Still need to put your UK registered vehicle onto Spanish plates in Andalucia?

As we reported last week on our January YouTube update, since 1st January, some ITV stations in Spain have been asking for more documentation in order to pass UK-registered cars and vans through the ITV test. This is because the UK is no longer a member of the EU and is now classed as a “third country” 

That being said, for the time being, Andalucia has taken a slightly different stance and so far hasn’t requested additional paperwork as long as the vehicle meets certain criteria:

• Vehicle has EU type approval
• Vehicle was registered in the UK prior to 31st December 2020
• EU type approval appears on both the V5 logbook and the manufacturer’s plate

So far so good for British residents in Andalucia, especially the Costa del Sol, which has the largest concentration of British-registered vehicles.

Customs confusion reigns for vehicles.

To add to the post-Brexit confusion, on 7th January 2021 the DGT (Spanish Traffic Authority) issued a notification that as from 1st January 2021, all British vehicles need to present a DUA document (proof that they had gone through Customs to finalise the registration), even though, according to the DGT, there is no actual tax to pay. Despite the DGT notification, and even though there is a commercial agreement in place, there have been multiple reports of customs agents insisting that both VAT (21%) and duty (10%) are due on UK vehicles at customs. This is a perfect example of the confusion around the Brexit Trade Agreement, and it’s clear that there’s still a lot of paperwork to iron out.

And now for the good news

So what’s the good news then? Well, if you can prove that your UK-registered vehicle was in Spain before the end of 2020, then the DGT have been processing vehicle registrations without the DUA document from Customs. To prove to the DGT that  your vehicle was in Spain in time, you’ll need to provide acceptable evidence, such as you started the registration process before 31/12/20 (with green temporary plates etc) or your vehicle passed an ITV before 31/12/20, Other proof could include traffic fines or travel documents (e.g. Eurotunnel, ferry tickets etc) or even bills for regular maintenance dated before the end of 2020. Though the ultimate decision still lies with the DGT. 

If you’re in the process of applying for residency, no additional documents required

It is worth mentioning that when registering a vehicle for change of residence, it has always been the case, for third-country nationals as well as EU citizens, that there are no additional technical documents required to import personal items, which includes cars. 

You may also be able to get a waiver on the Special Registrations Tax, check out this article and ask us for more details.