Legally Driving A English Car In Spain How Long ??

[gus-lopez]

If you are a Spanish resident can you legally drive a UK plated motor, ie could a Spanish national drive your car
Mike

That's a No to the first & the second is written ambiguously as it appears to state that your vehicle might be UK registered , which the Spaniard cannot legally drive, & if YOU are a Spanish resident then you would also be driving it illegally.

The law is as follows & applies exactly the same in all & every EU state.
As a Spanish resident you cannot drive a UK , or any other foreign , registered vehicle within Spain . You can drive it in the UK or France, Germany , etc ; but not here. the same would apply to a Spanish national but only in Spain.
There are different rules for "professional" drivers whose companies might use foreign registered units: & also for people employed by car hire companies that may be required to return a foreign -plated vehicle to another depot or to another EU state.

[byrney]

Beats me why so many people want to find ways of dodging the Law, and thinking they are being somehow clever by doing so.

It's all fine and dandy if the GC don't stop you, or even if you somehow bamboozle them by your sharp practices.

However, what people should be thinking about are the actual consequences of, say, running over and, God forbid, killing a small child, and suddenly finding out their clever little wheeze hasn't worked and they find themselves banged up down in Almeria for a lengthy period of time.

Not so clever now are you?

[tintin]

If you are a Spanish resident can you legally drive a UK plated motor, ie could a Spanish national drive your car
Mike

[gus-lopez]

I know it sounds a bit drastic but could you drive to Portugal or France before the six months is up and then return?!

No it is six months in a calendar year. If you are a resident , or according to the GC boss who thinks that the NIE number makes you resident , then you have 30 days.

[LANDI]

A friend of a friend bought two tickets for the eurotunnel.

One for when they actually travelled and another for just under six months later which they intended showing the police if they got picked up once they'd been in Spain for over six months.

A bit risky of course and I don't know if they did get pulled over.

[JustMe123]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere else that there's a set amount of time that the vehicle must be out of Spain for, and always handy to carry proof of this. 

But also think  that there may be a UK regulation which states a set amount of time the car must be in the UK for?? - this one I'm not so sure of!

I matriculated my car so I didn't have to worry about all of this as I found it very confusing.

[LANDI]

I know it sounds a bit drastic but could you drive to Portugal or France before the six months is up and then return?!

[JustMe123]

If you are a resident here, it's 30 days. 

If your not a resident you can only keep it and drive it in Spain for a maximum of 6 months – after that you will have to get it registered onto Spanish plates.  Remembering that throughout that time you have to ensure that the car remains fully legal with a UK MOT, road tax and insurance for the full period you intend to stay.   If you decide not to put it onto Spanish plates then you have to remove the car from Spain as you are allowed only to drive it in Spain for 6 months in any calendar year on UK plates.  (http://www.idealspain.com/pages/information/english-cars-in-spain.asp)

If you are stopped and found to not be complying with this normally people are given a 5 day notice to start the matriculation process. 

[sallyb]

It is the same as driving a foreign car in the UK, 6 months though many have got away with it for years. What worries me is how can you have a Valid MOT the ITV no longer do foreign cars so unless you take it back to the UK for an MOT you are stuck. Plus how valid is your insurance without Tax & MOT? If you do eventually get stopped having driven longer than the six months I understand they will take the car.

[CT]

Couple of years ago on the advice of a traffico officer I got a note from the tax office in Huercal which basically says I'm not a resident and the car does not need matriculating (tax, insurance etc in order - you need to show them at the office). Ironically I have never been stopped since !

[Ian Young]

We were told 6 months at various places, we have just completed ours this week, and it has gone really smoothly no problems

[Tetley]

Hello can anyone please advise me how long you are legally allowed to drive an english car in spain before it has to be matriculated? Thank you.

depends on your status........ NIE/Padron you will be classed...... as a resident,wether you are or arnt may envole a small court hearing at the roadside,ie you and a cop and the cop giving you a 30 day plate up ticket....

if you havent got an NIE  and are not on the padron ,you may have your car number written down and a 6 month check carried,however if your non res and your uk taxed & motd and can prove a uk economic intrest,ie council tax,utility bills you should be ok to run around all over spain as you wish.

:tiphat:

also if your a non res... and have a pre 1960 classic your legal in country of origin with no mot,with insurance and free uk road tax,basikly just insure & maintain,enjoy....

[Barcielos]

A non resident can keep the car in Spain indefinitely on UK plates so long as it is not used for more than 6 months in a year and has a valid UK tax and MOT and of course insurance. That's what I was told but it's best you talk with someone like Cats Services in La Alfoquia as the rules may have changed

Good luck

[Pennydot]

My friend was stopped in his brand new English car (he lives over here!) and was told he had one month!  Most people say it is 6 months, but I have no idea what the legal requirement is.   :-\

[2003 cobra]

Hello can anyone please advise me how long you are legally allowed to drive an english car in spain before it has to be matriculated? Thank you.