IMPORT – REGISTER A CAR FROM THE UK / ENGLAND IN SPAIN

HOW TO REGISTER A CAR FROM THE UK / ENGLAND

At Gestécnica, we handle the entire process of registering your car from the UK / England.

When importing a car from the UK / England, specific requirements must be met, which we will explain below:

The process of importing a car from the UK / England includes the following steps:

• Registering English vehicles in Spain is a sensitive matter, so we always advise you to request the documentation, general photos of the vehicle, and a photo of the manufacturer’s plate, which is usually located in the engine compartment and indicates the emissions, before purchasing. In some cases, the vehicle has a European approval number, which simplifies the process significantly.

Importing an English car: what you need to know if the car does not have an approval number.

The first thing to know is that single vehicle approval cannot be carried out for vehicles with an emissions plate dated 2014 or earlier.

The next point to consider is that the minimum regulations that must be met are TIER 2 BIN 5 for the EPA standard or ULEV II for the California standard, and any later regulations would also be valid.

If the vehicle already has European documentation, it may be used to apply for single vehicle approval, provided that the vehicle has been registered in the European Economic Community for a minimum of 6 months. Once confirmed that the vehicle can be approved in Spain, the following requirements must be met:

1. You must always retain the documents that justify the purchase of the vehicle, whether it is a private sale contract or an invoice if the seller is a business. You will also need to justify the traceability of the purchase, meaning that depending on the payment method, you must be able to provide proof of the transaction. It is essential to have proof of payment in case it is required by the Traffic Department or the Tax Agency when registering the vehicle.
2. Always ensure that the vehicle/car/van/truck/trailer/camper is in the name of the same person to whom you will be paying. How can this be checked? It’s simple – verify that the seller’s ID matches the one listed in the vehicle’s documentation. You will also need a copy of the seller’s ID or some signed document proving they are the legal owner.
3. Ensure that the vehicle you are acquiring has all the necessary documentation from the country in which it is purchased. You will need to gather information beforehand to know what documents are required to legally register your car from England.
4. It is essential that the vehicle purchased for registration at the corresponding Traffic Department retains its manufacturer’s plate or sticker. This sticker or plate can almost always be found under the car bonnet.
5. Once all these checks have been made to register your car from England, you will need to contact us to start the registration process, which is divided into these steps:
   1. Prepare the reduced technical report to pass the ITV (Spanish MOT), which is required to issue the Spanish technical report necessary for registering the car.
   2. Pass the ITV (MOT).
   3. Send us all the vehicle documentation required for registration: Country of origin documentation, Spanish technical report, ITV report, proof of purchase, copy of the seller’s ID or passport, and a copy of your ID.
   4. Once we have all these documents, our registration department for cars from England will handle all the necessary steps to obtain the Spanish registration plates. These steps include: preparing the registration file for the Traffic Department, paying the registration tax to the Tax Agency, settling customs duties, paying the road tax to the local council where the vehicle will be registered, and, if applicable, paying the transfer tax.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO REGISTER AN IMPORTED VEHICLE IN SPAIN?

The cost of registering a vehicle from the UK includes fixed and variable fees, which are:

1. Traffic Department registration fee: €99.77 (this fee is applicable for the year 2023 and varies each year).
2. IVTM (road tax): This is the road tax for motor vehicles, managed by each local council. Its cost depends on the fiscal power of the vehicle.
3. ITV (MOT): The fee for registering an imported vehicle depends on the autonomous community, ranging between €90 – €100.
4. The reduced technical report, which we prepare. The cost of the reduced technical report depends on the type of vehicle and the complexity of the process, generally between €100 – €150.
5. Real registration rights by the College of Managers. This fee corresponds to the rights applied by the Administrative Colleges for processing the registration, which varies depending on the College, ranging between €12 – €30.
6. Fees for the registration management of a vehicle imported from England. These are our management fees, which vary depending on the complexity of the process, generally between €100 – €150.
7. Vehicle registration tax (Model 576). This tax depends on the value of the vehicle, both based on the purchase invoice and the valuation in the state tables. A percentage is applied based on the vehicle’s emissions.
8. Payment of the transfer tax. This tax varies according to the vehicle’s valuation and engine capacity.
9. Payment of customs duties. These depend on the vehicle’s value.
10. Single vehicle approval, if required. The cost of this approval depends on the vehicle’s origin and modifications. We advise you to consult us before purchasing any vehicle to check if its registration is feasible.