Buying/importing a car to Mallorca

[Sun Properties]

Thought the following information may be of some interest to those considering buying a car.....

If you are thinking of buying a Spanish registered vehicle remember that there is a 4% transmission tax to pay if the vehicle is less than ten years old. To be completely safe it is always best to go directly to Trafico with the seller and change the documentation into your name while they are standing next to you. It only costs 40 euros and takes about 30 seconds. If there are any outstanding speeding fines, parking tickets or road tax then they will all have to be paid before the ownership will be transferred to your name and, as it it illegal to own a car which is registered to someone else, it really needs to be sorted out at Trafico with the buyer. If not you will be liable for all outstanding fines etc. This is the way that all Spanish second hand car sales are carried out.

In order to buy a Spanish registered car in the UK you will need the Ficha Tecnica, the Permiso de Circulacion and confirmation that the vehicle has been registered at Trafico as 'for sale' by the old owner. You will also need a photocopy of their passport certified by a Spanish notario.

The safest way to buy a Spanish registered car is to pay a deposit and then pay the outstanding balance when the Permiso de Circulacion has been transferred to your name.

With regard to UK registered vehicles in Spain or France, it should be remembered that a UK registered vehicle can only remain on UK plates for six months. Then it has to be re-registered with the national plates of the country it is in. This is simply so that the road tax can be paid. It is nothing to do with insurance. If the owner does not intend to re-register it, then it must return to the UK for a full, continuous six month period. However, it must remain fully road legal in the country of registration. This means that it must display a current UK tax disc and have a valid UK MOT. A Spanish ITV on a UK registered vehicle is not valid.

The simple rule is that if it's illegal in the UK then it's also illegal in Spain or France.

If it's on a SORN in the UK then it can't be driven on public roads in the UK, France or Spain.

If it's got no UK road tax then it can't be used on any EU road after the 182 period of grace has expired.

If it's got no UK MOT then it can't be used on any EU road.

Remember, it's not about insurance. It's about road tax and a certificate of road worthiness. We all know that if you don't pay UK road tax you can't use UK roads. Well, guess what? If you don't pay Spanish road tax you can't use Spanish roads and If you don't pay French road tax you can't use French roads. In order to pay road tax in France or Spain you have to re-register your car. The EU bi-lateral agreement on road tax only lasts for six months. It's that simple.

 

[sandy]

We're in the process of re-registering our UK (left hand drive) car onto Spanish plates. Its booked in for an ITV, where they also do a chassis check etc, then the gestor will organise the re-registration. There is a tax to pay for 'importation', which is based on the current value of the car, but I gather if you have a residencia you don't need to pay it. Its a hefty tax, but we were expecting it, and it still works out cheaper than if we had bought the car here.

 

[SENOR CIGAR]

Importing uk car to Spain

Sandy,

What sort of import duty would I look to pay on a car bought over from uk ?
Is it a flat rate or based on the uk or Spanish value.

Any info would be useful.

The Senor

 

[sandy]

The tax is based on the current Spanish value of your car, which is obviously higher than the current English value (otherwise you wouldn't need to import). All together our re-registration cost aroun 1000 euros, but it still worked out cheaper than buying the same car over here.

 

[Sun Properties]

oh well nice to be on the optimistic side.. well purchasing a car will be my answer i think!

Exactly what I am doing! Undertaking a lot of research at the moment and as you would expect it is a bit of a minefield if you take out a LHD from UK and re-register with Spanish plates however I think I am right in saying that the insurance situation is a lot easier than the UK which may help some of you considering buying and lending to 'others' who rent or stay in your apartment .... as I understand it the situation is that the car is insured for ANY driver over the age of 25/26 (age varies depending upon company) the only difference being that if a driver under these ages uses the car you have to name them plus the premium is around 3 times the 'norm'. For a small Fiesta for example the annual premium is 300 euro with someone like Direct Line. All you then have to sort out is how to get from the airport although I have found a firm who charge 600 euro for annual car parking within spitting distance of the airport.

