Moving to Spain with your vehicle — or planning to bring one over? Whether you are coming from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, Canada, or the United States, this is the only guide you need. We cover the rules, the taxes, the paperwork, and — critically — the insurance at every stage of the process.
Whether your car came from the UK, France, or anywhere else — we'll explain the process, the costs, and the cover you'll need while it's being matriculated.
Brexit-era guide to bringing your UK-plate vehicle to Spain — including RHD homologation.
Learn moreBringing your French, German, Dutch or other EU-plate car to Spain — usually simpler than UK.
Learn moreWhat you'll pay: import duty, IVA, registration tax (IEDMT), and how to reduce them.
Learn moreStep-by-step guide to matriculation — ITV, tarjeta de inspección técnica, and DGT plates.
Learn moreWhy this matters
Spain has clear rules about vehicles driven by residents on foreign plates — and the consequences of getting it wrong range from heavy fines to problems with your insurance claim. The good news is that the process is manageable if you understand the steps, the costs, and the timeline involved.
Most online guides focus narrowly on UK expats or give only a surface-level overview of the process. This guide is different. We cover all nationalities — British, American, Canadian, Irish, Dutch, German, French, Belgian, and beyond — because the rules differ depending on where your vehicle is registered and where you are coming from. An EU import from Germany is handled very differently from a post-Brexit UK import, and both differ from a vehicle brought in from the United States or Canada.
At 247 Expat Insurance, we deal with Spanish-plated car situations every day. We help expats not just with the insurance they need during and after the import process, but with understanding what the overall process looks like so they can plan properly and avoid expensive mistakes.
The first question to answer
Whether you are legally required to import your vehicle depends entirely on whether you are a resident or a non-resident in Spain. These are two very different situations with very different obligations.
Maximum time you can drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Spain in any 12-month period without importing it.
Once you become a Spanish resident, you have just 30 days from the date the vehicle first entered Spain to begin the import and re-registration process.
There is also a practical consequence for your insurance. While you must keep the vehicle taxed, MOT'd (or the equivalent), and insured in its country of registration while it is still on foreign plates, your foreign insurer may not be aware you are now a Spanish resident. If a claim were to arise, an insurer who discovers you have established residency abroad without informing them may dispute liability. Getting your insurance situation correctly sorted from day one protects you properly.
The process at a glance
Regardless of where your vehicle is coming from, the Spanish re-registration process follows a broadly similar sequence of steps. Here is the overview — with links to the detailed guides for each situation.
Your vehicle must pass Spain's roadworthiness test (ITV — Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) at an authorised station. For non-EU vehicles, this may involve additional technical checks. A valid ITV certificate is required before any registration can proceed.
UK and non-EU vehicles must be formally cleared through Spanish customs (Agencia Tributaria). EU vehicles skip customs duty but still require fiscal documentation. For UK imports post-Brexit, this step involves the DUA (Documento Único Administrativo) and customs duty if applicable.
Registration tax (IEDMT) is calculated on the vehicle's Spanish market value and CO2 emissions, then paid to the tax authority. Once paid, the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) issues Spanish number plates and a ficha técnica (technical registration document).
IVTM (Impuesto sobre Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica) — Spain's annual road tax — is paid to your local municipality. Spanish insurance must be in place before registration completes. A nota de cobertura (temporary cover note) from your insurer is required as part of the registration paperwork.
What to prepare
Having the right paperwork in order before you begin will save significant delays and frustration. The exact documents vary depending on your vehicle's origin, but the following list covers what is typically required. Your gestor will advise on anything specific to your situation.
Find your guide
The process, the costs, and the paperwork differ depending on where your vehicle is coming from. Select the guide that matches your situation for detailed, step-by-step information.
Post-Brexit UK imports are treated as non-EU imports, which means customs clearance, potential customs duty and IVA, and a Certificate of Conformity or individual homologation. This is the most complex type of import — our detailed guide explains every step, the costs involved, and what to watch out for.
Read the UK Import Guide → 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 🇳🇱 🇮🇪 🇧🇪If your vehicle is registered in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, or another EU member state, the process is considerably simpler — no customs duty, no customs clearance, and EU CoCs are generally accepted. However, IEDMT registration tax and IVA still apply. Our guide covers what EU import actually involves in practice.
