Our compatriots who are thinking about buying a car abroad are very often faced with the issue of car customs clearance in Spain.
Car customs clearance in Spain
So, first of all, it should be remembered that Spain belongs to the customs area of the EU, and, accordingly, all goods, including cars, purchased in EU countries do not need customs clearance. Therefore, to register a car in Spain, bought, for example, in Germany, it is only necessary to pay the appropriate tax and fees of the Spanish motor inspection. But it is worth paying attention that the Canary Islands have their own customs rules, and cars imported from mainland Spain, European countries and third countries are subject to mandatory customs clearance.
All cars brought from third countries that are not part of the EU must be cleared through customs in Spain. You can clear the car in Spain yourself by contacting the customs department at your place of residence or a customs agent, handing over all the necessary documents to him. In this case, the customs agent will charge you an additional fee for their services, the cost of which may vary depending on the value of the car and the province where you are clearing the car.
To clear a car in Spain, you need to submit the original documents for the car, if the car was purchased recently, you also need to present the purchase invoice. In this case, the official document on the purchase and sale of the car plays a significant role, because the tax is calculated precisely based on the value of the car, and Spanish car prices can surprise you unpleasantly. All documents must be officially translated into Spanish and certified by a sworn translator.
How much does it cost to clear a car in Spain?
During the process of customs clearance of a car in Spain, it is necessary to pay VAT on the value of the car and a certain percentage of duties. As mentioned earlier, VAT and duty are calculated according to the value of the car. If the car was purchased recently, then the value indicated in the purchase invoice will be taken into account. If the car has been owned for a long time, the value will be determined according to the official market price tables. Usually, the cost of clearing a car in Spain is a little more than 30% of its value, VAT in Spain is 21%, plus a duty of about 10% is paid before that, so you should think about the feasibility of importing a car. After registration and payment of duties, a DUA document is issued, confirming that the car has passed the customs clearance process.
But for those who have recently obtained a Spanish residence, a special procedure for customs clearance of a car in Spain has been approved. If all the requirements are met, the “new resident” is exempted from paying VAT, customs duties and tax on registration of the car.
These conditions are regulated by Article 28 of the VAT Law 37/1992, but it is worth considering that a car imported under this scheme cannot be sold or leased during the following year, and the owner will need to provide not only documents for the car, but also documents confirming his status as a “new resident” and a document confirming residence in his country during the last year before moving to Spain.