Can our car be legal in both countries?

[Anonymous]

Hi there, first time post – hope I’m in the right place.

We’ve been living in Spain full-time since 2004 and have a British car that has now been legally matriculated and has Spanish plates.

From 2010, we intend to spend around 6 months here and six months in the UK. I’ve rung the DVLA and they have told me that, even being resident in the UK (which we will be if we stay six months), as long as our car isn’t in the UK for more than six months in any one year, it can remain on Spanish plates and be legal in the UK.

Now, Spain’s rules say that if I’m in Spain longer than three months I am a resident and must have a Spanish-registered car.

Does this mean that we can be resident in both countries, and keep our car on Spanish plates quite legally?

Seems a bit odd to me, but that’s what the respective country’s rules seem to mean!

[Anonymous]

This sounds so simple and easy there is bound to be something wrong with this solution. Over to the experts.

dd

[Anonymous]

I think you’ll find that the length of stay in Spain is 183 days before you are required to take residency.

[Anonymous]

AFAIK, it is three months for ordinary residency.

Maybe 183 days for tax residency.

[Anonymous]

Can you please explain what is “AFAIK” meeans ?

[Melosine]

As Far As I Know
And AFAIK because in certain areas, particularly Almeria, Brit expats are abusing the system the local Guardia are after any English reg.car they have noticed in area for 3 months.
6 months max. in any calendar year is the law providing it is road legal in country of origin.
Just wonder how many of these Brits are quick to complain about foreigners in England blatently abusing the laws ?????

[Anonymous]

Yes, some expats flount the law.

But our car has been legally matriculated onto Spanish plates.

I’m just asking, if we are resident in UK for six months, will our legally matriculated car still be legal in Spain assuming we do Spanish ITV, tax and insurance?

I’m not trying to do anything illegal

[Melosine]

Albox to Mojacar area there are definately far more than some illegal cars,scampicat which is why the guardia are cracking down.
But to answer your question if the car is legal in Spain ,then as England, according to info I have read the same 182/3 day rule applies.
However do remember that you will only have full comp insurance for 30 or 60 days

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply.

As we are thinking of doing a few months in each country , working out roughly half-and-half, we wanted to keep our car on its Spanish plates if we could because the road tax is so much cheaper.

Looks as though as long as it isn’t in the UK for more than six months a year it should be OK.

After all, it has to be registered somewhere and we will officially be resident in both countries.

Thanks once again.

[Author]

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