@Tadd 1966

In regards to a Spanish resident driving a foreign registered car we discussed this some time ago on here and it is a myth same as in uk

If it's a myth you'd better tell the DVLA as their website clearly states that if you become resident in UK you must re-register your car on UK plates. As a visitor, you can drive the car for up to 6 months. 

And expats in UK

If you are a resident in the UK, you cannot drive a non-UK car in the UK. Since there are no residency cards in the UK, whenever you are stopped by a police officer and he thinks you are actually a resident (for example if you have a UK driving licence, or have UK debit cards in your wallet), then he might confiscate your car which might be destroyed, unless you can prove you are not a UK resident, or you are working in more than one EU countries, and spend more than 6 months (185 days) per year outside of the UK.

From TeamGB's link: 

"If you move to another EU country (you intend to stay there over 6 months) and take your car with you, you will need to register it and pay any relevant fees and taxes in the new country.

You must register your car as soon as possible and in any case not later than 6 months from your date of arrival."

Think the same can be found on DVLA's website.

That seems pretty clear. I think the circumstances you give are a bit different i.e. the car wasn't yours. If it was, I'm sure the GC would have reacted differently. As it was, they probably hadn't come across this scenario in training and it was just easier to let you go! 

"The only problem that you may have is being a UK (or Spanish) resident is registering a foreign registered car at your residence" Can't quite get my head round that, but if you mean registering a UK reg vehicle at an address in Spain may be difficult - well, yeah! registering a Spanish reg car at a Spanish address is no problem, regardless of residency. 

mariedav

yes if you are bringing a car to the UK permanently etc. as the rules are the same moving to Spain.

My point is a bit different 

a UK resident can drive a non UK registered car in the UK if the car is legal and you have a valid DL and insurance (the opposite is also true in Spain as I have said)

Again for example if a Spanish resident takes his Spanish car to the UK on holiday and he has a friend or family member who is resident in the UK with a UK DL that person CAN drive the Spanish registered car in the UK as long as he has approriate insurance etc.

The blanket rule that johnzx states (and which is what I also thought until I checked) that residents of one country are not allowed to drive a foreign registerd car in their resident counrtry is the  myth

SO.......back to the OP......

Just to add to the pot of confusion. 

I sent a message to 'ask the police in Uk'  if a peson resident in UK could drive a non UK reg car in UK.  

This was the reply

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports

6. Temporary imports

You can usually use a vehicle with foreign number plates without registering or taxing it in the UK if all of the following apply:

       you’re visiting and don’t plan to live here

       the vehicle is registered and taxed in its home country

       you only use the vehicle for up to 6 months in total - this can be a single visit, or several shorter visits over 12 months

If you become a resident or stay for longer than 6 months you must register and tax your vehicle in the UK – follow the steps for importing a vehicle.

It would appear that says,    a UK resident cannot drive a non UK reg car, but I may be wrong.

Yes, tadd, I can see where you're coming from. But it seems the OP is a resident of Spain and not a temporary visitor who would be able to drive a Brit registered car. UK residents can drive a (for example) Spanish registered car in UK as you say and it is not really a blanket ban if you are on a short visit. This is an email from the DVLA to clarify that and appeared in the Honest John bit of the Daily Telegraph

Regarding the matter of a UK resident driving a foreign registered car, previously deemed illegal by the DVLA, I received last week a letter from DVLA.

Amongst other comments the letter states that 'In the circumstances where a UK resident is using an EU registered vehicle in the UK on a temporary basis, on a visit from their holiday home, for example, they are entitled to use the vehicle when visiting the UK.

We will be looking to amend the wording on the website to ensure this information is correctly reflected.' Who said our civil servants were rubbish?

M.J., via email

A result. But why the misinformation and confusion in the first place? And why so many sites stating it is totally and utterly illegal? 

Mariedev:   In the circumstances where a UK resident is using an EU registered vehicle in the UK on a temporary basis, on a visit from their holiday home,

It would seem the sender of that has their wires crossed. 

How a person resident in UK and be on a temporary visit to UK ?   Surley they would have returned to their home country from a visit elsewhere.

