If I buy a Spanish car to drive to Tenerife, will I need to reregister it?

[nicky3006]

Hi
We are considering driving from the UK when we relocate to Tenerife in the new year.
After a lot of research it would appear driving a UK registered car and changing to Tenerife plates would be an expensive process.
My question is - if i were to buy a Spanish registered vehicle in the UK and drive it to the island would i need to get it changed over or would it be fully legal and has anyone any experience of doing so?
Many thanks

[ArtyWendy]

We drove from UK in a Tenerife vehicle someone had driven back to the UK. Remember if you buy a LH drive with Spanish plates you will still be liable for import tax - unless you have owned the car for a minimum of 6 months (proof of ownership date required.). Customs here in Tenerife decide the value for tax purposes which may well be in excess of what you actually paid for it..... and just when you think you have 'got away with it' ..... up to three years later you get a bill.... and ten days to pay it. So buy and own more than 6 months before arriving here or advertise and see if anyone wants to swap vehicles either before you leave UK or after you arrive here. Worth a try.

[nicky3006]

Great advice, thank you. I think a swap may be the way to go!

[ozzy39]

I drove from Varna, Bulgaria last year and got the boat from Cadiz. In hind site although I thoroughly enjoyed the road trip I would not do it again because of the hassle getting Spanish Plates. It took me a long time to get the car (Mazda CX7 on Bulgarian Plates) registered here and ended up costing me over Euro 2500 in Tax and fees. It was far easier getting the car changed from German plates and registered in Bulgaria who were not fully in the EU at the time!! The Canarians certainly do not make it easy for you!!
Having said that and you are still going to drive here, make sure you hire someone who knows what they are doing with the registration process! its a necessity (extra expense) :-(

[ArtyWendy]

Btw nicky3006 We went Portsmouth / Santander then drove through some beautiful scenery through Spain to Huelva (near Cadiz) and took the Spanish Armas ferry. A real mix of lovely passengers... from sales folk, backpackers, lorry drivers and of course tourists. Great animation team - all in Spanish of course - made it feel like a holiday en route. Don't be put off if it stops for a few hours in Gran Canaria.... great fun... everybody watching the experts move the back end of articulated lorries on and off the ship. Try for a swap here or fb have lots of Tenerife pages to enquire on. Best of luck !

[nicky3006]

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies. We would like to drive as it sounds like a real adventure and cheaper than shipping over the few personal effects we wish to take.

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Just a thought - if we drove a uk registered vehicle over, can we then return it to the uk within the required 6 months and avoid import costs etc, even if we are residents?

[norte]

don't advise you to buy a car here in tenerife - its expensive and cars has lots of abuse here because of all these mountains and heat (rust also a big issue for coastal cars) also ppl use cars here as much as they can and then sell so you most likely gonna buy a dud.

[Hepa]

I went to Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, and bought a new one. The sellers then shipped it to El Hierro. Pleased with everything.

[nicky3006]

Just an update - we bought a 2 year old Spanish plate car from a local Spanish run garage. Very professional and easy process as they completed all the paperwork for us.
Looked into buying new and could have got several thousand off if we took out finance and chopped in an old vehicle but as cash buyers they didn't want to know!

[essexeddie]

Must be easier to buy in Tenerife without all that hassle. Not all second hand cars are duds. I've had two great cars. Depends where you buy them

We bought ours from Motorworld. No problems at all. They do all the paperwork for you. Family run UK company. The owner was a former Rolls Royce mechamic. Highly recommended.