Dont know if this is in the correct section, but a client of ours was stopped today in Corbera d'Ebre by Mossos d'esquadra. They had a Dutch registered car on temporary insurance plates because they intended changing the matriculation as soon as they arrived. n fact thy had been to see a gestor a few days ago.

The police man was in plain clothes and an unmarked car, and told our client that he had to follow him to Gandesa police station.

He called me from here to explain that he had serious problems, so we went to the police station.

We were told that now all foreign cars have only one month before you have to either change them to Spanish OR to get temporary green registration plates from the traffic dept in Tarragona, at the small cost of 300 Euros.

They have confiscated the car and all the documentation from our client until next Wednesday when they should have everything back from Tortosa.

I was under the impression that you could keep a foreign car here for 6 months before having to do anything about changing registration but apparently this is now not the case.

Unless of course anyone knows any different.

Be careful out there

Jools  

Does It apply to motorhomes?

I would think that they would be inundated if that was the case with all the tourists!!

Best to contact your MEP or the british consulate to find out if Spain is as usual flouting the EU rules, to make some money

6 months is the norm in all other EU countries as long as ITV and Insurance are current!!

Someone was telling me the other day that there is an ITV station in Vinaros that will test and give certificates to non spanish registered cars, anyone know if that is true?

As far as I am aware, most I.T.V, stations here will take the money and give you certificate,  on roadworthy vehicles, not registered here.
Also some insurance companies will take money from you, for vehicles not registered here, and  give you what you think is a legal policy. Problem arises should you be involved in an accident. That's when you may find out, that you are not covered after all!

Hi Jools,

I think the temporary plates are the problem. Dutch temporary plates are only for export use and just valid for 14 days (according to the Dutch RDW) (they are only for transporting the car to another country).

It is a better idea to just keep the car on regular Dutch plates and first register the car in Spain before you unregister it in Holland (you can do this by mail).

Mark