Buying used LHD Spanish registered car in UK

[walker07]

Hi
I'm hoping someone may be able to help with my query. I would like to buy a Spanish registered lhd car from a dealer in the UK at the end of this month for travelling down to Spain at the end of July. Originally I was going to use my UK rhd car to drive down in the hope of selling/trading in once there, but I've only had it a month and dealers in Spain have said they wouldn't be keen on buying/px it from me. So, I'm looking at 2 lhd's here in the UK; one that's 4 years old and the other, 2 years old so technically 'used' but I personally won't have owned it for the usual 6 months requirement. Both cars have a current ITV, signed documentation, NIE and copy of passport from previous owner, and have had all the Trafico checks done....apparently. I have my NIE number but I'm not on the padron yet, but will apply for fiscal residency when I arrive in Spain in July. Can I legally buy one of these cars without being on the padron? How will the car be registered/plated i.e. Spanish or UK? Should I encounter problems when I arrive in Spain? Sorry for so many questions, but I've asked the same question on another forum and still don't really know the answer! It's all so complicated and confusing, I was hoping someone who has been through a similar experience could share their knowledge with me. Thanks in anticipation.

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by walker07

Hi
I'm hoping someone may be able to help with my query. I would like to buy a Spanish registered lhd car from a dealer in the UK at the end of this month for travelling down to Spain at the end of July. Originally I was going to use my UK rhd car to drive down in the hope of selling/trading in once there, but I've only had it a month and dealers in Spain have said they wouldn't be keen on buying/px it from me. So, I'm looking at 2 lhd's here in the UK; one that's 4 years old and the other, 2 years old so technically 'used' but I personally won't have owned it for the usual 6 months requirement. Both cars have a current ITV, signed documentation, NIE and copy of passport from previous owner, and have had all the Trafico checks done....apparently. I have my NIE number but I'm not on the padron yet, but will apply for fiscal residency when I arrive in Spain in July. Can I legally buy one of these cars without being on the padron? How will the car be registered/plated i.e. Spanish or UK? Should I encounter problems when I arrive in Spain? Sorry for so many questions, but I've asked the same question on another forum and still don't really know the answer! It's all so complicated and confusing, I was hoping someone who has been through a similar experience could share their knowledge with me. Thanks in anticipation.

mrypg bought a spanish plated lhd car in the UK from a dealer there - maybe she can tell you who that was

[mrypg9]

Originally Posted by walker07

Hi
I'm hoping someone may be able to help with my query. I would like to buy a Spanish registered lhd car from a dealer in the UK at the end of this month for travelling down to Spain at the end of July. Originally I was going to use my UK rhd car to drive down in the hope of selling/trading in once there, but I've only had it a month and dealers in Spain have said they wouldn't be keen on buying/px it from me. So, I'm looking at 2 lhd's here in the UK; one that's 4 years old and the other, 2 years old so technically 'used' but I personally won't have owned it for the usual 6 months requirement. Both cars have a current ITV, signed documentation, NIE and copy of passport from previous owner, and have had all the Trafico checks done....apparently. I have my NIE number but I'm not on the padron yet, but will apply for fiscal residency when I arrive in Spain in July. Can I legally buy one of these cars without being on the padron? How will the car be registered/plated i.e. Spanish or UK? Should I encounter problems when I arrive in Spain? Sorry for so many questions, but I've asked the same question on another forum and still don't really know the answer! It's all so complicated and confusing, I was hoping someone who has been through a similar experience could share their knowledge with me. Thanks in anticipation.

It is in no way complicated or confusing. I bought a two year-old LandRover Discovery from a very reputable LHD specialist in Basingstoke whilst living in Prague. The company delivered it to me in Prague in October and at the end of November I drove it to Spain. At that time I had neither NIE nor was I on the Padron.
The car was on Spanish plates and had all the necessary documents to enable me to transfer it to my ownership. For change of ownership you need a Solicitud signed by the previous owner which the company selling the vehicle should be able to supply - or at least should contact the previous owner for you.
You should also check via the internet that there are no outstanding fines on any vehicle you purchase as you, the new owner, will be liable for them.
When in Spain, take all the required documentation to a gestor who will charge around 200 euros -it is a set fee - for transferring the vehicle into your ownership.
Couldn't be simpler.
You do however need to be wary when buying your LHD vehicle in the UK. There are one or two firms with less than A1 reputations but I'm not allowed to name them here.
I highly recommend the Basingstoke company though.

[walker07]

Thank you very much mrypg9 this is precisely the answer I was hoping for! I just couldn't seem to make contact with anyone who had actually been through the process so thank you for shring this with me. I too am looking at dealing with a dealer in Basingstoke so possibly the same one?!! The other is in London though, near a very large airport! Not sure if I'm allowed to mention names so won't just in case. I know that I'll only have a short time in which to transfer the vehicle over to my ownership once in Spain but I plan to get this done asap and not waste any time. So the car would be registered with Spanish plates and be legal to drive in the UK until I make the journey down 2 months later? Thank you for your help, it's much appreciated.

