How to Import Your Vehicle to Spain: A Practical Guide

Embarking on a new life in Spain is thrilling, and bringing your car with you can make the transition smoother. As someone who’s been through this process, let me walk you through the critical steps of importing your car to Spain, ensuring a hassle-free experience in how to import your vehicle to Spain.

It’s good to start by familiarizing yourself with Spanish car importation regulations and the process. The Spanish Traffic Department provides a great, comprehensive guideline on how to import cars from outside the EU, including emissions standards and necessary documentation.

Customs Clearance: The First Step of Importing Your Vehicle to Spain

Before you even think about registration or inspections, clearing your vehicle through customs is your first step. In Spain, it’s called DUA. When your car arrives in Spain, you’ll need to declare it at customs and potentially pay import duties and VAT, depending on your residency status and the vehicle’s age. The Spanish Customs website has all the details you need regarding customs procedures and potential exemptions.

The documents you might find useful when checking whether you are available for exemption:

Those are in Castellano, but it’s better to read original documents, when it comes to the law.

To complete this step, you should find Agencia de Aduanas company to help you. I used the company Gecotex – it’s fine. But you can find any other company in Spain which provides such services. It doesn’t matter in which part of Spain they are located, they can do everything remotely.

During the process of importing your vehicle to Spain, you need to provide them with documents for the car, your NIE (I explained how to get NIE in a previous post), and some other documents regarding the car, which they might ask for.

As a result of the customs clearance process, you will receive 4 documents which you should pass to ITV later:

Declaración de datos relativos al valor en aduana
Declaración de datos relativos al valor en aduana – 2
Certificado de importación (AEAT)
Levante de importación (AEAT)

Cost: For me, this step costs 302 EUR. But can be way different for you.

Ficha Reducida

Before you can proceed with the ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) in Spain, obtaining a Ficha Reducida is a crucial step. The Ficha Reducida, or Reduced Technical Data Sheet, is an essential document that provides detailed technical information about your vehicle. It’s necessary because it verifies that your car meets the specific standards and regulations required in Spain. This document is especially important for vehicles imported from outside the EU, as they may not automatically align with Spanish standards.

To get a Ficha Reducida, you’ll need to consult a licensed technical engineer in Spain. This professional will inspect your vehicle and compile the necessary technical data, such as dimensions, emissions, and power ratings. The process involves a thorough examination of your car to ensure it complies with Spanish regulations. Once the inspection is complete, the engineer will issue the Ficha Reducida, which you must then present at your ITV appointment.

Even though the document is important, getting it seems to be just a formality. I’ve searched the web for such companies who provide this document and used one, that I found – fichareducida.com. You should take multiple photos of your car and provide information about your wheels and car documentation. No need to visit their office or something, all can be done online or via email.

Cost: 50-100 EUR

Vehicle Inspection: ITV

After clearing customs, the next step to import your vehicle to Spain is passing the ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos). This inspection ensures your car adheres to Spain’s safety and environmental standards and can be registered in Spain. Find an ITV office nearby. It’s easy to do using Google Maps, just search for “ITV”. Book an appointment at an ITV station (usually it’s possible to do so by using their website) and prepare your vehicle accordingly. During the ITV process, they check emissions, and all functions of the vehicle, like all types of lights, windshields working, etc. If everything functions well in your car – nothing to worry about.

You should bring there your documents for the car, customs clearance documentation, and the document Ficha Reducida, and fill up a simple form at ITV station. They can schedule another appointment for you later if they have no available slots for this procedure because it’s a bit more complicated than the regular car check. It can take up to 2 weeks.

As a result, you should receive 3 sheets of ITV inspection of your car and 2 sheets with extra information about checks.

Cost: ~250 EUR.

The Registration Process of Your Vehicle in Spain

After all previous steps are done to import your vehicle to Spain – the next step is registering your vehicle in Spain. This involves getting a Spanish license plate and paying the registration tax, which is calculated based on your vehicle’s CO2 emissions.

Starting this moment, it’s easy to find a company, which deals with cars in Spain and can help you with the further steps. They are called Gestoría de vehículos. You can find one of such companies and give them your car documentation, ITV certificates, and all the following steps they can do without you. I suggest going in this direction, especially because they ask for not huge money.

During this process, you will have the final touch with the Spanish Tax office (Agencia Tributaria) and they will give you the information about the final amount that you need to pay as taxes. Important: If you transfer your vehicle, you should start the registration process during the first 60 days after you enter Spain. In this case, you can potentially be exempt from paying taxes and your tax will be 0% in this case.

Cost: 262 EUR

Producing car plates

After you’ve got the green paper, called Permiso de Circulacion, from DGT. Before you import your vehicle to Spain, you have to go to the store and produce the Spanish car plates (Matricula física) for your car on your own 🙂. Usually, this can be done in the store where you make key duplicates. They are located in commercial centers or shopping malls. You should bring this document for the car and your NIE. The process takes around 10 minutes, so not a big deal.

Cost: ~33 EUR.

Conclusion

Importing your vehicle to Spain is a multi-step process that requires careful planning and execution. By understanding and following each step – from customs clearance to registration and inspection – you can ensure a smooth start to your Spanish adventure. Remember, thorough preparation is key to a successful importation process.