How easy or difficult is it to register a UK car in Spain

Hi our car is 7 years old and we've just been quoted around £1500 to get it 're registered in spain. For us it's not worth it so we are going to sell English car and buy second hand Spanish one.

You are legally allowed to have your car here for 6 months, but remember most British insurance companies only insure you for 4 months abroad

NO, you are not allowed to run it on UK plates for 6 months if you live here!!! The Police can impound the car if you do. The 6 month rule is for non-residents. Check the law properly. Just as it is in the UK, ignorance is no excuse and the Police here are more likely to enforce the rules than not and that can cost you dearly.

Similarly, a UK registered car with a Spanish ITV (MOT) is not legal. The vehicle has to be legal in it's country of registration to be legal here otherwise your insurance will be invalid if you have an accident. Spanish insurance companies will insure your car whether it's legal or not. Additionally, your car has to be insured even if you just keep it on private land.

When you get here with your UK car, you must notify DVLA you have exported it then get it registered in Spain.

I re-registered my car here and it cost me €1000. The biggest part of the cost was the headlights. I used RePlate Mate - they advertise in the English press here around the Costa Blanca. They organise everything, even taking you to the UK Embassy to complete all the paperwork whilst you car is being examined and having the headlights done. The only thing you have to do is turn up then fit the number plates when they're issued.

I am not, and have no affiliation to RePlate Mate. I used their service and was very impressed. There are other options out there.

Spain is a fabulous place to live, just make sure you know the rules and don't rely too much on hearsay in anything legal.

Thanks that's very informative and gives us a lot to think about. 

Might consider selling our car in the UK and then buy a car in Spain, with the added bonus it will be a left hand drive. 

I'm not a Spanish resident. I've checked with every kind of rule and you are allowed car here for 6 months if you are not Spanish resident. I own a house in uk and spain and regularly spend 6 months in spain 

Angela, on another note, you will get far less a car here for your money than you do in the UK.

A car that you'd pay around £1000-1500 in the UK for will cost around €5000 here. Word of caution, 2nd hand dealers spring up and disappear on a daily basis. I've been told of 2 2nd hand dealers that are OK and another that gets very mixed reviews.

Main dealers aren't always reputable (as I found out) - wanted to charge twice the going rate to change a cambelt that didn't need changing.

If you're going to buy here, take your time and be very picky. Specifications here differ from the UK as well.

I've done 170,000 miles in my UK car during the 10 years I've been here, it's now 15 years old. If you're careful, there's no problem.

Whatever you decide, get a good insurance broker. I had a driver run a stop sign and hit me, my broker dealt with everything (including the Police at the scene). I can contact them ANYTIME (try doing that with cunninghams).

Sorry if it sounds scary, it isn't. Put simply, a lot of people come here and leave their common sense behind and do things they wouldn't normally do back in the UK. When you get here, don't fall into the trap of constantly comparing things and your money with the UK. If you do, you'll go back within 5 years. I see it all the time.

If you live in Spain, the Euro is your currency, not the Pound. Living in Spain is nothing like being on holiday here so don't treat it that way - just as you don't in the UK.

Hana, that's exactly what I said.

Thats correct but don't forget that when it becomes due for an MOT you will have to drive it back to UK every year.

HI, I know it’s an old post, but is it the same now that you have to drive a car first registered in the UK back every year for an MOT?

Just asking as I am looking to move over next year and bring my one year old EV with me.

If you are going to move over and become resident in Spain then you will have to change the car to Spanish plates within 6 months so will then have to get it ITV'd once it reaches 4 years old.

If you are simply coming as a visitor then it cannot be in Spain for more than six months so you will be taking it back every year anyway so can get it MoT'd then.

Thanks for that. We are intending to become residents, so will this ITVD replace the need to take the car back to the UK every year? I presume the ITV is the Spanish alternative, and is this annually as well for cars over three years old?

kind regards