 

[moosey]

Rangers this is for you I used Euromaxcars  - Used cars for sale in Mallorca - Car Hire / Rental in Mallorca, SPAIN.. give them a try

 

[Rangers1]

Moosey

Thanks for that i have sent an e-mail will let you know

Cheers

Gordon

 

[Sun Properties]

Well eventually I think I have found a car I like in Mallorca which (should) make it much easier than taking out from the UK. I decided to buy as the hire car charges were fluctuating and having done my maths I decided the 'worry' of owning a car was outweighed by the convenience of not having the hiring hassle. So I am now looking for help once again...
1) Does anyone know a mechanic in the Port/Pollensa who can check the car over for me to make sure I'm not buying a wreck?
2) Had already checked on the insurance and this all looks ok with a number of firms providing fully comp for 300 euro p.a.
3) What other annual costs are likely - MOT (IVA) is every 2 years I believe but anyone advise re annual road tax.
4) I have an NIE number so just wondered what the likely ownership transfer cost will be.
5) I have a quote of 600 euro per annum to leave the car at the airport on an annual parking basis - I think this is quite reasonable ~ what do others think - any alternatives?

Will let you know how I get on - out in 2 weeks to (hopefully) complete the transaction.

 

[med777]

Local knowledge?

OK, we too are thinking of buying , prob in the UK and driving out. OK, got the annual parking price at the airport, (thanx SP) but... what if the car doesnt start, or has 2 flat tyres ? Has anyone info or investigated a local (Palma'ish) garage doing storage? that could have the car up'n'ready to go? (surely must be cheaper than airport prices for JUST parking ) with just a short transfer by taxi ? Does anyone have a work around for owning a car over there and the logistics of it being where u want it, when u want it and ready for the road ?

ALL suggestions and info greatly appreciated as hubby has seen the appropriate UK car and is just jumping up and down to buy it and drive it down ! HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miriam

 

[Sun Properties]

OK, we too are thinking of buying , prob in the UK and driving out. OK, got the annual parking price at the airport, (thanx SP) but... what if the car doesnt start, or has 2 flat tyres ? Has anyone info or investigated a local (Palma'ish) garage doing storage? that could have the car up'n'ready to go? (surely must be cheaper than airport prices for JUST parking ) with just a short transfer by taxi ? Does anyone have a work around for owning a car over there and the logistics of it being where u want it, when u want it and ready for the road ?
ALL suggestions and info greatly appreciated as hubby has seen the appropriate UK car and is just jumping up and down to buy it and drive it down ! HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miriam

The two airport parking facilities I have found - one on site the other just off - both have 24 hour jump starting and can pump up flat tyres etc - in other words limited garage facilities. In addition there is no charge to get you from arrivals to your car. Despite lots of research I have not found any alternatives.
On the question of buying a car I too found some UK (LHD) cars I liked both Spanish and UK registered but particularly in the case of UK registered I just thought it too much hassle compared with buying a car on the Island. The cost of getting the car to Mallorca (2 ferries etc etc) plus the re-registration costs outweighed, in my opinion, the benefit of buying in UK.

 

[Sun Properties]

Where to buy?

Following the previous threads I thought it worthwhile just posting my experiences of where to look/what to buy etc. for those considering - please feel free to correct me as I am no expert in this matter.

Firstly I ruled out a right hand drive car ~ I just wanted driving on the Island to be as hassle free as possible. It soon occured to me that the better value left hand cars in the UK were those vehicles that were, at one stage, only available in LHD form. For example early Smart (2 seater) cars and VW Beetles. People bought these cars initially for the 'prestige' but as soon as RHD models were produced the cost of the LHD version plummeted. In addition some cars are only ever available LHD but find there way to the UK - Fiat Barchetta is just one - a great 2 seater convertable.

The two main sources of available cars I found were Autotrader and Ebay - both on-line. Generally I found dealer advertised cars were a 'full' price and often more expensive than the equivalent RHD car. The dealers know there is a demand out there and if say you are buying for your gite in France the economics of buying a French registered LHD in the UK mean you can buy, get there (incl ferry) and still have a better deal than if you had bought in France. Some private sellers are more realistic regarding price - they often have a LHD they just want to get rid of. As you would expect there are quite a few Polish, Bulgarian etc cars around.

For Mallorca however you have 2 ferries and Barcelona>Palma is expensive plus probably two overnight stays and 1,000 miles of travel/petrol. A great journey (I have done it a few times) but a significant on cost to your car.

