I believe the Spanish Police are now cracking down on UK cars in Spain.  Can anyone tell me where to go in Tarragona if you want to change a UK car over, and is it the same place if you buy a Spainsh car and have to change the name on the ownership documents. Also how many people are having problems with the police and UK cars.

hi. In the Mora area, the police are now taking photos of any English reg car on the road. They then checking by internet  with the DVLA to see if it is taxes. If it is not, they are stopping the car at the roadside, or entering fincas to check on cars, and the owner is then given 6 days to get it on to Spanish plates.. Otherwise, the car must not be moved, unless on a low loader.. They really do mean business, and i know a few people that this has happened to.

Can Agree if you see what you think is a couple of mossos with a road side speed cam look again its a normal digital camera they photograph the rear number plate then check with the DVLA to see if it has up to date road tax, or if its SORNED or permanently exported, if not taxed they issue number plate lists to the Rozzers and pull you next time they see you, you can end up being clamped with a hefty fine!

I wonder why it has taken so long for the rozzers to clamp down on these unlicensed, uninsured vehicles that seem to be in daily use.  I can't believe they didn't sort it out when they had the police station behind 'Simply' supermarket.  One quick trip to the nearby supermarket car park and... Kerching!!!  Maybe they've caught all the robbers and I will be getting my TV and computer back soon.   :)

Of course the answer is DRIVE LEGALLY!!!!

What you mean like those Ex-pats who drive home from the bar on a Friday night and a Sunday afternoon!! ;D ;D ;D

I agree with Michael, that had the Mossos been doing this months/years ago, they would have caught hundreds, using the Simply supermarket/carpark alone.
Also they could watch people on school runs, like they have done in other parts of Spain and caught motorists this way.
BUT, how is it that the Dutch and Germans are using their vehicles illegally around here, and get away with it??

I seem to recall some dutch couple in Gandesa getting clamped but it may be that the Germans and the French  are more likely to have holiday homes here and not permanent residents and only visit for Jollies then drive back home!!

I don't think so, Stu.
There are quite a few around here, who reside all year.
But, even more when you visit Vinaros, Peniscola etc. etc.

There are also plenty of us who have homes in both UK and Spain. When I come over for a few months I cash in my UK tax and SORN the car. This is perfectly legal as UK road tax only applies for driving in the UK. You need to check with your insurance company and of course you need to be MOT'd for the insurance to be valid.
The EU law on this is totally bonkers. I had great discussions with Lord Adonis during the last government. "You can use a car in another EU country for up to 6 months in any 12 month period before it must be re-registered." No-one could tell me if this meant a calendar year, a rolling 12 month period or how multiple trips abroad were allowed for. I even asked if MEPs drove back and forth to Brussels and was told that many do.
Always keep a valid insurance certificate and proof of a ferry crossing within the last 6 months in the car.
I would absolutely not condone colour copying your tax disk before cashing it in nor editing and reprinting the emailed ferry crossing every month or so. That would be very naughty.  ;D

by sorn'ing your vehicle you are saying that it is not on a european road. vehicles in spain must be taxed in the country of registration to be legal in spain . this also applies throughout the EU

When you sorn a vehicle you are signing/agreeing that you are not using or keeping the vehicle on any public road, anywhere.
It must be kept in a garage or off road??

UK cars in Spain must have a valid tax disc

Can anyone confirm that that the annual Rates bill for a Finca includes an amount for agricultural vehicles ?
As my neighbour has been told by the Adjuntament that he neads to inform them of his tractors details and pay extra for it on the rates bill.

wrote on May 4^th, 2011 at 11:09am:

Can anyone confirm that that the annual Rates bill for a Finca includes an amount for agricultural vehicles ? As my neighbour has been told by the Adjuntament that he neads to inform them of his tractors details and pay extra for it on the rates bill.

thats a new one on me  :-/we have a tractor we use it to go to our other house and land but dont pay taxes on it.maybe you have to pay to use the rd  like you do a car so if the tractor is registered like our new spanish car is you have to pay to use the rd.mybe we dont pay for our tractor as its not new and its not registered anywere ?well not to us anyway.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_4022582

This website explains it all.  You cannot sorn a vehicle when its abroad because on the sorn application you have to specify which UK address the vehicle will be kept at.

Well I have a few motorbikes on sorn and nobody has ever asked me were they are 8-)

The answer to all of this is really simple! To use your UK registered car on Spanish roads it must be taxed, insured, MOT'd and not on a sorn. In other words, Road Legal for use in the UK.

It really is that simple.

hear hear John.
This week alone, 1 uk car disabled on finca, by the mossers,and owner fined 700 euros for not having uk mot and tax,, and 1 van taken away by mossers on a low loader, at the owners expense plus an undisclosed fine...
These drivers are not being fair to other road users, as there insurance is nil and void even if they think they are insured. I hope i'm not in a accident with any of these law breaking drivers. I have to pay my dues, ans so should they... :( 

I have an old car which has just run out of mot. I use it on my private land as a feed store for my donkeys,
Should I declare it scrapped, rather than sorned.
If so what are the implications when the mossos decide to drive 2 miles up a mountain to clamp my car.
Am I allowed to keep a scrapped car???

What authority do they have to go onto private land and  check what could be classed as a farm vehicle ?
Perhaps this is why some Adjuntaments require tractors to be on the land rates bill ?

As far as I'm aware farm vehicles have to be safe to use.

In 7 years of living here I have personally known 7 people (1 of them English) who have died in accidents while using tractors.

I'm not saying any of them were not road worthy, but they are just as dangerous if not in a good state of repair as any car.

At the moment, the police seem to be only targeting cars that they have seen being driven on the roads. One guy tried to stop the police coming onto his land, to no avail..They still took the car away on a low loader, as it had been driven on the roads, and they had pics to prove it..   I haven't heard that they are targeting any cars that have not been using the roads.