Driving car in Spain with UK road tax.

Hi Guy's,

We are driving over to Mallorca on the 26th of September and arrive on the 3rd of October, our UK road tax runs out on the 30th of September, as we are not sure of the road tax system in Mallorca would you advise me to take out more road tax here in the UK or wait until we arrive at our destination and get our new tax there?

Thanks,

Harrieman.

Are you moving permanently? To be legal, your road tax must cover you for your entire trip. If you are just on holiday then you need to renew your road tax in UK before you come over and you can keep the car for up to 6 months. It must be road legal (tax, insurance, MOT) in the country of origin for your entire stay.

If you are staying permanently you will have to re-register your car on Spanish plates before you can be liable for Spanish road tax. You can't take out Spanish road tax on a UK registered vehicle nor can you MOT (IVA, here) in Spain.

In either case, renew your road tax in UK to cover you as you can claim back the unused part.

We are driving over to Mallorca on the 26th of September and arrive on the 3rd of October, our UK road tax runs out on the 30th of September, as we are not sure of the road tax system in Mallorca would you advise me to take out more road tax here in the UK or wait until we arrive at our destination and get our new tax there?

Presumably your car is registered in your name, fully taxed, insured, MOT'd, as you are aware the UK car has to be fully road legal where ever you drive it.

You're going on the 26th Sep, as soon as you get your DVLA car tax reminder which should be about the, I don't know for sure, but maybe the 20th ish Sep, tax your car as you would do normally, then your covered for Sep and October.

If of course the car is staying in Mallorca and you have to get Spanish doc's etc, let DVLA  know your intentions and you will get a refund, but none for Oct, and it wont be for the amount per month you paid in the first instance but at least your legal until you decide whats best for you.

You know the other way some would do.

Hello Harrieman. I unfortunately missed your previous threads on income tax and healthcare when you posted them, but have just read them in order to try to fathom out your situation - since this post was a bit of a WTF moment for me! No offence, but this question made me think you need to do some serious research on moving to and living in Spain before doing anything else (including posting on forums like this). However, what I gleaned from your healthcare post is that you are only planning on spending half the year in Spain. This seems to have been missed by most other members. 

I have two bits of advice, which you can take or leave as you please:

1) Do not stay over 182 days in Spain in any one calendar year. You will thus not become fiscal residents and will not have to become embroiled in Spanish taxation and bureaucracy. 

2) Ignore everything Windtalker says, he is clearly completely mad!

As for this specific thread, assuming that you are not planning on leaving your car in Mallorca, carry on as normal i.e. renew your UK road tax & make sure your MoT will remain valid for the entire duration of your stay (in other words, make sure the vehicle is still road legal in the UK at all times) - oh, and make sure your insurance covers you for the duration as well.