Join the Ronda forum
My name's Alex and this is my website all about Ronda in Spain. Register now for free to talk about Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car in Ronda and much more!
I am a new arrival on a non-lucrative visa. I arrived in my 19 year old VW Golf (via the Santander ferry!). Does anyone think it is worth registering the car in Spain under the change of residency rules (cheaper/easier than usual importing) or should I try to sell it to someone returning to UK? Does anyone have any experience of either process?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:14am
Very helpful member
Tricky do you realise once a resident, (which you will be on a NLV), you cannot drive the car on UK plates? Further, you can only use a UK license for 6 months with a Spanish plated car. You would also have to import the car and modify lights to qualify for the Spanish MOT, take care or you could be prosecuted for driving it and wont be covered for insurance. Further until deal done with UK, 'if happens', you cannot swap your licence for a Spanish one and need to take a new test. - It could be costly, best to sell to a person moving back to UK.
Link update UK driving licence.
https://www.surinenglish.com/spain/uk-drving-licence-exchange-20220805122649-nt.html
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:11pm
Holaitsdavid wrote on Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:14am:
Tricky do you realise once a resident, (which you will be on a NLV), you cannot drive the car on UK plates? Further, you can only use a UK license for 6 months with a Spanish plated car. You would also have to import the car and modify lights to qualify for the Spanish MOT, take care or you could...
Read more...
... be prosecuted for driving it and wont be covered for insurance. Further until deal done with UK, 'if happens', you cannot swap your licence for a Spanish one and need to take a new test. - It could be costly, best to sell to a person moving back to UK.
Link update UK driving licence.
https://www.surinenglish.com/spain/uk-drving-licence-exchange-20220805122649-nt.html
Thank you for the information! Things have become even more complicated haven't they, since leaving the EU. I'll bear in mind your comments and give careful thought to the issue. Many thanks.
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:23pm
Very helpful member
Julia Grace wrote on Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:11pm:
Thank you for the information! Things have become even more complicated haven't they, since leaving the EU. I'll bear in mind your comments and give careful thought to the issue. Many thanks.
Yes very complicated Julia, I had all these problems, can't drive now and sent my car back to the UK. NIGHTMARE.
Julia Grace wrote on Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:11pm:
Thank you for the information! Things have become even more complicated haven't they, since leaving the EU. I'll bear in mind your comments and give careful thought to the issue. Many thanks.
Just for interest, Brexit has had no effect on the car regulations, at the moment it has the effect on your UK driving licence, hopefully they'll do a deal but it has been slow!
It has always been the case that once you imported a UK car to Spain, you had to re-register it as Spanish within 3 months of arrival. Twenty years ago I saw a neighbour's car with the Guardia Civil seal on it. He'd been caught driving his English car, hadn't changed the registration to Spanish, so they just sealed the car and put it off the road.
Advertisement - posts continue below
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 7:41pm
Very helpful member
TB wrote on Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:42pm:
Just for interest, Brexit has had no effect on the car regulations, at the moment it has the effect on your UK driving licence, hopefully they'll do a deal but it has been slow!
It has always been the case that once you imported a UK car to Spain, you had to re-register it as Spanish within 3 months of arrival. Twenty years ago I saw a neighbour's car with the Guardia Civil seal on it. He'd been caught driving his English car, hadn't changed the registration to Spanish, ...
Read more...
...so they just sealed the car and put it off the road.
"Brexit has had no effect on the car regulations" ?
Before Brexit people were not 'forced to take residence', (which changed the legality of driving the UK plated car) life was much easier before the 90 day stay and Schengen stamp, there were loads of UK registration cars here on the coast, when all EU citizens.
'With the UK leaving the EU, from 1st
January 2021 the status of UK registered vehicles within Europe changed
overnight, with huge implications for customs, VAT and import duties'.
https://upsticks.es/importing-your-uk-registered-car-into-spain-post-brexit/
Holaitsdavid wrote on Wed Aug 17, 2022 7:41pm:
"Brexit has had no effect on the car regulations" ?
Before Brexit people were not 'forced to take residence', (which changed the legality of driving the UK plated car) life was much easier before the 90 day stay and Schengen stamp, there were loads of UK registration cars here on the coast, when all EU citizens. ...
Read more...
...
'With the UK leaving the EU, from 1st January 2021 the status of UK registered vehicles within Europe changed overnight, with huge implications for customs, VAT and import duties'.
https://upsticks.es/importing-your-uk-registered-car-into-spain-post-brexit/
I meant simply that it was always illegal to drive a UK plate in Spain once you had imported the car. It was the law that you had to change it to Spanish plates and meet Spanish specifications after three months. Many Brits ignored that, many got away with it, many were caught. Brexit did not affect that.
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:23pm
Very helpful member
TB wrote on Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:00pm:
I meant simply that it was always illegal to drive a UK plate in Spain once you had imported the car. It was the law that you had to change it to Spanish plates and meet Spanish specifications after three months. Many Brits ignored that, many got away with it, many were caught. Brexit did not aff...
Read more...
...ect that.
"I meant simply that it was always illegal to drive a UK plate in Spain once you had imported the car"
But most did not import the car, further, majority of the cars you would see here second home owners with a UK address. Residence is now a problem, if people want to stay longer than 90 days. Whole new ball game, many people spent most of their time here and never took residence, now a third country and passport stamped. Good old days are over, I think a loss for both Spain and Brits, the present delay none swap of license crazy, UK deal agreed with 24 EU countries, apart from Spain & Italy. Note Japanese can swap because written into trade deal, missed out of UK FTA. Also in reverse EU citizens in the UK can keep their drivers licence until expires or swap, also stay in UK for 6 months, take a day trip to France and start again. (Most things in Spain not simple)
Holaitsdavid wrote on Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:23pm:
"I meant simply that it was always illegal to drive a UK plate in Spain once you had imported the car"
But most did not import the car, further, majority of the cars you would see here second home owners with a UK address. Residence is now a problem, if people want to stay longer than 90 days. Whole new ball game, many people spent most of their time here and never took residence, now a third coun...
Read more...
...try and passport stamped. Good old days are over, I think a loss for both Spain and Brits, the present delay none swap of license crazy, UK deal agreed with 24 EU countries, apart from Spain & Italy. Note Japanese can swap because written into trade deal, missed out of UK FTA. Also in reverse EU citizens in the UK can keep their drivers licence until expires or swap, also stay in UK for 6 months, take a day trip to France and start again. (Most things in Spain not simple)
Yes I agree it sure is messy!
Hi Julia,
I guess other forum members have covered most of it.
Would just like to add that converting a British Car will cost at least €1,000 depending on the state of the car. Then you will have a 19 year old car with right hand drive that nobody really wants ( especially on toll road and car parks).
Find more Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car topics from a particular area:
Or view all Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car topics in all of Costa del Sol.