[Seb*]

Originally Posted by walker07

Hi
I'm hoping someone may be able to help with my query. I would like to buy a Spanish registered lhd car from a dealer in the UK at the end of this month for travelling down to Spain at the end of July. Originally I was going to use my UK rhd car to drive down in the hope of selling/trading in once there, but I've only had it a month and dealers in Spain have said they wouldn't be keen on buying/px it from me. So, I'm looking at 2 lhd's here in the UK; one that's 4 years old and the other, 2 years old so technically 'used' but I personally won't have owned it for the usual 6 months requirement. Both cars have a current ITV, signed documentation, NIE and copy of passport from previous owner, and have had all the Trafico checks done....apparently. I have my NIE number but I'm not on the padron yet, but will apply for fiscal residency when I arrive in Spain in July. Can I legally buy one of these cars without being on the padron? How will the car be registered/plated i.e. Spanish or UK? Should I encounter problems when I arrive in Spain? Sorry for so many questions, but I've asked the same question on another forum and still don't really know the answer! It's all so complicated and confusing, I was hoping someone who has been through a similar experience could share their knowledge with me. Thanks in anticipation.

You will hand over all documents to a gestoria in Spain. They will do the transfer of ownership in your name, this will take between 2 weeks and 3 months. You will have to pay a fee, which can be anything from 200 EUR up (we usually have paid 250-350 EUR) (depending on value of car etc.). You will need the last road tax receipt as well. A copy of your padrón is not needed if you can supply other proof of residence like property deads or a rental contract.

Make sure you are buying it from a reputable dealer, cause as the new owner you are liable for all unpaid taxes and fines, which in some cases can quickly go up into the hundrets or thousands of EUR payable on ownership transfer. The car will keep its Spanish numberplates and registration, it will just be tranferred into your name. Make sure you get the car insured before you come down! Spanish insurance is bound to the car and not the driver.

EDIT: Since you are still resident in the UK it is not legal for you to drive a foreign registered car within the UK, so striclty speaking the DVLA does not want you to drive it as long as you are still in the UK. If you can't prove that you are resident in Spain police can impound the car. So to be safe I would not recommend to drive the car too much around, if you do not have prove of Spanish residence yet. In any case the car will need to be insured from the moment you drive it on to the street. I would suggest a Spanish insurer, you can do this before the car is transferred to you and with some insurers like Linea directa you can do it over the internet (if you know your Spanish adress already).

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by walker07

Thank you very much mrypg9 this is precisely the answer I was hoping for! I just couldn't seem to make contact with anyone who had actually been through the process so thank you for shring this with me. I too am looking at dealing with a dealer in Basingstoke so possibly the same one?!! The other is in London though, near a very large airport! Not sure if I'm allowed to mention names so won't just in case. I know that I'll only have a short time in which to transfer the vehicle over to my ownership once in Spain but I plan to get this done asap and not waste any time. So the car would be registered with Spanish plates and be legal to drive in the UK until I make the journey down 2 months later? Thank you for your help, it's much appreciated.

actually no - if you are a UK resident you can't drive it in the UK on Spanish plates long term..............

Driving in the UK with non-UK number plates : Directgov - Motoring

although you'd probably be OK driving it to the ferry

UK residents driving non-UK cars in the UK

UK residents are not allowed to use non-UK registered vehicles on UK roads. The only exceptions are:

if you work in another EU member state and use an EU-registered company car temporarily in the UK for business and private purposes
if you lease an EU-registered car and use this temporarily in the UK

[walker07]

So do you think I'd be ok driving back up from Basingstoke to Scotland with the vehicle once I purchased it, then driving back down to the ferry 2 months later? I could hold on to my UK reg car to use while still here until it was time to leave.

[Seb*]

Originally Posted by walker07

So do you think I'd be ok driving back up from Basingstoke to Scotland with the vehicle once I purchased it, then driving back down to the ferry 2 months later? I could hold on to my UK reg car to use while still here until it was time to leave.

Well up to Scotland it would not be legal. On leaving the UK you can explain the situation and show your ferry ticket as prove. I would be surprised if a police officer would stop you leaving the country.

Personally I would risk it, what is the chance that you get stopped by the police? But I would recommend that you have insurance for the car, when you drive it up to Scotland. On top of that I would carry as much prove/documentation as possible to explain, that you are planning to move to Spain (NIE number, maybe even a pre-booked ferry ticket etc.). Police officers are humans and usually very understanding if presented with the right explanation (with proof) in a friendly manner.

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by walker07

So do you think I'd be ok driving back up from Basingstoke to Scotland with the vehicle once I purchased it, then driving back down to the ferry 2 months later? I could hold on to my UK reg car to use while still here until it was time to leave.

I suspect you'd probably be OK driving it around - but if it was for 2 months the local police might start asking questions if they noticed


I dare say if you were stopped & were just moving it from one place to another that shouldn't be a problem

[walker07]

Thank you all for the advice and taking time to reply. We might have to rethink how we do things as don't want to get on the wrong side of the law! I'll also check with our local village constabulary as to how things stand although I'm pretty sure they'll tell me it is illegal to drive on foreign plates in what is still our current place of residence. I will definitely organise the insurance through a conact in Spain so at least we will be legal as soon as we set foot on Spanish soil! Thanks to all for your help.