Read the EU Import Guide → 🚗Already in Spain with a foreign-registered vehicle, or ready to begin the DGT registration process? This guide walks you through the step-by-step re-registration process — from booking your ITV test to collecting your Spanish plates — including how to find a good gestor and what to expect at each stage.
Read the Re-registration Guide → 💶IEDMT registration tax ranges from 0% to 14.75% of your vehicle's Spanish market value. IVA (VAT at 21%) may apply to non-EU imports. Customs duty can add further costs for UK and non-EU vehicles. Our taxes guide explains exactly how IEDMT is calculated, which CO2 bands apply, how to estimate your bill, and legitimate ways to reduce it.
Read the Tax Guide →Costs at a glance
The IEDMT (Impuesto Especial sobre Determinados Medios de Transporte) is Spain's vehicle registration tax and typically represents the largest single cost in the import process. The rate is applied to the vehicle's market value in Spain at the time of registration — not the price you paid for it abroad. Rates vary by CO2 emissions band and by autonomous community.
| CO2 Emissions (WLTP) | Standard IEDMT Rate | Typical Vehicle Types |
|---|---|---|
| 0 g/km (zero emission) | 0% | Pure electric vehicles (BEV) |
| 1–120 g/km | 4.75% | Efficient petrol, mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids (PHEV) |
| 121–160 g/km | 9.75% | Standard petrol and diesel cars, mid-range SUVs |
| 161–200 g/km | 14.75% | Large petrol SUVs, performance cars, 4x4s |
| Over 200 g/km | 14.75% | High-performance, large-engine vehicles |
Rates shown are standard national rates. Some autonomous communities apply a reduced rate for vehicles meeting certain environmental criteria. The taxable base is determined by the Spanish Agencia Tributaria using published market valuation tables — it is not simply the amount you paid for the vehicle abroad.
For a full breakdown of how the tax is calculated, how to challenge a valuation, and how legitimate factors such as mileage and condition affect the taxable base, see our dedicated Car Import Taxes Spain guide.
Critical — do not overlook this
Insurance is not an afterthought in the import process — it is a legal requirement at multiple stages, and getting it wrong can leave you unprotected, delay your registration, or invalidate a claim.
Until your vehicle is re-registered on Spanish plates, you are required to maintain valid insurance in the vehicle's country of registration. For UK cars, this means a valid UK insurance policy. For EU cars, it means a valid policy from the country of registration. Spanish authorities will check this, and driving without it is equivalent to driving uninsured.
However, there is a significant catch: if you are now a Spanish resident, your UK or other foreign insurer may not know this. Residency changes are a material fact that must be disclosed to your insurer. An undisclosed change of residency can make your policy void — meaning you have a document that appears valid but would not pay out in the event of a claim.
In some circumstances, the Spanish authorities can issue temporary transit plates (placas verdes) to allow a vehicle to be legally driven within Spain during the import and registration process. These are issued by the DGT and allow the vehicle to be driven to ITV stations and the like while paperwork is in progress. Your gestor can advise whether these apply to your situation.
Before the DGT will finalise your vehicle's registration and issue Spanish plates, you must present a nota de cobertura — a temporary insurance certificate confirming at least third-party liability cover is in place under a Spanish policy. This is not optional; it is part of the registration documentation.
This means you need to have arranged your Spanish insurance policy before registration is complete — ideally a few days in advance so the insurer has time to issue the nota de cobertura. Do not leave insurance to the last moment in the registration process.
Once your vehicle has Spanish plates and a Spanish ficha técnica, it is a Spanish vehicle and must be insured under a Spanish policy. Your foreign policy is no longer relevant. You need a full Spanish car insurance policy — terceros (third party), terceros ampliado (third party plus), or todo riesgo (fully comprehensive) — depending on the value and age of your vehicle.
You can often apply your existing no-claims history from your foreign insurer to your new Spanish policy. We help expats do this regularly — it can make a meaningful difference to your premium. For details, see our Spanish-Plated Car Insurance Spain page.
We specialise in insurance for Spanish-plated cars in Spain:
Why choose us
The car import process is one of the most paperwork-intensive things you will face as an expat in Spain. We cannot do your gestor's job for you — but we can make sure the insurance side of it is handled correctly, quickly, and in English.
Unlike many guides and agents who only cover UK expats, we help clients from across the world — British, American, Canadian, Irish, Dutch, German, French, Belgian, and more. The rules differ for each, and we know them.
