Car insurance in Spain, general insurance services from house insurance in Spain to funeral plans and health cover

The laws for driving in Spain differ to those in the UK. There are too many differences to list in this website, however, we have compiled the following answers to some of the most asked questions we tend to receive, if you have any other questions about driving in Spain, please feel free to email: info@carinsuranceinspain.net . If you are not sure about a law, do not assume it is the same as the UK, speak to a professional, ask the Police or Guardia Civil, ask us, ask a Gestoria, Spain seems to be full of experts that think they know what they are talking about but so many of our clients have been miss informed about laws by a neighbour or a person in a local bar.

Documentation to carry at all times:

Photo identification is obligatory, by law, in Spain

Original driving license

Original ownership paperwork and proof of current ITV (Permiso de Circulacion and Ficha Tecnica)

This year they have changed the laws for Spanish registered vehicles (UK vehicles insured in Spain must carry proof of payment of a current insurance policy) and you do not need to carry proof of insurance, the authorities can check to confirm the vehicle is insured by checking your registration number using the FIVA system (the equivalent to the Motor Insurance Database in the UK). However, this is a brand new law and we are still hearing from clients that some authorities still ask for proof of insurance so, keep proof with you anyway as to avoid problems! The old laws meant no proof of insurance is grounds to immobilise and impound a vehicle. Arguing with a Police officer is not recommended in any country, even if you are right.

Other requirements:

Seat belts must be worn at all times, including back seats

2 x warning triangles must be kept in the vehicle along with reflective jackets; these must be worn before you get out of the vehicle on a public road

Children under 12 years, or 1.35 mtrs, must travel in the rear of the vehicle in an approved booster seat

You must carry a set of spare bulbs and tools to replace them

You must carry a spare tyre and tools to replace it

You must not drive barefoot or with flip flops, shopping and other objects should be kept in the boot, not loose in the vehicle.

It would appear these days, that town halls and Police are getting quite strict on these rules, it does vary depending on the areas however, better safe than sorry.

Dogs must be kept either in a carrier box in the boot or on the rear seat with a proper net installed behind the driver's seats, however I have been told recently that bars should be installed, we need to update you about this one.

Apart from your car insurance in Spain, to drive in Spain you must have either a valid UK or EU license, or the license from your country of residence and an international driver's permit. The international permit is only valid for 6 months from the date you enter the country.

If you become a resident in Spain and have a UK license, you must either register this with your local Trafico authorities, or swap it in for a Spanish license, this will cost you very little even if you use a Gestoria and pay them to take care of it all. It's a good idea to get your license registered in Spain too. For a renewal of a UK license the DVLA send you a questionnaire to complete and post back. In Spain the license is renewed every 10 years until you hit 70, then every 2 years. A medical check up at an authorised medical centre is required for the renewal and for registering your UK license with the Spanish authorities, my last medical for my license cost me approx 40€. They have recently changed the laws and now the driving centres can charge you the additional traffico fee and send it all off for you, giving you a temporary license, valid for 90 days until the original gets back from Trafico

It is illegal to drive in Europe with a non-European driving license, without an international drivers permit.

Any foreign registered vehicle being driven in Spain must be kept road legal according to the country of registration, this means a UK vehicle must have a current UK road tax and a current UK MOT. If the vehicle is kept in Spain for more than 6 months, it must be imported and re registered in Spain. If you travel back and forth and your UK MOT expires while you are in Spain, you can take it through a Spanish ITV, so the vehicle is considered to be road legal until it returns to the UK, then it must be taken through a UK MOT. UK road tax can NOT be obtained if your MOT has expired.

S.O.R.N. statements

It is illegal for any vehicle to be driven anywhere if it is on a SORN, it can NOT be on any public road at all. In Spain you have the equivalent for a Spanish vehicle called a "baja temporal". Neither of these are a get out clause to drive abroad and not pay road tax. For more information concerning SORN statements please click here and read from the official Directgov website.

If you are importing a vehicle to Spanish plates you can apply for a certificate of export from the DVLA, again this does not mean you can drive freely and never have to pay road tax again, this is just the first step to re registering the vehicle onto Spanish plates, you can NOT apply for a certificate of export and leave your car indefinitely on UK plates and drive freely without paying road tax.

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