Taking your car to your new home in Spain

December 26, 2008

Short term visitors and tourist are allowed to bring a foreign registered vehicle with them for personal use, provided that these visits do not exceed six months in any one year. Any one who spends more than a total of six months in any year in Spain is considered resident and must import the car. To do this you must register it with the local authorities and obtain Spanish plates. An MOT for right hand drive cars is now available from the Spanish ITV centres. We strongly recommend that you sell your right hand drive vehicle in the UK and purchase a left hand drive car in Spain. There are inherent dangers with driving a vehicle that was designed to operate on the opposite side of the road. With the introduction of European licenses, it is not obligatory for residents to hold a Spanish license. These licenses have been recognized as valid for all purposes in Spain. The older licenses are only accepted if they are accompanied by an official Spanish translation. If you have an older (pre 1990) license, it is advisable that you apply for an EU license from the DVLA. For an extensive choice of new and off plan property for sale in Spain on the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida, visit the Novocasa website.