Driving in Spain (legality of tourist plates)

Mar 24, 2007 · cavester · 6 replies · 5387 views

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Hi,

Wonder if anyone can help me out here.

My brother has a holiday apartment in Marbella and has just bought (january) an Aston Martin DB9. The car has been put on tourist plates to reduce the tax he must pay. He has purchased insurance which covers anyone over the age of 25 to drive it (I am 27).

I am from the UK and have been down a couple of times and drove it about etc. My brother has just phoned the dealerto arrange me to take the car in for its courtesy service when I go in May. However the dealer has said that I should not be drive the car as it is on tourist plates and only he (my brother, the legal owner) can drive it.

Can anyone shed any light on this and tell me what he is on about?

Thanks,

Lee.

Mar 25, 2007 · Expatriator

I can't say that I've even heard of this "tourist plates" thing at all, but why not just call the insurance company? They'd know better than anyone else, no?

Mar 25, 2007 · cavester

Thay may but they have insured the car (with those plates) for anyone over the age of 25 so that would assume there is no problem. I think the problem is the legality of a person driving a car with tourist plates where that person (the driver) does not own property in spain. Hence legaly only my brother the owner can drive?

P.S. Tourist plates exist for people who own property in spain who do not live there but who may buy a car there. It means you do not have to pay 16% IVA Tax on the value of the car. Google it.

I suppose I could ask the cops.

L.

Mar 25, 2007 · Expatriator

Right, indeed, probably best to ask the cops; I just read that EU citizens can't register a car under tourist plates anymore, so I would definitely check with the authorities however you can.

Let me know what they say too, now I'm curious.

Apr 24, 2007 · Trogg

Found this article, which explains the current position - www.freshdirectory.com/registercar.asp

After reading it though, I think it would be better (and a lot cheaper) to buy a second-hand Spanish car in Spain.
Apparently, the amount of tax is calculated on what they think the car is worth, not what you actually paid for it, and I know someone who paid less than ?2,000 for a car in the UK, and it was valued at ?6,500 for tax purposes!

Most Spanish car dealers will help to arrange the registration transfer, and it gives you a little bit of leverage when negotiating a price.

May 15, 2007 · Expatriator

FYI:
Algrif just posted an article about buying and selling a second hand car (http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/buying_and_selling_a_second_hand_car_in_spain/) which may be helpful here...