I have a few questions about importing a car to Tenerife

[Treat]

I own a 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible 2.0l and it is currently in Latvia and I have no proper use for it in Latvia, since it is always cold there.
I would like to take it with me to Tenerife in a month. The gasoline + ferry will be about 1000EUR, so that is OK, but when it is in Tenerife I'm planning to put it on Spanish plates.

So my questions are:
1. Do I put it on Spanish plates right away or I would be better to wait the 6 months period which I can drive it with Latvian plates and then change them?
2. I read something like this.. If I am (or I am not) a Spanish resident and I owe the car for more than 6 months and it is my first car I bring here, I can import it and skip the import fees. How does this actually work?
3. When on Spanish plates I need insurance - how much is it?
4. Even if I do import it for free (like in 2nd question),I believe there are still some fees left to register it here. How much are they?

Thanks a lot guys!

[sundownersvince]

The car has to be registered for at least 6 months in your name BEFORE it lands in Tenerife to avoid paying duty. Even so you can reckon on paying another €500+ for all the paper work to get it Matriculated onto Spanish plates. I should imagine the Spanish police would take an instant interest in a car on Latvian plates so beware. Personally I would buy a car in Tenerife, or motorcycle, slightly less hassle.

[Greg]

Be wary, they will not ITV a car that was not made for the European market. If your car was USA imort you could get it here only to be told that you cannot matriculate it. You would then have six months to take it off the island.

[peter tenerife]

Hello, my name is Pedro, I am from Tenerife but I was born in UK, good level of english. I am an engineer working in the south of tenerife legalizing modifications on vehicles and writing out specification sheets for inport vehicles. If you want any help, Give me a call.

[alexast]

Please PM
Alex

[peter tenerife]

It can be matriculated, one way or another.

[alexast]

Yes i am.If you help us with matriculated call me
+607542567

[laimakap]

Yes i am.If you help us with matriculated call me
+607542567

Hi Alex, how much do you charge for the matriculation? Also if I bring the car which I owe for less than 6 month, 11% of extra taxes will be calculated according to my car price I paid in UK or it will be valuated according to Canaries prices?

[ozzy39]

Can anyone tell me, have the rules changed again or does the answer given in Jan this year to this post still stand??

Peter

[norte]

does here in tenerife all cars need to have certificate of conformity? that if my car is older and it doesnt have it as these paperworks started to produce only in 2002 or something.i also have american car here tried to matriculate myself its total and utter bs.. in lithuania it takes 1 hour and about 10 euro fee...:(

[ozzy39]

I thought I would be stopped multiple times driving from Bulgaria to Tenerife because on Bulgarian Plates but not once did it happen! I have had the car on the island for 2 months now and not been stopped for checks here either!!


Can anyone tell me, have the rules changed again or does the answer given in Jan this year to this post still stand??

Peter


The car has to be registered for at least 6 months in your name BEFORE it lands in Tenerife to avoid paying duty. Even so you can reckon on paying another €500+ for all the paper work to get it Matriculated onto Spanish plates. I should imagine the Spanish police would take an instant interest in a car on Latvian plates so beware. Personally I would buy a car in Tenerife, or motorcycle, slightly less hassle.

[rickjansen]

The car has to be registered for at least 6 months in your name BEFORE it lands in Tenerife to avoid paying duty. Even so you can reckon on paying another €500+ for all the paper work to get it Matriculated onto Spanish plates. I should imagine the Spanish police would take an instant interest in a car on Latvian plates so beware. Personally I would buy a car in Tenerife, or motorcycle, slightly less hassle.

I'm looking into moving to Tenerife, and taking with me my beloved car that is now 39 years old, and 25 years in my possession. It's my first and only car! So, I would welcome not having to pay too much import duty when bringing it. However, I cannot find the "6 months" rule anywhere. Would it be possible to refer me to some government site where these rules are? Below is what I have found on importing a car to Tenerife.

I have found http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Fiscal/l38-1992.t2.html myself. I am no lawyer, nor is my Spanish great, though Google translate translates it well, it still is a difficult text to read. Article 70 lists the tax rate: depending on the CO2 exhaust 0 to 13.75% for the Canary Islands. (13.75% for my car.)

This site http://canaries.angloinfo.com/information/transport/vehicle-ownership/eu-vehicle/ confirms that, and refers to a form "modelo 576" that you need to fill in to register your car. My feeling is that this is the actual document that is used for registration, and what is in here holds truth.

Instructions to fill out form 576 are in http://www.agenciatributaria.es/static_files/AEAT/Contenidos_Comunes/La_Agencia_Tributaria/Modelos_y_formularios/Declaraciones/Modelos_500_al_599/576/Instrucciones/instr_mod576.pdf This document also gives the 13.75% percentage for import into the Canary Islands.