So you have got your car to the island and presuming you haven't bought a Spanish registration (you need both parts of the paperwork for ownership transfer if Spanish) you then have to re-register. You may have bought a LHD in the UK but if it has been used over here the headlamps and speedo (and possibly other bits) will have been changed so you will need to have changed back - depending on the car (even if you can find relevant parts) can be expensive. I didn't get as far as the re-registration process - I gave up at this point and decided to buy in Mallorca!!!

Please don't let me put you off - respect to those who do it but I think if you just need a runaround buy locally.

 

[alcanadakid]

Well eventually I think I have found a car I like in Mallorca which (should) make it much easier than taking out from the UK. I decided to buy as the hire car charges were fluctuating and having done my maths I decided the 'worry' of owning a car was outweighed by the convenience of not having the hiring hassle. So I am now looking for help once again...
1) Does anyone know a mechanic in the Port/Pollensa who can check the car over for me to make sure I'm not buying a wreck?
2) Had already checked on the insurance and this all looks ok with a number of firms providing fully comp for 300 euro p.a.
3) What other annual costs are likely - MOT (IVA) is every 2 years I believe but anyone advise re annual road tax.
4) I have an NIE number so just wondered what the likely ownership transfer cost will be.
5) I have a quote of 600 euro per annum to leave the car at the airport on an annual parking basis - I think this is quite reasonable ~ what do others think - any alternatives?

Will let you know how I get on - out in 2 weeks to (hopefully) complete the transaction.

We decided to buy new in Mallorca after working out hire charges etc. After consulting the Which? magazine we decided to buy a Toyota Corolla diesel as it was voted the most reliable of all cars - that was 4 years ago. Purchase price at that time was very similar to the UK price. When buying it we signed a form that meant that the road tax is on a direct debit and is payable 1 October each year. Latest cost was €48. We insured with Lineas Direct (Direct Line) at a cost of €500 which has crept up to €570, so it sounds as though we ought to shop around on renewal. This year we took it for the ITV in Inca for the first time. No one there speaks English but my pidgeon Spanish got me through. Cost was about €90. We park at the airport in Park Plus which is attached to the terminal, cost this year is €828. This is expensive, but for us is well worthwhile as we visit almost every month and with a return taxi fare of €150 it is soon recovered, and also it is just a short walk from the terminal. There used to be a waiting list for this, but with the recession it may now be available. We get the car serviced every two years at the Toyota dealer in Inca at a cost of about €150. There is an AA in Mallorca although we have not used it. One thing to remember is that generally a visitor doesn't clock up much mileage, we average 7000 km per year and we travel all over the island. Our lovely Corolla starts first time every time we come back and we are very pleased with it, and for us buying was definitely the right move. Hope that helps.

 

[pollensa]

Thank you Alcanadakid for such an informative post. It certainly gives people an idea of what the costs may be to keep a car out in PP.

 

[med777]

Palma airport parking link:

..:: Car park Palma Mallorca Airport ::..

Miriam

 

[Sun Properties]

Palma airport parking link:
..:: Car park Palma Mallorca Airport ::..
Miriam

There is also Park and Fly which is cheaper plus I now believe as part of the 6/12 month rental they include island wide breakdown cover.

 

[med777]

There is also Park and Fly which is cheaper plus I now believe as part of the 6/12 month rental they include island wide breakdown cover.

Thanx for that SP...looks like a possible... what do u think the HALL parking means...like garage maybe ?

And just did a search for the 'Grua gratuita por toda la isla' translation and got back 'free crane across the island' lol

Also noticed on their 'who we are' page, that u can purchase from them to, from their existing car hire fleet.

Miriam

 

[Sun Properties]

Thanx for that SP...looks like a possible... what do u think the HALL parking means...like garage maybe ?
Miriam

I know they have some under canopy parking. You can see the location when you are at about 150 feet off the ground when taking off from Palma! This is one of the problems with parking there - the cars get covered in dirt/dust from the planes but don't worry they wash your car for you .................... if they remember!! Another benefit is that you can email them when you are coming out so they can (sometimes) get your car ready. You could actually walk to P & F but problem is there is no footpath from the airport.

