Key Things You Should Know When Importing Vehicles to Spain for 2022

Now that we’re solidly into 2022, it’s definitely worth considering how the Brexit transition period has changes, and the new rules for importing vehicles into the country. Indeed, with the prices of buying a new vehicle in Spain set to increase this year as well following new tax rules and regulations (potentially putting the price of new cars up by around €1000 per vehicle in some cases, the change is definitely worth considering. However, if you are planning house removals to Spain for 2023, you will still need to prepare for a much larger amount of paperwork to bring your vehicle into the country, as we have outlined today.

Importing car

 

Proceeding with Customs

The first thing you will need to consider when attempting to import your vehicle into Spain is getting through customs. This process is, unfortunately, now a lot more longwinded than it had been previously, as you will now need to complete a complex series of forms to obtain an entry certificate for your vehicle. Some examples of the different forms you will need to provide to proceed through customers may include:

  • Purchase details for the vehicle, such as a sales contract or receipt, showing when and where you purchased the vehicle and the seller’s VAT number or individual’s passport.
  • Any relevant paperwork for the vehicle itself, such as emissions certificates or registration documentation.
  • Certificates proving the vehicle’s road-worthiness, such as an MOT certificate for UK cars.

Unfortunately, you will also need to consider the cost of importing your vehicle at this point, since entering Spain with your vehicle isn’t a free process. You will need to pay customs duty and tax to import your vehicle into Spain; now that the UK has left the EU, this will likely be around 10% higher than for EU residents sadly.
Vehicle tax currently stands at around 21%, and property transfer tax is instead applicable for a second-hand vehicle. In addition, you will also need to check whether there are any additional fees applicable for the Single Administrative Document.
However, there is a way to legally avoid paying taxes when entering the country; indeed, for individuals changing their residency to Spain, one vehicle is permitted for personal use. You will not need to pay VAT on this first vehicle, however, you may need to for any additional cars you import into Spain following this first personal use vehicle.

Obtaining a Registrations Certificate

Once you have gone through the pain of importing your vehicle through customs, you will next need to consider obtaining a registrations certificate for the vehicle. This is critical since the majority of imported vehicles do not have steering wheels on the same side as native cars; therefore, the car must undergo a homologation (recognition) process to verify the car’s safety, emissions, and technical properties overall. You will need to carry out this process for every vehicle you attempt to import into the country.
Once the vehicle’s safety has been approved, you will receive a Certificate of Conformity – a necessary requirement to undergo the ITV test, which we’ve briefly outlined as follows. 

Completing the ITV Test

No – in this instance, we’re not talking about the telecommunications and broadcasting company. Rather, the ITV test is the Spanish equivalence of a British MOT, and ensures that the vehicle is safe to be driven on the road. After booking the ITV test, you will also need to provide documents such as proof of ownership, driver’s licenses, the vehicle’s data sheet and insurance policy records, and proof of fees and taxes. You’ll also need to provide the certificate of Conformity, as obtained in the last step.

Registering your Car

Finally, all that’s left to do to ensure your vehicle is fully road-worthy and legal in Spain is to register your car with the Spanish authorities. Once you have done so, you will also need to change your vehicle’s registration plate to a Spanish plate, which requires the following documents and can be obtained through your local DGT office.

  • NIE Number
  • TIE Number
  • Proof of Address
  • Completed application forms
  • Proof of payment
  • Photocopy of payment proof for registration of the vehicle
  • Certificate of Conformity
  • VAT payment proof
  • Invoice/receipt for the vehicle’s purchase

These are just a few of the documents you may require, but there could also be additional documents to consider. Make sure you’ve obtained everything requested by the DGT officer before attempting to register your car.

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, importing your beloved vehicle into Spain has become significantly more complicated in recent times – but that’s not to say that it’s an impossible task, either. With this in mind, today, we have summarised some of the key things you should know about importing and registering your vehicle into Spain; hopefully, this will have helped you find out a little more about how to proceed overall as well as guide you how to save on moving to Spain after Brexit.