Nowhere is listed the clause of 6 months foreign ownership exempting you from tax, but there may be an escape: the 576 form has a field for "Base imponible". The instructions tell you that for new cars the actual price is the amount to specify, but for used cars you specify the "market value". The market value they will either get from tables form the Ministro de Economía y Hacienda, or if the car isn't listed there, actual market prices.

Those tables I have found here: http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/CCAA/522688-df-3-2014-de-28-ene-alava-precios-medios-de-venta-de-vehiculos-automoviles.html (A LONG list of car models in Anexo I!) The good thing, or at least I hope it is, is Anexo IV, which is a table listing percentages ased on the age of the car, resulting in 100% of the table value for cars up to 1 year, but only 10% for cars older than 12 years, as my car obviously is.

If my interpretation is correct I do have to pay 13.75% tax, but only on 10% of the original catalog price. My model isn't listed, but a more expensive model is, at 50.000 euros. Even at that value the tax would be a bit more bearable for me: 13.75% of 5.000 euros is 690 euros.

I would love to hear from someone having actual experience with importing their car, and please let me know if above is true? Many thanks!

[rickjansen]

The car has to be registered for at least 6 months in your name BEFORE it lands in Tenerife to avoid paying duty. Even so you can reckon on paying another €500+ for all the paper work to get it Matriculated onto Spanish plates. I should imagine the Spanish police would take an instant interest in a car on Latvian plates so beware. Personally I would buy a car in Tenerife, or motorcycle, slightly less hassle.

I'm looking into moving to Tenerife, and taking with me my beloved car that is now 39 years old, and 25 years in my possession. It's my first and only car! So, I would welcome not having to pay import duty when bringing it. However, I cannot find the "6 months" rule anywhere. Would it be possible to refer me to some government site where these rules are? Below is what I have found on importing a car to Tenerife.

I have found http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Fiscal/l38-1992.t2.html myself. I am no lawyer, nor is my Spanish great, though Google translate translates it well, it still is a difficult text to read. Article 70 lists the tax rate: depending on the CO2 exhaust 0 to 13.75% for the Canary Islands. (13.75% for my car.)

This site http://canaries.angloinfo.com/information/transport/vehicle-ownership/eu-vehicle/ confirms that, and refers to a form "modelo 576" that you need to fill in to register your car. My feeling is that this is the actual document that is used for registration, and what is in here holds truth.

Instructions to fill out form 576 are in http://www.agenciatributaria.es/static_files/AEAT/Contenidos_Comunes/La_Agencia_Tributaria/Modelos_y_formularios/Declaraciones/Modelos_500_al_599/576/Instrucciones/instr_mod576.pdf This document also gives the 13.75% percentage for import into the Canary Islands.

Nowhere is listed the clause of 6 months foreign ownership exempting you from tax, but there may be an escape: the 576 form has a field for "Base imponible". The instructions tell you that for new cars the actual price is the amount to specify, but for used cars you specify the "market value". The market value they will either get from tables form the Ministro de Economía y Hacienda, or if the car isn't listed there, actual market prices.

Those tables I have found here: http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/CCAA/522688-df-3-2014-de-28-ene-alava-precios-medios-de-venta-de-vehiculos-automoviles.html (A LONG list of car models in Anexo I!) The good thing, or at least I hope it is, is Anexo IV, which is a table listing percentages ased on the age of the car, resulting in 100% of the table value for cars up to 1 year, but only 10% for cars older than 12 years, as my car obviously is.

If my interpretation is correct I do have to pay 13.75% tax, but only on 10% of the original catalog price. My model isn't listed, but a more expensive model is, at 50.000 euros. Even at that value the tax would be bearable for me: 13.75% of 5.000 euros is 690 euros.

Anyone who can confirm the above? I would love to hear from people who actually brought along their car with them, and their experiences!

[norte]

there is definitely "6 month rule". unless my gestor - agent taking me for a ride:) i brought my car here owning it about 4 months and need to pay lotsofmoney tax calculated from value of the vehicle. i even read somewhere in internet about, cant be bothered to look now for a link. if own it 25 years you should be exempt from this tax. i suppose this "6 month rule tax" is to avoid used car traders bringing here cheap cars from continent and selling them, it's crazy but that's canarian style. used cars for sale here is complete rubbish , or if its good the price is ridiculous, even pathetic cars i saw have prices almost like new . LOL. it's definitely worth to bring your own car here rather to take the expensive lottery which is trying to find decent car for reasonable price here in tenerife. good luck

[Apps28]

Hi can any recommend someone who can register my uk transit van to tenerife plates and maybe rough prices thanks

[norte]

yeah, mend it autos guargacho, lady name Mercedes. many people say she is the best in the island her fee was 250. she is not english , she is local canaria so does it really good. (speak english easy). before i wanted to do it with some english gestors - they were awful talking nonsense all the time didn;t wanted to do my car coz its impossible (according to them) lol

[Apps28]

Hi Norte do you have any details thanks

[norte]

http://menditautostenerife.com here mate.