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Car Re-Registering
This is an account of our re-registering experiences during the importation of our British registered car to Spain, which may highlight some of the problems that can be encountered by ‘doing it yourself’.
A British registered car can spend no more than 6 months in Spain, at which point it must be re-registered onto Spanish plates. So having decided to import our British registered car to Spain, (Orihuela Costa, Costa Blanca) we thought we’d share our experiences with you. First, we’ll go through how we did it, and then we’ll tell you how it should be done!
Our car is a Ford Focus, originally registered in Germany, but we bought it in the UK as a left-hand drive vehicle, and the garage arranged to have it registered on British plates. Therefore our car conformed to Spanish requirements regarding headlights, reverse lights, etc. We also owned our car for more than 6 months, which is required for private importation into Spain.
It’s Monday 15th December 2008, and we suddenly realise we’ve got 10 working days to complete the importation of our car, if we want to do it within the 60 days allowed. (If you complete the transfer within 60 days of taking out residencia you are not liable for import tax – which can amount to thousands of Euros. We registered for residencia on 30th October 2008, hence we had until 30th December 2008 to complete our transfer!)
The rules are slightly different on the Orihuela Costa, as they also require you to be registered on the Padron.
Tuesday 16th December, we attended the ITV station in Torrevieja. They performed two types of test: the first is a detailed inspection of the vehicle, including height, length, and width; the second is the standard, bi-annual, ITV (MOT). Total cost €104.00.
Documents needed:
Residencia certificate – original plus 1 copy
Padron – original plus 1 copy
Passport – original plus 1 copy
NIE – original plus 1 copy
V5 – original plus 1 copy
(You get to make your own paper-mountain during this whole process, as you need to provide original documents plus copies, copies, and more copies!)
Our car passed its test, and we had to return the following day to collect the ITV Certificate and the inspection report. The original V5 is also stamped by them.
On Thursday 18th December we attended the British Consulate in Alicante to request a Baja Consular. This is the declaration that we intend to permanently import our car into Spain. Total cost €143.00.
Although we took all paperwork with us, plus copies, we were only asked for our Passport and the date the car arrived in Spain. (Remember, if you wish to do this without paying the importation tax, the car must have arrived in Spain within the last 60 days.)
We then attended our local SUMA office to pay our road tax. Total cost €26.55.
Documents needed:
Residencia certificate – original plus 1 copy
Padron – original plus 1 copy
Passport – original plus 1 copy
NIE – original plus 1 copy
V5 – original plus 1 copy
For our area of the Orihuela Costa, road tax runs from March/April each year, so we only paid the pro-rata amount of €26.55. Road tax for a year, for our size of car, is €106.00.
On Friday 19th December we went to the Hacienda office in Orihuela and this is where the fun started as we didn’t have an interpreter with us. We knew we wanted an exemption certificate, as we were within the 60 days allowed, but couldn’t make ourselves understood. They kept referring us to their website where we could print off the form. This meant we had to return home just to print off a form and take it back! Unfortunately, it wasn’t even that simple! We couldn’t figure out how to download the form as it kept asking for a certificate number. We asked our Spanish accountants if they could help, but they couldn’t work it out either. They called the local traffic office to ask for help and they said the form couldn’t be downloaded, it must be collected at the Hacienda office.
Our original plan had been to attend the Traffico office in Alicante on the Monday with an interpreter, and he (very wisely) suggested speaking to a car dealership that he had previously dealt with. We called in to the garage on the way, and they informed us that we needed to use a Gestor who would provide us with a document to take to the Hacienda office who would then produce the form we need to take to Traffico.
So off we went to visit with a Gestor, who did provide us with the paperwork required. As we were now in Alicante, we thought we’d try a local Hacienda office. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to help as the Orihuela Costa falls outside of their area, and we would need to return to Orihuela.
Forty minutes later and we’re back at the Hacienda office in Orihuela. We hand in our paperwork and receive the paperwork needed for Traffico.
Documents needed:
Residencia certificate – original plus 1 copy
Padron – original plus 1 copy
Passport – original plus 1 copy
NIE – original plus 1 copy
V5 – original plus 1 copy
Bill of Sale – original plus 1 copy
Great, so we can now attend Traffico tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, we then discover that the paperwork completed by the Gestor was incorrect. He’d put down that the car was purchased in Spain and that it has a petrol engine.
So, Tuesday morning we were back at the Hacienda office in Orihuela pointing out the error. The clerk initially said that we’d have to go back to the Gestor in Alicante for him to correct the paperwork, but he later changed his mind and made the alterations himself – phew!
We are now able to head across to Traffico in Alicante. We queued up at the caja window, paid our registration fee of €71.00, and collected a ticket to hand in our documents for the re-registration.
Documents needed:
Residencia certificate – original plus 1 copy
Padron – original plus 1 copy
Passport – original plus 1 copy
NIE – original plus 1 copy
V5 – original plus 1 copy
Bill of Sale – original plus 1 copy
Baja Consular – original plus 1 copy
SUMA road tax receipts – originals plus 1 copy of each
Hacienda Form 06 x 2 – 2 x originals
Matriculation Certificate – original plus 1 copy
ITV – original plus 1 copy
(Remember to keep a copy of the V5 as you will need to complete the ‘permanent export’ slip and return to the DVLA.)
After a small wait, we were called to the window, where we handed over our documents which were then stamped. We were asked to return on Friday 26th December, after 11am, to collect our paperwork.
This we did, and we were handed back the new registration document with our Spanish registration number, and the Matriculation Certificate embossed with our new number plate. They retained the original V5 document.
We are now able to have the new number plates made up and fitted (total cost: €24), and place the ITV sticker in the top right-hand corner of the windscreen.
It should be noted that by importing your car within the 60 days to avoid importation tax, you are prohibited from selling, renting or transferring the vehicle within the first year.
It’s also worth remembering to have ALL documents with you at every stage, plus copies, more copies, and extra copies, just in case. You never know what you may be asked for and it saves having to return another day.
This experience is not one we’d like to repeat anytime soon: it was very frustrating and involved a great deal of early-morning queuing and several visits to both Orihuela andAlicante
This experience is not one we’d like to repeat anytime soon: it was very frustrating and involved a great deal of early-morning queuing and several visits to both Orihuela and
Contact us now and find out how Platinum Villa Rentals can help you!