When you move to Spain and become a resident, you are required to register your vehicle in Spain. You have two options: either buy a car in Spain itself, or import your car from your home country. Of course, there are some conditions and costs associated with this.
WHEN DO I NEED TO REGISTER MY VEHICLE WITH A SPANISH LICENSE PLATE?
If you move to Spain permanently and become a Spanish resident, you are required to register your car in Spain. As a resident, it is forbidden to drive with a foreign license plate. In principle, you may drive with a foreign license plate in another country for a maximum of three months. Therefore, if you are a resident in Spain and occasionally spend a few weeks in Belgium or the Netherlands, there is no problem. However, if you drive with a Spanish license plate in the Netherlands or any other country for more than three consecutive months, you may encounter issues, and that government may demand that you pay road tax there.
Non-residents who stay in Spain for longer than three consecutive months must also register their car in Spain, provided they have a house there or have a long-term rental contract in their name. You can buy a car in Spain with the intent to drive it within Spain or during short vacations outside Spain. If you want to drive that car in the Netherlands, for example, you need to request special permission called: ‘exemption BPM and MRB for short-term use’. This exemption is for a maximum period of two weeks.
As a tourist or second homeowner, you may drive with a non-Spanish license plate on Spanish roads for 182 days per calendar year. If you do not plan to move to Spain, a Belgian license plate is fine. However, if there are suspicions that you drive in Spain for more than 182 days a year with a Belgian license plate, the Spanish police can seize the car. Your insurance may also become invalid because insurance policies generally do not cover driving abroad year-round.
You can also bring your car to Spain as part of your move. However, do not wait too long! Within 60 days after deregistration from BE/NL, you must submit the application to the Spanish tax authorities. If you are one day late, you must import your car according to general regulations, which means you do not benefit from exemption from registration tax.
DOCUMENTS
To apply for a Spanish license plate, you need to go to the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico depending on your place of residence. They will ask for a lot of documents, so make sure you have the following documents in advance (original + copy!):
- Your ID card or passport;
- Your NIE or green residence certificate;
- A Certificado de Empadronamiento (proof of residence);
- The proof of ownership of the vehicle (if it is already registered in your name), or the purchase invoice of the car with the seller's VAT number, or the sales contract between individuals. These documents must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator;
- The application form, available on the website of the Dirección General de Tráfico or at the Jefatura de Tráfico;
- The Certificado de características (conformity certificate) or Tarjeta de Inspección Técnica (technical inspection certificate) with blue and pink copies. If you bought the car in Spain (new/used), it will be provided automatically; If you import your car from your home country, you must have your car inspected at an Inspección de Vehículos (ITV) garage. They will then create a Spanish technical sheet for you.
- Proof of payment or exemption from vehicle taxes. In Spain, there are three types of vehicle taxes:
- Impuesto de circulación sobre vehículos de tracción mecánica (municipal road tax). You pay this the first time at the tax office (Suma) of the Spanish municipality where you live, then you can set up a direct debit. Since this is a local authority, the rate depends on the place and type of vehicle.
- Impuesto de matriculación (registration tax). This is a national tax on every vehicle registered in Spain for the first time, whether new or used. If you import a car from Belgium or the Netherlands, you must also pay this tax unless you qualify for the exemption (see the next paragraph). The registration tax is paid to the Spanish tax authorities Hacienda, and the rate depends on the model, year of manufacture, CO2 emissions, and type of fuel of your car. In the case of a recent car with very low CO2 emissions, the registration tax may be very low or even waived.
The registration tax is waived if you meet certain conditions, namely:
- You have lived outside Spain for the last twelve months (or more);
- You have owned the car for at least six months (before emigration);
- You have always paid taxes on the car;
- The car has at least 6000 km on the odometer;
- You do not sell the vehicle within a year after importing it to Spain.
- Impuesto de Trasmisiones: Possible transfer tax: This is a regional tax that only applies if you buy a used vehicle privately, both in Spain and Belgium or the Netherlands.
COSTS (2022)
Of course, there are some costs to consider when importing your car to Spain, depending on the (type of) vehicle:
- Registration of the vehicle at the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico: €99.77
- Technical inspection: The first inspection for import is more expensive than subsequent inspections. Expect about 90 to 110 euros for the first inspection, 40 to 50 euros for the subsequent ones.
- Municipal road tax: Depending on the municipality, but expect about €50.00 per year
- Registration tax: Depending on your car's specifications, this is about 12% of your car's value. If your car emits less than 200 grams of CO2/km, this percentage is lower. For cars that emit less than 120 grams of CO2/km, the registration tax is even waived.
- Possible transfer tax: Depending on your car's specifications.
- Import duties (Impuesto de matriculación): You do not have to pay these if you meet certain conditions:
- You have lived in Belgium/Netherlands for at least 183 days before your emigration to Spain;
- You have owned the car for at least six months (before your emigration);
- You have always paid taxes on the car;
- You do not sell the car within a year after registering it in Spain;
- You apply for your license plate within a month after importing the car to Spain.
If you do not meet these conditions, you will have to pay 7% Impuesto de matriculación on the invoice value (for new cars) or current value (used cars) of your vehicle.
- One-time application for the license plates
- The creation of the license plates costs about 20 euros for two copies (front and back).
- Insurance: Depending on the insurance company, your age, how long you have had your driving license, frequency of use of your car, year of manufacture, etc;
If you follow these steps and meet all the conditions, it should not be a problem to import your car from Belgium or the Netherlands. Registering your car in Spain is generally cheaper than in BE/NL due to lower road tax and insurance premiums.
CAR INSPECTION
When importing your car to Spain, the car must be inspected regardless of its age. The inspection must be done at an official inspection station ITV. New cars are inspected for the first time after four years. After that, the inspection takes place every two years. Cars older than 10 years must be inspected annually.
