Driving our car to Spain and the 6 month rule - Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car in Los Alcázares - Los Alcázares forum - Costa Cálida forum in the Murcia province of Spain
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
Los Alcazares car repair  service
ASSSA Insurance

Join the Los Alcázares forum

Join the Los Alcázares forumMy name's Alex and this is my website all about Los Alcázares in Spain. Register now for free to talk about Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car in Los Alcázares and much more!

Driving our car to Spain and the 6 month rule

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 5:33pm
10 replies264 views6 members subscribed
lesley500

Posts: 7

Location: Sucina

Joined: 2 Sep 2018

Sorry this this is a continuation of the previous message. As I was saying it states if you stay longer than 6 months you are classed as a permanent resident. Does this apply to tenants?  Any adviser would be appreciated, we do need a car but what should we do when our mot runs out in April

crissywissy

Posted: Mon Oct 1, 2018 9:26am

crissywissy

Super helpful member

Posts: 2448

1620 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 26 Sep 2015

Posted: Mon Oct 1, 2018 9:26am

You need to look for accurate information on CAB Spain as you seem a bit confused. If you intend to live in Spain you have 90 days to get residencia, after 183 days you are a fiscal resident and must pay your taxes to Spain. If the MOT on your UK registered car has expired its illegal to drive and only the UK can issue an MOT you must drive it back to the UK  to renew the MOT or changevitvto Spanish plates before it runs out.

You are only a permanent resident after 5 years of residencia...doesn’t make any difference whether you rent or buy .

lesley500

Posted: Mon Oct 1, 2018 10:53am

lesley500

Original Poster

Posts: 7

Location: Sucina

Joined: 2 Sep 2018

Posted: Mon Oct 1, 2018 10:53am

Thank you so much for information. It makes more sense to me now so we plan to take our car but it is old so will purchase a second hand one in April when mot runs out

rma44

Posted: Mon Oct 1, 2018 11:56am

rma44

Helpful member

Posts: 709

406 helpful points

Joined: 2 Mar 2016

Posted: Mon Oct 1, 2018 11:56am

Don't let your UK MOT run out in Spain. If it does, you can't legally drive it anywhere! Not even if you can prove you have booked an MOT in the UK (as is allowed in the UK). In my opinion it's not worth the expense of re-plating a UK registered car. It's very expensive and you still have a relatively worthless car.

Sucina Explorer

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 4:12pm

Sucina Explorer

Helpful member

Posts: 205

102 helpful points

Location: Sucina

Joined: 14 Sep 2016

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 4:12pm

Hi, best get your car re MOTd before you leave, then you won’t have to worry about that! 

Check out you car insurance too as the longest period of normal cover for EU appears to be 3 months thru Aviva, most appear to give you one month. I believe Aviva allow 6 months per year but the longest single trip allowed is 3 months.

Hope that helps 

Bob 

Advertisement - posts continue below

crissywissy

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 5:19pm

crissywissy

Super helpful member

Posts: 2448

1620 helpful points

Location: Mar Menor

Joined: 26 Sep 2015

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 5:19pm

Saga give 12 months cover but even if your car has 12 months MOT it has to be registered on Spanish plates within 6 months of you moving here. Police are tightening up on this and they can confiscate your car if stopped outside of the legal timescale.

rma44

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 5:51pm

rma44

Helpful member

Posts: 709

406 helpful points

Joined: 2 Mar 2016

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 5:51pm

I know several Brits here who flout the law regarding plating the car..........never seem to get caught! Now if it was me?????? I have also had to insure under the 90 day single trip rule. A lot of companies can do this, so it's really worth shopping around. The plating rule is the same for trailers, I'm not sure how many Brits comply with that either.

Sue244

Posted: Mon Apr 3, 2023 11:20am

Posts: 36

Location: Camposol

Joined: 25 Feb 2020

Posted: Mon Apr 3, 2023 11:20am

Is the British license transferable or is a full retest the only way

My husband was a professional driver but the language puts him off 

He would sit the test if necessary 

Thanks 

We had heard it was possible to transfer

With paper work probably in triple🤣



Sue244

Posted: Mon Apr 3, 2023 11:24am

Posts: 36

Location: Camposol

Joined: 25 Feb 2020

Posted: Mon Apr 3, 2023 11:24am

We have heard the British driving license is transferable with paperwork 

An estate agent mentioned this any comment 

Roland

Posted: Mon Apr 3, 2023 11:32am

Roland

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 3531

2594 helpful points

Location: Camposol

Joined: 23 Feb 2018

Posted: Mon Apr 3, 2023 11:32am

Have a look this thread.

Driving licence

Sign up for free or login to reply to this topic

Want to reply to this topic? Login or register for free to post your message:

Find more Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car topics from a particular area:


Register for free!

Login to your account

Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
Los Alcazares car repair  service
ASSSA Insurance
Advertise your business here
Advertise your property
Help with my computer