Spain is a country that boasts of splendid weather, rich culture and many people are drawn to the Spanish approach to life.
This is why many people from the UK and all over Europe stream into the country, especially during winter.
For such people, it makes sense that they would want to enter the country using their foreign plated vehicles instead of having to hire one.
If you wish to visit Spain in your foreign registered vehicle, read our article Health Insurance Spain on to learn some of the requirements that you’ll need to meet to avoid getting fined heavily or having your vehicle impounded:
- The first thing to know is that one is legally permitted to use their UK registered vehicle while in Spain.
- On the other hand, those who have been in Spain will testify that one gets pulled over by the police as well as the Guardia Civil numerous times.
- Furthermore, the police can come off as intimidating when having a look at your vehicle alongside it’s documentation.
The last thing you want is to be missing some requirements as it could result to your vehicle getting impounded and incurring a heavy fine.
So what are some of the requirements?
One is that you have to establish if you are a resident or a non-resident. This will help the police determine the period of time you should be driving your vehicle on the Spanish roads.
For non-residents, they can bring in their vehicles all year round in Spain. As for residents, they cannot drive their foreign cars indefinitely.
Under the EU directives, one is considered a resident of Spain if they are in Spain for more than 183 days of the year.
This explains why one is only allowed to drive their UK registered vehicle while in Spain for up to a period of 6 months in a year.
If you exceed the 6 months, there are two things you’ll need to do:
- One, you’ll have to matriculate or register your foreign registered vehicle in Spain.
- Two, you can transport the vehicle out of Spain or to the UK.
If you move into Spain with the hope of setting up permanent residence, you have to register the vehicle in 30 days with the local traffic department.
Other requirements include having your car fully insured with a valid UK MOT as well as road tax.
By the way, while having the time of your life in Spain, how about ensuring that your family’s health is safeguarded?
By buying an affordable health policy, you will not have to worry about expensive bills dampening your stay here.
