tale, I'll wager the real reason he was stopped was not so much the number plate issue but more because he was driving an obviously ex UK RHD vehicle.
Re Ifor Williams trailers, I know from personal experience that their policy is to only issue CoC's relevant to the country in which they are purchased and are to be used. There are practical reasons for this as rules and specifications can vary significantly between countries. The first one which stands out is the ID plaque and the way in which the various weights are written on them.
There is no such thing as a pan European CoC and in fact for trailers sold in the UK, where registration is not necessary, if a CoC is issued at all it will be on a voluntary basis by the manufacturer in order to show that their product meets certain quality standards, outside of UK it will be completely worthless.
My strong advice to anyone thinking of bringing a UK trailer to Spain is don't!
