Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Information and questions about driving in Andalucia, buying or importing cars and motorbikes plus legal issues surrounding taxes and licenses.
1bassleft
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Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby 1bassleft » Thu Feb 20, 2020 7:55 am

Hello, another one of those "importing my car" threads (most of which I've read thoroughly) but this one is slightly different so I thought I'd ask.

Has anyone experience of matriculation for a vehicle that was originally Spanish, taken abroad and re-plated in another EU country but is now to be brought back to Spain and requires ES plates again? If so, or you know of a case, I'd appreciate your knowledge. Particularly, does the vehicle's previous ES history amount to anything useful (e.g., if the original ####xxx plate will be resuscitated, Certificate of Conformity and/or pre-matriculation inspection waived and only a standard ITV required)?

My particular circs are of a lhd furgoneta-familiar (Kangoo/Berlingo type vehicle) first registered in Menorca in 2002 but imported into the UK and given a xx02xxx plate in 2007. I have copies of the original Spanish documentation, including homologation for its towbar. I bought it myself in 2018 and have twice driven it down in June and back in November as a UK resident with a home here in Malaga. This January, I have made my residencia in Malaga province and my padron is scheduled for mid-March and I'll also need to switch my UK licence to ES (I do have 1949 and 1968 IDPs for backup). From now on, the legal and correct thing will be to have the car registered, taxed and insured as Spanish to, essentially, reverse my behaviour now as a Spanish resident occasionally driving back to my other home in the UK.

I have read up on the 60 day window but would prefer to drive it down in June - although I will make a flying visit in April and can bring the paperwork with me. Definitely gestor territory, I'm not a masochist, but any tips and experiences that prepare the ground would be very welcome. Particularly if you know a gestor who has done this kind of ES-EU-ES turnaround before and whether any docs in advance of the car physically arriving might be useful. I have read of the dept issuing temporary import plates for €20; any experience of that would also be interesting reading. Thanks.

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costakid
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Re: Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby costakid » Thu Feb 20, 2020 8:24 am

I cant see a way of bypassing the system if the car is in the UK. The Spanish will need the car to legal to change the plates and if its on UK plates and in the uk no way can you get an ITV. I would continue with your residency and if you cant get the car here until June there will not be much duty to pay because of the age of the vehicle. I am sure they are still hot on the 30 chattels rule. You may want to PM Spanish Lad as he works for car parking company but also gets cars ITV tested etc.

1bassleft
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Re: Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby 1bassleft » Thu Feb 20, 2020 5:56 pm

Thanks for the quick response and advice. I agree, and not too concerned about, the chattel tax aspect given it's not a hugely valuable vehicle (although some arbitrary time limit is irritating with large items). I am concerned about driving a UK-plated car of mine down here after my residency, padron and perhaps licence are all Spanish. I read on official sites that I have six months to do this (purely on a road legality POV, leaving import duty aside) but it's not so clear to me whether this is six months from my residency or from the vehicle's arrival. Added to that are various non-official website opinions that can gain traction and could cause awkwardness at the roadside.

That's why I thought I'd ask about .gov's brief mention that €20 and some form-filling can get temporary import plates. I know of this practice in Germany but had no idea of such a thing in Spain until a day or so ago. Anything that I should have known and done before setting off is all very useful for me.

If Spanish Lad doesn't chime in, I'll try a PM in a few days but don't want to look pestering. Also, if anyone knows that a nearby gestor (I don't mind traveling a fair bit for the right expert) has previously dealt with returning a car to ES plates it once had, that would be handy info.

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costakid
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Re: Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby costakid » Thu Feb 20, 2020 9:14 pm

I am 100% sure its illegal to drive a foreign registered car on a Spanish licence/ Spanish resident. You may want to look at car transport companies to get it to Benalmadena.

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spanish_lad
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Re: Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby spanish_lad » Sat Feb 22, 2020 1:34 am

Good Morning, thanks Costakid, that is indeed 'what i do' - parking mainly, and customer ITVs, bodywork, mechanics, imports etc.

The imports now we leave in the hands of a specialist, but the situation that you describe es-uk-es has actually happened.

It was a couple of years ago, but as far as i know, the car did go back on its origonal plates, and had to have an itv - im sorry, i dont know any more details because i wasnt dealing with that car.

I would recomend speaking to a gestor, preferably a 'specialist' and see what their opinion is before doing anything.
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.

1bassleft
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Re: Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby 1bassleft » Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:23 am

Thanks, Span. That is very useful info, as I shall pester my sprog to send me photos of the car's docs and (I know I'll be wasting my breath with him) Mrs Bass is doing a 10-day flying visit next week so I'll get her to bring the glovebox contents with her. Anything that gets photocopied by the gestor in advance can't hurt. Although I shall service and MOT before setting off (std practice - my UK garage boss is fortunately a neighbour in both Blighty and Malaga) I did fully expect an ITV before it could be replated. If it obviates a full-on pre-matric that would be a bonus but I'll see how that goes. I've contacted a couple of high-web-presence specialists but they're not very local so, if they don't reply, I'll physically pound the streets.

The europa.eu site does indicate I have a 6-month window for driving, and import plates would make it more legit, but I'll enquire thoroughly once I've located a gestor that I'm confident with. I'll update here, for the sake of anybody else wondering.

EDIT: Alhaurin El Grande is comfortably within my "willing to travel" radius. If your import specialist is nearby, feel free to PM me a contact detail and I'd be very happy to email/WhatsApp them.

1bassleft
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Re: Rematriculating a Previously ES-plated Car

Postby 1bassleft » Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:19 am

The lockdown may well put a delay on things but a little update. One of the specialists I've been in much contact with has taken the details of its former Spanish life and says registration tax will not be due because of it. OTOH, a check will be required to see that no outstanding tax is due (and taking it off SORN is advised so that doesn't flag up on a computer) which will cost me €50 not including any outstanding tax if such is discovered due.


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