Registering a UK Car in Spain 2023

Relocating to Spain from the UK? Unsure about what you will need to do to register a UK car in Spain in 2023?

EUROCOC is the European market leader in Certificate of Conformity mediation for vehicles and has been since 2008. If you need a Certificate of Conformity for your vehicle when travelling or relocating abroad, then you are in the right place. Get COC now.

This blog post will cover all you need to know about registering a UK car in Spain in 2023. You will learn about the customs duties and tax fees you will likely have to pay, the technical vehicle inspection you will need to have carried out on your vehicle, and you will find out more about a Certificate of Conformity.

Need to know what a car registration looks like in Spain? Looking for information on registering a car in France? Click these links to read more.

Customs

One of the largest costs to be aware of when registering a car from the UK in Spain is customs duty and IVA. The customs duty is currently 10% and the IVA sits at 21% of the cost of the vehicle.

The amount you pay is based on either the value published by the Spanish government’s official list of vehicle values or the purchase price / assessed market value of the vehicle. The amount you pay will depend on the age of the car and where the car was purchased.

A document known as a DUA is issued once customs clearance has been granted for your vehicle.

An exemption may be granted for your vehicle provided that you can produce proof that your vehicle was purchased prior to 01/01/2021. Customs will only accept official documentation relating to the purchase of a vehicle from VAT-registered car dealers.

You can expect to pay around €150 – €350 depending on the original cost of your vehicle and the customs agent’s discretion.

Provisional Plates

Before you register your vehicle in Spain, you may need to get provisional plates for your car.

These ‘P’ provisional plates indicate that your vehicle is in the process of receiving a Spanish number plate.

These provisional plates allow you to drive your vehicle in Spain while your application for Spanish registration is processed.

You should expect these temporary plates to cost you approximately €150.

Certificate of Conformity (COC)

When you travel to Spain and want to bring your car for a long period of time, or are moving to Spain you will likely need to get a Certificate of Conformity (COC) for your vehicle.

In EU Law, a COC (Certificate of Conformity) is required as a declaration of conformity with the type approval of the European Commission. In brief, the COC guarantees the homogeneity of goods in the EU that are subject to registration, including passenger vehicles, light goods vehicles, and motorcycles.

You may also need to obtain a Ficha Technica Reducida, which is valid documentation provided by a technician in Spain who can assess the roadworthiness of your vehicle in accordance with the laws in Spain.

This technical report may need to be provided in addition to the COC and will cost between €75 – €150 on average.

How to Obtain a COC For Your Car

The original COC is free and delivered when you buy a brand-new car from a car dealer.

If your car is second-hand, you will bring a used car to Spain, or you are driving a scooter, motorcycle or light goods vehicle, or even if you have simply lost it, then you will need to request a duplicate COC from the manufacturer.

This will incur a cost and can also be difficult. Negotiating with the manufacturer can be a lengthy and confusing process. Fortunately, EUROCOC is a simple way to get your COC for Spain.

Necessary Modifications to Your Vehicle

It is often required for you to make some necessary adjustments or modifications to your UK vehicle in order to allow you to register the car in Spain.

You may need to replace your headlights or realign the beam pattern on right-hand drive cars, and change the rear light clusters so that the fog lights of your vehicle are on the correct side for Spain.

Any additions to your vehicle such as tow bars will need to have EU conformity stamps and should be removed from your vehicle if they do not.

Vehicle Technical Inspection (ITV)

Once you have received the COC for your vehicle and/or the Ficha Technica Reducida your car will need to undergo an official inspection to ensure that the details of both the COC and the roadworthiness report are accurate.

The cost for this test is usually around €150.

Taxes and Other Fees

In addition to customs duty and VAT, you will also need to pay additional fees and taxes to register your UK vehicle in Spain.

Registration Tax

Road tax rates in Spain are set by the local authority. The tax you pay is based upon the power rating of your vehicle.

It is good to note that road tax rates are usually lower in Spain than they are in the UK, even for larger vehicles that have to pay the highest tax rate.

Special Registration Tax

Some vehicles may have to pay a special registration tax. This is calculated based upon the value of the vehicle when it was new, and any depreciation in value due to the age of the car.

The rates of this tax will vary depending on the vehicle you own and the pollution or CO2 emissions rating of the car.

More information on registration tax and special taxes can be found here.

Final Registration Fee

The final process to complete the registration of your UK car in Spain is to pay a fee to the Spanish Traffic Department – the DGT.

You will have to pay a DGT fee of €100 and a Colegio de Gestores / tax presentation fee of €50.

Don’t Forget Your COC

Are you thinking of taking your UK-registered vehicle to Spain? If so, you will probably need to get a Certificate of Conformity for your vehicle.
EUROCOC is the market leader in COC mediation and we make this process very simple. If you need to get a COC for your vehicle, we can help you with a few easy-to-follow steps. Just click here to get started!

What Cars Need a COC in France?

All brands of cars may need a COC when you register them in France. EUROCOC can help you get a Certificate of Conformity Citroen Spain, a BMW Certificate of Conformity for Spain, and a Peugeot Certificate of Conformity Spain and we can also help you get your VW Certificate of Conformity for Spain.

EUROCOC is not just limited to these makes of vehicles. Whatever car you drive, we can help.

Click here to get your COC and make registering your car in Spain easy with the correct documentation.