Registering a right-hand drive car in Spain

Thousands of people every take the decision to bring a car from the UK and register it in Spain. Whether it’s because they are moving to Spain or because they have a holiday home here and want a vehicle to use while they are here. Here’s a list of some helpful tips íf your still making that decision to bring or register a vehicle.

Its right hand drive 

Some people see this as a negative, but for many it’s a positive. People who are used to driving on the right hand side, like it continue to do so. You can stick a bit closer to the side of the road, the blind spots are still covered by the mirrors in most cases and if not you can buy mirror enhancements which assist. It is true that the second market for a right hand drive vehicle in Spain is lower than if you’re selling a left hooker, typically you will get around 20% left for a right hand drive vehicle depending where you are selling it. But with the second hand market in Spain so expensive you would still more than likely get a better price for it then in the UK. 

Buying a similar vehicle in Spain will cost 3 times as much 

The Spanish second vehicle market tends to be a lot more expensive than in the UK. It varies widely depending on the age and make of the vehicle. But generally it’s a lot more expensive to buy a car in Spain. A great way to compare is to use comparison websites. autoscout.es is a great comparison website in Spain ( and also covers other countries in Europe ) you can use this to compare prices with vehicles in the UK with UK bases comparison websites like autotrader. For example a 2010 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr will cost you around 1500 sterling, a similar vehicle in spain is around 4500€. Even with the cost of importing it,  it’s well worth your while,

Condition of vehicle 

The condition of vehicles in Spain at times can leave a lot to be desired, along with the scrapes and bumps due to the fact that in Spain a lot of the time parking etiquette can be rather brash bumper to bumper taps. Commonly and probably down to the sheer size of the country the mileage is through the roof with anything over 10 years old generally 300km mark. The service history of vehicles in Spain can be sketchy, though a plus is that people generally keep their cars for a long time. 

Taxes

Road tax in Spain vehicles with larger more powerful engines can pay up to 3 times less road tax in Spain, if you are bringing a vehicle as part of your move to Spain, and take residency,  you can in most occasions waive the special registration tax that is normally applied. Vehicles with low emissions pay little or now tax anyway. When buying a second car in Spain, unlike the UK there is a tax to pay to the government for the transaction and also a fee to the traffic authorities.  

You wont get an age related number plate

The Spanish traffic authorities give out new registration numbers on a chronological basis so the number you get will be brand new, check out more on our YouTube channel