 

[Sun Properties]

Guide to importing.

DEFINITIVE GUIDE

I think this FAQ covers all you need to know.

Why do I need to register my British plated vehicle in Spain?
Simple really, It's the law to do so If you are considered a resident. You are no longer considered a tourist if you have spent more than 3 months in one visit.

I've been told and read that taking a RHD car to Spain isn't the best of ideas is that True?
Correct, a RHD car in a LHD country can be a hassle and more importantly dangerous, Simply put a LHD countries road layout has not been designed with any thought for RHD cars and why should it? Then you have the extra hassle of toll barriers, parking, resell value, etc.

If you need a vehicle to aid your move or so you can be mobile from the moment you arrive in Spain then I would strongly suggest purchasing a LHD car in the UK.

I've heard that RHD commercial vehicles can not be registered in Spain at all is this true?
Correct for safety reasons RHD commercial vehicles are not allowed to be registered in Spain, this includes trucks like Toyota Vigo/Hilux and Nissan Narava types.

It is also worth checking before you leave if you have what is considered a RHD dual-purpose vehicle, A Vehicle that has 2 versions one for Commercial and one for Normal use such as the Citroen Berlingo & Renault Kangoo.

What are the differences between registering a British RHD or LHD car?
Nothing apart from if your LHD vehicle still has the LHD headlights/rear fog attached or with it then you do not have the extra expense of paying for new lights and installation.

What is a Certificate of Conformity paper?
A Certificate of Conformity (C.O.C) is a certificate that proves the vehicle obeys all the EU laws and regulations at the point of its first registration. This certificate is ONLY available to vehicles that were built within the last 10-12 years and were first registered within an EU country.

What happens if my vehicle is older than 10-12 years old so will not have a C.O.C document available?
You may still be able to contact the manufacturer and ask for a Certificate of Compliance which gives a detailed list of the vehicle but will not have any EU type approval, this can still be used to aid registration.

What other personal documentation will I need before going any further?
You will need the original UK V5 registration document, your passport, your residencey card/certificate, N.I.E number.

Also if you have an original bill of sale to your name that is quite usefull in proving how long you have owned the vehicle to bypass the first registration tax.

What is import duty? I thought there was no such thing within the EU community?
There is no 'Import Duty' in Spain, however there is a first registration tax that every vehicle has to pay.

However if you have owned the vehicle for more than six months you do not have to pay it, this can normally be proven by the V5 document and if you have it the original bill of sale.

If you have problems in this area you can contact the British consulate who can supply you a document called a Baja Consular which is a sworn statement showing how long you have owned the vehicle for. This unfortunately they charge around €150 for but if it means saving hundreds or thousands of euros in first registration tax it is a small price to pay.

If I have to pay the first registration tax how much will it cost?
As of 1st Jan 2008 the method of calculating the tax has changed significantly and is now based on Co2 emissions.

To calculate the cost they have to come up with a base figure of how much they say your car is worth. This is done in exactly the same way as the previous way which is to take into consideration the : Age, Make/Model & Fuel Type.

And now the level of taxation is based on the Co2 output table below :

CO2 emission of less than : 120 g/Km = 0% of the vehicle value

CO2 emission of between : 120-160 g/Km = 4.75% of the vehicle value

CO2 emission of between : 160-200g/Km = 9.75% of the vehicle value

CO2 emission of more than : 200g/Km = 14.75% of the vehicle value

Examples:

1> If you have a vehicle that is worth €1000 and has a Co2 reading of 110 g/km then you pay nothing.
2> If you have a vehicle that is worth €1000 and has a Co2 reading of 220 g/km then you pay €147.50

For motorcycles it's still based on CC for bikes with less than 250cc it's free and for above it is 12% of its considered value.

If you wish to find out the level of Co2 your vehicle has then if it is a modern vehicle (2001 onwards) it will be on your V5 document .

Do I have to pay any further IVA (VAT) when I register the vehicle?
The EU law states that if the vehicle has had the tax paid on it in another member state and the vehicle is more than six months old AND has more than 6000KM's then you are not liable to pay further tax on the vehicle. However, this does not include any first registration taxes.

Can I pay a Gestor to do all the paperwork for me?
Yes you can and I would strongly suggest you do so, as one false move or hold up can result in you possibly paying the first registration tax.

