Driving in Spain
As long as you have an EU photo-card style licence, you can drive in Spain although you must be over 18 years of age. If you don't, you cannot drive legally in Spain so it is wise to obtain the photo-card licence in the UK. If you don't, you will need to take a Spanish driving test to obtain your driving licence. If you are a non-EU citizen without a photo-style driving licence then unfortunately, you have no choice but to take a Spanish driving test to obtain a licence.
Driving in Spain is not much different from driving in the UK except that you'll be driving on the right of the road and not left. The horror stories from years ago about driving in Spain are simply not true. Yes it is scary driving in Madrid but then again, driving in London is scary also. All that is required is to drive sensibly and with an eye on other road users. It does of course help if your car is a left hand drive, something to seriously consider if you are thinking about importing your car from the UK.
Car Ownership
For people relocating to Spain, it is much simpler to sell your car at home and buy a different one when you get here. This is not only cheaper and less hassle but also safer unless your car is a left hand drive. Buying a Spanish registered car also has the advantage of being easier to resell when you want to change.
Most garages in Spain will undertake all the necessary paperwork to register a car in your name when you purchase it. You will only need to provide your passport (or residents card), a Padron document provided your local town hall and your original NIE notification.
If you do intend to bring out your own car, you will need to register it with the Spanish authorities and amongst the many other requirements, obtain an ITV, the equivalent of an MOT certificate. Registering your car is not a simple process and the requirement seem to change on a fairly frequent basis. For this reason, you should consider enlisting the services of a professional to guide you through the maze.
Running Your Car, Tax and Insurance
Once you are the proud owner of a Spanish vehicles or have registered your old vehicles on Spanish plates, you will need to take care of the usual matters such as tax, insurance and keeping it roadworthy.
As in the UK, all vehicles in Spain are required by law to be insured. Unlike the UK, the insurance is not on the driver but on the vehicle itself. The majority of insurance policies although having a nominated person as key policyholder, will allow anyone over the age of 26 to drive.
In Spain, non commercial vehicles are required to be certified as roadworthy on a regular basis by obtaining an ITV test certificate. This is required for all cars over the age of 4 years. The test is required every two years until the vehicle is 10 years old and from then on, every year.
