Spanish Vehicle Registration Questions and answers:

Many of our clients have specific questions that they needed answered regarding the Spanish car registration process and we have listed all the popular ones below. If you have any other questions please contact us by telephone, send us an email or complete the online form. We will be pleased to assist you.

Q: How long does the vehicle registration process take from start to finish?
A. Once the vehicle is ready for registration, the whole process usually takes between 4 and  7 working days.

Q: How much does your registration service cost?
A. The cost of Spanish registration would depend on the type of car, please contact us for a quote. Additional costs would be import duty if applicable, annual road tax (this is calculated pro-rata, but is much cheaper than the UK). If import duty is not being paid then an additional fee to the British consulate is necessary for an exemption certificate. Each vehicle can be very different and so it is better for clients to contact me direct for an accurate price.  If a car was to fail the ITV then of course repairs would need to be carried out to the vehicle and a retest fee of approx 20.00 euro is charged by the ITV station.

Q: How long can I legally drive my foreign registered car in Spain?
A. Legally you are able to drive a foreign registered car in Spain for 180 days if you are on holiday. However you must have a valid UK MOT, road tax disc and insurance to drive whilst abroad. If you own a property in Spain (regardless of whether you have residencia or not) then legally the police could fine you for driving after 30-days. 

Q: Do I need to be a Spanish resident to change my car over to Spanish plates?
A. You do not need to have Spanish residencia to register your foreign vehicle to Spanish registration. You will need to have an NIE certificate, an up to date padron certificate from your local town hall, a registration document for the car and a valid passport.

Q: What happens if my UK car tax and MOT expire while I am in Spain?
A. You would be better to register your car to Spanish registration if your UK road tax and MOT expire whilst driving in Spain. The other alternative is to return the car to the UK to renew these items (preferably before the current ones expire)

Q: I have plastic headlamp deflectors fitted. Will this be enough to get me through the ITV test?
A. The plastic headlamp deflectors would not be sufficient to pass the import ITV. However some cars have the facility to switch the lights direction for driving in Spain. Other cars can have new lens covers fitted or a modification can be made to the existing lights if the lamp does not have a sealed unit. Please contact me for information regarding this as if I can save money on lights then I would like to help you to do this.

Q: I have a light goods vehicle. Can this be transferred over to Spanish plates?
A. Unfortunately due to the "BLIND SPOT" which many light goods vehicles have, you cannot transfer a right hand drive van legally to Spanish registration. However some vehicles that have windows or vehicles classed as a mini-bus can be re-registered.

Q: Is there an age limit for cars that can be changed over to Spanish registration?
A. There is no age limit for vehicles being transferred to Spanish registration. Sometimes I have problems with the emission test or lights (some of the older motorbikes do not have indicators). However the knowledge and team of engineers which I have daily contact with are always able to assist with any diverse problems which may arise.

Q: What happens to my car insurance after registration?
A. Once the vehicle has been re-registered, then assistance or advice can be given with regards to insurance. Some companies can simply switch the number of the vehicle.