However they will charge on average €250-300 to do it, based on you doing steps 1-5 below yourself.

Do I need Spanish insurance on my vehicle to obtain Spanish registration?
A lot of the time you are not asked to provide insurance details when registering your vehicle, but if you are your UK Insurance will serve no purpose.

You will have to contact a Spanish insurer that will issue you insurance based on the vehicles chassis number (also known as VIN) which can be found in your V5 document.

However you MUST by law obtain insurance from a Spanish company the moment your vehicle is registered.

What is the process of registration or being Matriculated as it is known in Spain?
Firstly, like anything in Spain there is no 100% way of doing something, there will be slightly different rules/employees understanding of the rules from place to place.

Step 1: Make sure your vehicle has LHD headlights and the rear fog light is on the correct side, it can also be in the middle if that is where the manufacturer originally designed it to be. You also have to make sure that the speedo has a read-out that is also in KM/H (KPH) too. This can be confusing to a lot of people but basically if 'how fast' you're going has a KM/H(KPH) readout (it can be dual MPH/KPH) then that is fine. Your vehicle does not need to record distances in KM's.

In most cases the front bumper will need to come off to replace headlights and sometimes the wiring needs to be rerouted to change the rear fog light if the vehicle is RHD.

Step 2: Look at your paperwork to see if your vehicle comes with a C.O.C document if it was built before 2006/7 the chances are it will not have one automatically, but one can be obtained by contacting the manufacturer directly. Normally you have to ask for the homologation department. There is normally a fee for this document anything from £50-120 or €75-150

However if you have a LHD UK plated vehicle then one is bound to be with your documents as it would have been needed to gain UK registration in the first place.

Step 3: You will now need a Tecnico to make a report called a "Ficha Technica" or "Ficha Reducida" This cross references all the information from the C.O.C or Compliance certificate to make sure the vehicle still holds true to it. Any modifications to the vehicle from the original spec will in most cases need to be reverted back to standard before the report will be granted.

The inspection can take anything from 30 mins to 3 hours to carry out and do not be surprised if you see the person actually measure the vehicles length, width and height and compare it to the documents. The report can take anything from the same day to up to 5 days in some cases to be ready for collection.

This is not to say some modifications will not make it pass or go unnoticed, but the safe and fast route would be to have a completely standard vehicle.

Step 4: Now armed with your Ficha Technica, your UK V5 and identification, book a test at your local ITV station and obtain an ITV (MOT) for the vehicle.

Step 5: Now go to your Gestor and give them all the documentation you have got and let them submit the paperwork or proceed to Step6.

Step 6: Tax(IVA) & first registration tax ; Even if you do not have any IVA or the first reg tax to pay you still need a piece of paper to say so! So now this is where it gets confusing!

It is different from place to place, region to region but the best place to start is your local town hall to find out where you have to obtain tax clearance.
If you do have IVA or first reg tax payable they will issue you with an invoice which in most cases can then be paid at a bank that is declared on the paperwork itself. Remember always always keep receipts for everything you do.

If you have problems proving you are not liable for the first registration tax then get your 'local' British Consulate involved who should be able to supply you with a sworn statement saying that you have owned the vehicle for more than six months, as always, at a cost (see above)

Step 7: Again depending on area, Take everything you have including your tax clearance documents to Traffico and fill in the associated forms, pay the costs (First reg costs and road tax) or pick them up to take home to get translated before you fill them in. Once you have submitted the forms to Traffico it can take anything from the same day to 2 weeks to get the paperwork back so you can have a fully Legal Spanish vehicle.

 

[med777]

DEFINITIVE GUIDE

I think this FAQ covers all you need to know.

Hiya SP, for ur information... that little lot was 2 full A4 pages worth ! I just printed it off !
Well, the deed has been done... hubby couldn't contain himself any longer and a has bought the second hand Picasso (rhd) so now I am going to give him a little 'light' reading ! lol
Thanks for all the info

Miriam

 

[SENOR CIGAR]

Car registration in mallorca

Does anyone know where the nearest trafico office is to Pollensa so I can reregister my recently purchased car which is on Spanish plates.Address if known would be usefull .
The Senor