I have copied the email as posted, to the 'asked the UK police' web page to explain, if they can !

johnzx

what you are saying is correct but I think you are mixing up 2 different circumstances

It does not say a UK resident cannot drive a foreign car what it is saying is a UK resident bringing a foreign car into the UK permanently must register it and without this then the car will be illegally in the UK (same rules in Spain) but there is no rason why a resident cannt drive a foreign registerd car in their country of residence as long as they are legal (car is taxed, tested, insurance and valid DL etc)

Mariedav

But why the misinformation and confusion in the first place? And why so many sites stating it is totally and utterly illegal? 

Caused by inaccurate information by posters on forums (or rumours from our Tony down the pub) and to be honest I fell foul of these rumours and believed them until I did my own checks with the appropriate authorities / insurances etc. for my own circumstances

Yes we are thread drifting but clarification is always good and blanket statements are often very very misleading, innaccurate and some should really know better - a lesson learnt

We often get the same blanket statements on tax with the 183 day rule - which is not as black adn white as often quoted on forums 

I am a Spain resident I think! (if there is such a status?). How do any authorities know where and how long you are these days. I travel mostly by ferry to and from the UK and Spain via France. My Swift caravan is still registered with the caravan club in the UK, do I need to re-register it in Spain with the Spanish caravan club?.

Thanks Tadd,  I see that but the police page I quoted previously quoted that a person can drive in UK providing  "you’re visiting and don’t plan to live here"   If they live there, as a resident, it would appear to say they cannot.

Confusing

John

I can see a couple of ways this would work. An expat holidaying in France with a French car who wants to take booze and cheese home could drive his French car across, drop the stuff off and drive back.

Here in Spain plenty of holiiday home owners have Spanish reg cars. They could drive some stuff back (or take Granny back home after a holiday and won't fly) and stay there for a day or two. Plenty of reasons for UK residents to take their foreign car back for a short visit.

Sorry johnzx but that us not what it states and you are still mixing 2 scenarios a uk resident may not drive a foreign registered car that they own and have imported it without registering it

What it does not say is you cannot drive a foreign registered car full stop

As I have said driving a visitors foreign registered car by a uk resident is ok as long as legal etc and the opposite us true in spain

Mariedav 

Good point on hire cars for example a Spanish citizen could easily hire a car just over the border in France then drive home to spain for whatever reason and as long as there are no restrictions by the hire company no problem with the Spanish resident driving a foreign registered car in spain  (and the car us returned ok) there are also one way car hires across borders

SO.......getting back to the OP for a moment again!......(poor thing must be utterly bewildered by now)

In summing up, I think her best option is to take Our Tony's advice and just do what the hell she wants and to hell with everyone else, cops 'n all!

My Swift caravan is still registered with the caravan club in the UK, do I need to re-register it in Spain with the Spanish caravan club?.

Moderately bad news - You need to register it just like a car.

Very bad news  -  In most areas of Spain you will not be able to so as the door is on the wrong side.

Back to the original problem.

Why not just advertise to swap it with someone going back to the UK?

OK so you will have a problem in 18 months. But you may decide not to go back Or you can sell the swap when you leave.

Thanks tteedd Very bad news  -  In most areas of Spain you will not be able to so as the door is on the wrong side.

Well that’s got me utterly bewildered. How can there be a correct side and a wrong side for a caravan door?.  There is no operator ‘’driver’’ inside a caravan. A car has doors on both sides for people to get in and out. What wise civil servant got paid to invent this rule?.

Maybe johnx knows or can explain, I think he knows about these things. Plus why is johnx allowed an exceptionally long signature on his posts?.

Plus why is johnx allowed an exceptionally long signature on his posts?.

Everyone can have up to 150 characters.

I bought a caravan years ago from Germany, the door was on the wrong side to UK one's, Uk made caravans have doors that open onto the kerbside, so people don't step out into the road. It's that simple.

Hold on a minute!! If you turn the caravan around to face the opposite direction the door then becomes kerb side 

I do not own a caravan but many people tour around spain with caravan and the door on the wrong side with no problems 

Had a quick Web search and yes a caravan needs to be registered and tested if you move to spain same as cars etc

However this door on the wrong side seems to be another myth according to some of the articles on the caravan club website 

So once again advice would be go to the appropriate authorities and don't believe everything you read on a forum