Are residents now allowed to drive on foreign EU plates?

[daneinspain]

A friend told me he heard on the radio that residents are now permitted to drive around on foreign plates as long as they are from an EU country and the tax has been paid in that country. Is that correct?

[El Cid]

It's another urban myth.

Residents are obliged to reregister their cars within 6 months of becoming resident.

Non residents can drive their UK reg car for 6 months in a year but this is not enforced.

However foreign registered cars can only be driven in Spain if they are street legal in the country of registration and for a UK car that means having road tax and a current (UK) MOT.

Sid

[spanish_lad]

A friend told me he heard on the radio that residents are now permitted to drive around on foreign plates as long as they are from an EU country and the tax has been paid in that country. Is that correct?

yes, thats true, and it always has been. you can drive it perfectly legally for 6 months as long as it has uk tax, mot and insurance.

[El Cid]

yes, thats true, and it always has been. you can drive it perfectly legally for 6 months as long as it has uk tax, mot and insurance.

That is true but there is a big difference between residents and non residents.

Non residents can get away with more than 6 months so long as it is taxed etc but residents have to reregister as soon as they get residency but there is a grace period of up to 6 months. After that the car will be impounded and the owner fined up to 1000 euros. This happend to a friend recently.

The urban myth that I eferred to is the rumour going around that this is all going to change and that there will no longer be any restrictions.

Sid

[daneinspain]

Apparently it was "breaking news" but it is probably an "urban myth" as you say, sounds too good to be true.