Keeping our GB car in spain, although only being used when on two week holiday

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21 Oct 2018 6:29 PM by Mustang10 Star rating. 3 posts Send private message

Hi i am new to the site.

Could someone give advise please. We are purchasing a house in spain as a holiday home to eventually move over.

My question is, we are thinking of driving our car over and leaving it at our spanish property,sothat it can be used when we are over spain on our two week holidays.

I have read that there is a 30 day rule when having a UK car in spain, however  we will not be using it above the two weeks of our holiday.

Could anyone advise if this would be okay. We will need to bring back to UK for MOT testing and ensure the insurance and tax is paid in UK

 

Thanks


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21 Oct 2018 6:51 PM by windtalker Star rating. 1934 posts Send private message

I would ask your car insurance company ...after all if your car gets damage or you cause damage to someone els it would be them that you would go to to pay for the repairs.





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21 Oct 2018 7:20 PM by inspectahomespain Star rating in Orihuela Costa, Spai.... 2417 posts Send private message

Vip Supporter

The rule is how long the car is in the country that counts, not how long it is being used so you couldnt do this legally and if found out they would take the car away and crush it



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21 Oct 2018 8:24 PM by Kavanagh Star rating in Oil Drum Lane Newcas.... 1316 posts Send private message

Kavanagh´s avatar

Hello inspectarhomespain

What rule states how long a non resident person can keep a fully legal UK plated  car in Spain?

Mustang10 what you may have read is your insurance company policy rules, not Spanish law. You could change your insurance to suit.



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21 Oct 2018 8:32 PM by Mustang10 Star rating. 3 posts Send private message

Hi all,

Many thanks for the replies from you all. It has been most helpful. We are thinking of the near future and wanted to be legal.

Speak again to you all i am sure as this is a new venture.


Mustang10



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21 Oct 2018 8:46 PM by mariedav Star rating in Ciudad Quesada. 1222 posts Send private message

The "30 day" rule is for those taking up residency in Spain and you have to start the process within that time.

If you mean leaving it here on British plates forever and ever then you must realise you have to take it back to UK every year to get an MOT. It must be road legal in its own country (road tax, MoT and Insurance) at all times. No such thing as a SORN here.

You can drive the car for up to 6 months in any one year. It's the driver that counts. You would need to keep proof of your comings and goings in the unlikely event of being stopped by the police.

If you transfer it to Spanish plates then that is OK even as a non resident. It can then stay here but must remain taxed, insured and ITV (Spanish equivalent of MoT) at all times. The ITV only necessary every 2 years until it is 10 years old then every year.

There's an N332 site which has answers to many questions by English speakers and is run by the Guardia Civil.

 

 

 





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22 Oct 2018 1:22 AM by Roberto Star rating in Torremolinos. 4552 posts Send private message

Roberto´s avatar

"....so that it can be used when we are over spain on our two week holidays."

Two weeks? surprise Save yourself the hassle, just rent a car when you come to Spain. It will be cheaper than driving a couple of thousand miles every year just for an MoT, and it will even have the steering wheel on the right (left) side!



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22 Oct 2018 9:12 AM by inspectahomespain Star rating in Orihuela Costa, Spai.... 2417 posts Send private message


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22 Oct 2018 9:31 AM by Kavanagh Star rating in Oil Drum Lane Newcas.... 1316 posts Send private message

Kavanagh´s avatar

Roy you are getting the whole thing muddled up and don’t understand what you are reading. 6 months in any 12 months is about residency. A non resident can have a fully legal UK car in Spain for as long as they like.

https://rightcasa.com/driving-your-uk-car-in-spain/

If you are non-resident, you can being your car into Spain all year round - of course you need to prove you are not resident all year, and must have the correct MOT Certificate Tax, and Insurance.


This message was last edited by Kavanagh on 22/10/2018.

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22 Oct 2018 9:41 AM by inspectahomespain Star rating in Orihuela Costa, Spai.... 2417 posts Send private message

Vip Supporter

Sorry you are totally wrong and if you refer to so many sites because the rules actually apply to the vehicle, not the person, therefore if the vehicle is stopped and the Police ask for proof of export etc and this cannot be proved then the vehicle will be removed

Thus is from REAL situation where I know that this has happened

With residents there is even more confusion because some talk about 30 days not 6 months and there is much more on a thread on here

As the law stands a foreign registered car can spend six months per calendar year on Spanish roads without any additional paperwork. It can remain in Spain indefinitely as long as it is garaged on private land (not left on the roadside) for six months per year. The vehicle will need to maintain a valid roadworthiness (MOT in the UK).

