Relocation at Spain One Stop

Things you must keep in the car when driving in Spain.

1. You must have 2 warning triangles.
2. 2 day glow jackets in case you break down.
3. A first aid kit.
4. A fire extinguisher
5. Spare bulbs and the tools to change them.

Paperwork you need to carry.

Warning if you do not have the relevant paperwork the Guardia can and will confiscate your vehicle.

1.      A valid green card for insurance unless you have 90 day cover from your U.K. insurance.

2.      Driving license.

3.      Passport or Spanish I.D. card.( If you only have your Spanish I.D. card all paperwork must be the correct Spanish paperwork or you will, at best be warned by the Guardia or at worst they will take your vehicle.

4.      The ownership document for the vehicle.

5.      A valid M.O.T if registered in the U.K. or valid I.T.V. if Spanish registered

6.      The owners hand book for the vehicle.

Things to know.

If you have a right hand drive car from the U.K. fit beam deflectors to your headlights before you come.

If you intend to register your right hand drive car in Spain try to obtain left hand drive headlights before you leave the U.K. They are expensive here.

The speed limits unless otherwise stated are:

The limit on urban roads is 50 kph.

The limit on the open road is between 90 and 100 kph.

The motorway limit is 120 kph.

The minimum driving age is 18 or 16 for scooters under 50cc.

There is now a 0 tolerance for drink driving.

No one under 12 years old is aloud to sit in the front seat.

Seat belts are compulsory front and rear.

If you are riding a motorcycle you must wear a crash helmet.

If going through a tunnel you must turn on dipped head lights.

Importation and registration

UK nationals who are not residents may bring their car into Spain, but neither they nor anyone else can use it in Spain for more than six months in any one year. If you are resident in Spain and want to import a vehicle, you must register it with the local authorities in the Spanish province where you live. They will grant you permission to drive your foreign plated car through the Spanish territory.

The motoring associations in Britain and the Real Automovil Club de España can provide guidance, but the authoritative source of information is the Directorate-General of Customs in Madrid (Dirección General deAduanas, C/ Guzmán el Bueno 137, 28003 Madrid. Tel: (+34) 91 582 6805.

EU citizens moving to Spain to take up official residence may bring their own car with them, exempt from import duties. If you are from outside the EU, you may get the exemption from Spain's 10 per cent import duties, under the following conditions:

• you must have owned your car for at least 6 months prior to the import into Spain
• you must have paid VAT in your country of origin (otherwise this tax must be paid in Spain)

A registration tax impuesto municipal sobre circulación de vehículos must be paid in Spain. This tax is calculated on the vehicle's current value (based on the original market price in Spain). An imported car that EU residents have owned for 6 months or more is not subject to this tax. You must obtain a residency transfer certificate (alta/baja consular) from a British Consulate.

Once the importation procedure is completed, you will be issued a temporary registration plate, which enables you to drive your imported car in Spain. Any concession on the duty-free import of cars applies only to people who take out an official residence permit in Spain.

These are only general guidelines, other questions applicable to your individual case should be directed to the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico or a lawyer.

Motor insurance regulations

Spanish insurance regulations differ from those in the UK. It is important to check carefully what cover your policy provides. ASEGURACE may provide guidance (Tel: 902 120 441).

UK driving licences

UK driving licences issued from 1990 and the photocard licence issued from 1997 are accepted in Spain. The minimum age required to drive is 18 years. For information about the photocard driving licence please visit the DVLA website.

Licences issued before 1990 are only accepted if accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (available from the Spanish Embassy in London and the Real Automóvil Club de España if the licence holder is already in Spain). Holders of these may prefer to use an International Licence issued anywhere outside Spain.

You may keep your UK licence (if issued after 1990) or exchange it for a Spanish one, subject to the same medical examinations as Spanish nationals. It is advisable to exchange UK licences for Spanish ones (which are valid for visits to the UK). The DVLA won't put a non-UK address on a replacement licence, or send one out of the UK. Therefore, if your UK licence is lost or stolen in Spain, you will not be able to obtain a replacement licence from the UK. Spanish authorities will not be able to replace one they did not issue. For information on how to apply for a Spanish driving licence, please contact the Jefatura Provincial de Trafico in your area.

Spanish driving licence renewals

Spanish driving licences are valid for ten years if the licence holder is under 45, 5 years from 45 to 70 years and two years thereafter. To renew a licence the applicant needs a medical certificate issued by an officially recognised centre.

Registering on Spanish plates

The procedures relating to registration are complex. The motoring associations in Britain and the Real Automóvil Club de España can provide guidance, but the authoritative source of information is the Directorate-General of Customs in Madrid (Dirección General de Aduanas, C/ Guzmán el Bueno 137, 28003 Madrid Tel: (+34) 91 553 02 00/ Fax: (+34) 91 553 52 42).

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Parking in Spain