Every conversation, every document, every policy — in English. When you are navigating a complex process in a foreign country, not having to deal with Spanish insurance paperwork on top of everything else matters enormously.
Import processes move at unexpected speeds. Your gestor might call on a Friday afternoon to say the DGT registration is going through on Monday. We are available every day — by phone, WhatsApp, or email — to get your cover in place when you need it.
Common questions
These are the questions we hear most often from expats at the start of the import process. If your situation is not covered here, our team are available 7 days a week.
It depends entirely on your residency status in Spain. If you are a non-resident — for example, a holidaymaker or someone who has not yet registered as a Spanish resident — you can drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Spain for up to six months in any twelve-month period without needing to import it.
However, once you become a Spanish resident (by obtaining your TIE, NIE, or being registered on the padrón), the rules change dramatically. As a resident, you are only permitted to drive a foreign-registered vehicle for 30 days from the date it first enters Spain. After this period, driving on foreign plates as a resident is an infraction under Spanish law and can result in fines of €2,000 or more, and in some cases the vehicle may be seized.
Spanish authorities — including the Guardia Civil — have real-time access to foreign vehicle databases including the UK DVLA, so the assumption that you can simply avoid being checked is not a safe one.
Since Brexit, UK-registered vehicles are treated as non-EU imports for customs purposes. This means that, depending on your circumstances, customs duty (typically around 6.5% on passenger cars) and potentially IVA (Spanish VAT at 21%) may be due.
However, there is an important exemption. If you are transferring your habitual residence to Spain — meaning you are genuinely moving, not just importing a car — you may qualify for the franquicia de transferencia de residencia. This personal effects exemption allows you to import a vehicle free of customs duty and IVA if you have owned and used it for at least twelve months before the move, and you commit to keeping it in Spain for at least twelve months after. A gestor or customs adviser can confirm whether you qualify based on your specific situation.
IEDMT registration tax (the vehicle registration tax based on CO2 and value) is payable by all importers regardless of this exemption.
IEDMT (Impuesto Especial sobre Determinados Medios de Transporte) is Spain's vehicle registration tax. It is calculated on the vehicle's market value in Spain at the time of registration — not what you paid for it abroad — and the rate depends on the vehicle's CO2 emissions and the autonomous community where you register.
Broadly, the rates are: 0% for zero-emission vehicles; 4.75% for vehicles emitting up to 120 g/km CO2; 9.75% for 121–160 g/km; and 14.75% for anything above 160 g/km. For a typical mid-range petrol SUV with a Spanish market value of €25,000, this can mean a tax bill of between €2,500 and €3,700 on IEDMT alone before other costs are factored in.
For a full breakdown of how the tax is calculated, see our dedicated Car Import Taxes Spain guide.
The ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) is Spain's roadworthiness inspection — equivalent to the UK MOT, German TÜV, Dutch APK, or French Contrôle Technique. Every vehicle registered in Spain must have a valid ITV certificate, and passing the ITV is a required step in the re-registration process for all imported vehicles.
For vehicles coming from EU countries, the ITV process is relatively straightforward, though the inspector will check everything from lights and tyres to brakes and emissions. For non-EU vehicles — including post-Brexit UK cars — the ITV station will also check that the vehicle meets EU type-approval standards, which can require a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or individual homologation if one is not available.
UK right-hand drive vehicles can and do pass the Spanish ITV — the check is about technical standards, not the configuration of the steering — but you should be prepared for the process to be slightly more detailed.
Yes — this is a requirement that many expats are not aware of until they reach this stage of the process. The DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) requires proof of at minimum third-party liability insurance under a Spanish policy before it will finalise registration and issue Spanish plates. This proof takes the form of a nota de cobertura — a temporary insurance certificate issued by your Spanish insurer.
You need to arrange your Spanish insurance policy before registration is complete. In practice, this means contacting an insurer (or us, as your agent) a few days before your expected registration appointment so that the nota de cobertura can be issued and ready.
We regularly arrange insurance cover specifically for this stage of the import process — contact us as soon as you know your registration timeline and we will make sure the paperwork is in place when you need it.
Whether you are just starting the import process or your registration is imminent, our English-speaking team can arrange the cover you need — quickly, clearly, and without the jargon. We are available 7 days a week.