https://www.eyeonspain.com/forums/posts-long-13529.aspx

 



_______________________
Roy Howitt Independent Property Consultant www.sonrisaproperties.com www.snaggingspain.com WE CAN FIND YOUR DREAM HOME 627 955 748



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22 Oct 2018 9:46 AM by inspectahomespain Star rating in Orihuela Costa, Spai.... 2417 posts Send private message


_______________________
Roy Howitt Independent Property Consultant www.sonrisaproperties.com www.snaggingspain.com WE CAN FIND YOUR DREAM HOME 627 955 748



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22 Oct 2018 10:11 AM by Kavanagh Star rating in Oil Drum Lane Newcas.... 1316 posts Send private message

Kavanagh´s avatar

No Roy, you just won’t have it will you.

''Non-resident can drive and keep a non Spanish plated car here for up to six months in any period of 12 months. This is tied in with the residency issue as you are considered a resident when you reside here for the same amount of time.''

The car is not subject to residency issues, only the driver. If the car is fully legal it can stay as long as you like, but the driver cannot without becoming resident.

There is absolutely no documentation proving when a car comes and goes. The only check that can be made is if it is fully legal, tax, insurance and MOT. Also the legal residence status of the driver’s entitlement to drive the vehicle.

 


This message was last edited by Kavanagh on 22/10/2018.

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22 Oct 2018 12:05 PM by mariedav Star rating in Ciudad Quesada. 1222 posts Send private message

Correct, Kavanagh. It's the driver that the 6 months rule applies to and not the car. The car must remain road legal in its country of origin at all times so would have to go back for an MoT before the year is up but the driver can come over and use it for up to 6 months in any one year. Once the driver (not the car) has been here for over 6 months then they are classed as resident so can't drive a foreign plated car anyway

This is pointed out on several advice sites and is referred to in the CAB link to the actual law although many assume the driver will be here with the car so mention the keeping of it for over 6 months.

Much better to simply buy a car in Spain (unless it's a particularly cherished one) or re-register it on Spanish plates. For an annual visit of 2 weeks then it would not be worth keeping it here. Paying a whole year's insurance and road tax for something being used for 2 weeks would cost far more than hiring one.

 





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22 Oct 2018 2:08 PM by inspectahomespain Star rating in Orihuela Costa, Spai.... 2417 posts Send private message

Vip Supporter

Tell this to the many people around Torrevieja that have had their cars taken away, there is proof which is the ferry or tunnel ticket plus the Spanish Police can check with port authorities against the registration number

The car element that control this is the importation tax to change the vehicle and ALL of the changover fees and taxes are applied to the car, not the person and the checks are on how long the car has actually been in Spain, not the person



_______________________
Roy Howitt Independent Property Consultant www.sonrisaproperties.com www.snaggingspain.com WE CAN FIND YOUR DREAM HOME 627 955 748



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22 Oct 2018 3:14 PM by Kavanagh Star rating in Oil Drum Lane Newcas.... 1316 posts Send private message

Kavanagh´s avatar

Roy, we will just have to give up on this one, you are just making it up as you go along. It’s becoming embarrassing. Have it your way.



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There is enough in the world for everyone, but not enough for the greedy!



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22 Oct 2018 5:54 PM by Roberto Star rating in Torremolinos. 4552 posts Send private message

Roberto´s avatar

I wonder if the OP is interested in this petty bickering? 

I honestly don't know (and don't really care) what the law is (other than ambigious and open to interpretation). But the fact is that it's how the Spanish police, not forum members, decide to interpret the law that matters. Why run the risk?

The other (probably more relevant) fact is that the OP already knows that to keep the car legal, he will have to get it back to the UK once a year just for an MoT - which considering he says he only plans on spending a couple of weeks a year in Spain, simply doesn't make economic sense. I can't even work out the logistics of it - flying out to drive the car back for it's MoT, then driving it back to Spain before jumping on a flight home, so that you can fly out again for a fortnight and use the car some other time of the year? The mind boggles!

laugh

P.S. Maybe the OP meant that he will never spend more than 2 weeks at a time in Spain, but will visit several times a year? He will still need to check with his insurance company, as they probably limit the time the vehicle is allowed to be out of the UK. And if he is planning on spending more time in Spain and doesn't want to rent a car, then all the more reason to buy a LHD (on Spanish plates) and avoid all the potential problems.

 


This message was last edited by Roberto on 22/10/2018.


This message was last edited by Roberto on 22/10/2018.

_______________________

 

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please"

Mark Twain

 

 

 




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