Spanish plates - What exactly is the process?

[PavAmber]

Hi
This topic seems to have been covered in parts in other threads but what I am after is the exact process as I have read a few contradictory thoughts.

Basically, weighing up buying a Spanish registered car in Spain -v- a LHD car from the UK and re-registering on Spanish plates. So far, it seems buying a second hand car in Spain is expensive and they seem to have very high mileage. It would appear you can pick a LHD car in the UK much cheaper and with significantly less miles on the clock.

I appreciate you need certificate of conformity etc. But can anyone detail the exact process or point me in the direction of where it might be documented? I am particularly interested in:-
1. Do you have to have owned the car in the UK for a period of time first (I have read very different versions from "buy it just before you come" to "must have owned for 6 months"!).

2. At what point do you re-register to avoid some taxation? Is it as soon as you arrive or after 3 months or what? We have NIE numbers now but not sure how long we have to be in Spain before we can register on the "Padron" which I understand is another requirement?

3. Do the transfer costs outweigh the savings of buying in the UK?

I thank you all in anticipation!

Richard & Lesley

[El Cid]

1. If you want to import it free of the matriculation tax, it must have been owned for 6 months, otherwise no.

2. To avoid the tax you must do it within 60 days of signing on the Padron.

3. It depends on the age of the car, it's original value and the official CO2 emissions. At worst, the tax can be 14.75% of the value, at best, zero. On top of the tax there are significant charges for the process plus potential costs to make modifications to conform to local requirents such as headlights.

Bearing in mind that a RHD vehicle has a very low value if you need to sell it in Spain, it is rarely a good idea unless the car has particular personal value or is a classic.

Sid

[PavAmber]

Thanks Sid
Much clearer. I was talking about buying an LHD car in the UK and bringing it over but your first point about having to own it for 6 months first defeats that idea as I will have owned it for 2 months (tops).

Much appreciated.
Richard

[El Cid]

That depends. If the car you bought had CO2 less than 120g then there would be no tax in either case.

Sid