Re Registering my LHD vehicle in Spain

Hi We are moving to malaga province in a couple of months.

We will be bringing our 2009 Opel vivaro 9 seater minivan with us.

I originally purchased it in Germany and paid all the relevant taxes. We then moved to Poland

and transfered the van onto Polish plates.

We intend to drive to Spain on our Polish plates and then re register on Spanish plates.

Does anyone have experience of doing this I would really appreciate any helpful feedback.

Thanks

chingston

chingston

As you have done this once between 2 EU member states you probably have as much experience as anyone else and I am sure the process will be very similar

If you have any doubts simply contact a professional

good luck

Thanks for your reply

All the local free paper's have companies advertising the service you require to replate your vehicle ....it will cost you approximately €500 to do this as you intend on becoming a residents in Spain you will need to register on the padron and have a N.I.E number  before you can have the vehicle registerd as a Spanish citizen you will no longer be allowed to drive the vehical on polish plates .

Thanks so much ,very helpful

Chingston you will have import and general taxes and associated fees on top of the five hundred Euros completion of documents charge mentioned. The tax charge is based on the value of the vehicle in Spain at the point of import, so can be terribly expensive even for an old vehicle. Bearing in mind your vehicle is a 2009, you will most likely find that it will cost you in total two to three thousand Euros to register it in Spain, a lot of money. Maybe it would be easier and more cost effective to just sell the vehicle where you are now, and buy another vehicle already registered in Spain once you arrive? 

'Bearing in mind your vehicle is a 2009, you will most likely find that it will cost you in total two to three thousand Euros to register it in Spain'

The tax you mention is based on value (Hacienda's value) and emissions, reducing by a percentage for each year of a vehicle's age. I have just imported and re-registered a 2005 Ford Focus 1.8 diesel and this tax was 62 euros. In total, the cost was less than 400 euros - this does not include the cost of headlights which you will not need as yous is LHD and European registered. (I bought mine s/h from a breaker's yard for 60 euros)

Steve 

Sten in your case you are right, but a  used car owned for more than six months prior to the owner becoming resident in Spain are not subject to import duty, provided that VAT was paid in the EU country in which the vehicle was purchased. If Chingston cannot prove he has paid the VAT (IVA) in the country of purchase he WILL have a VAT bill to pay this at a rate of 21 percent on a 2009 van would likely be somewhere in the region of 1500 Euros, as the valuation of the vehicle is then calculated on the second hand value in Spain of that particular model. Add this to the local registration fees and charges and it could easily be 2000 Euros plus.

In addition to the clause the VAT must have been paid in a previous EU member state a vehicle imported tax and duty-free into Spain must not be sold, rented or transferred within one year of its registration. Therefore the importer should be aware of this also.

Thank you all for the info,

I think it will be the same as when I imported the vehicle into Poland from Germany.

I have paid the VAT on the vehicle and have proof so this will not be an issue.

And as I have owned the vehicle for more than six months , and it has been registered in my name

for this period then I will not have to pay any import duties.

The same applied in Poland that I couldn"t re sell the vehicle within twelve months.

Thanks again for all your input , I am actually lucky that I have gone through this previously.

I am sure that a lot of people have imported there cars into Spain and paid import duties and tax 

unnecessarily.

Once we have arrived and compleated the process I will let you all know how it went

Regards

chingston