Moving to Spain with your car: registering it on Spanish plates (2026)

Many people moving to the Costa del Sol bring their own car. It makes sense: you know it, it fits your belongings and you are mobile straight away. But if you live here, you cannot keep driving on Dutch or Belgian plates indefinitely. In this guide you will read what you need to do, what it costs and how to avoid the registration tax. We are estate agents, not a gestor: for the registration itself it is best to work with a gestor, who submits the whole file for you.

When does your car need Spanish plates?

As soon as you are resident in Spain, you register your car. Count on about one month after registering as a resident. If you only come on holiday or spend a few months over winter without becoming resident, you may drive on your own plates as long as your car is insured and inspected in your home country. When you become tax resident is explained in the 183-day rule.

Step 1: registration tax (IEDMT) or exemption

The Impuesto Especial sobre Determinados Medios de Transporte is a one-off tax on first registration in Spain. The rate depends on your car's CO₂ emissions:

The rate applies to the value of your car according to the official tables of the Spanish tax office, with a reduction depending on the car's age. An electric car falls in the 0% band.

Exemption when you move. Under article 66.1.n of Ley 38/1992 you pay no registration tax if you move your residence to Spain and meet three conditions:

• you lived outside Spain for at least 12 months without interruption;
• you used the car there for at least 6 months before your move;
• you do not sell or rent out the car during the first 12 months after registration.

You apply for the exemption at the Spanish tax office with modelo 05, within 60 days of your move. If you miss that deadline or do not meet the conditions, you pay the tax with modelo 576. So keep everything that proves your moving date and the use of the car: your deregistration in your home country, your Spanish registration, the vehicle registration certificate and insurance papers.

Step 2: the ITV inspection

The ITV is the Spanish roadworthiness test. For a car from another EU country you need a ficha técnica , the Spanish technical data sheet. It is made on the basis of the manufacturer's European certificate of conformity (COC). With the ficha técnica you go to an ITV station, which checks and approves the car.

Step 3: registration with the DGT

With the inspection, proof of registration tax or exemption and your foreign registration certificate, you register the car with the Dirección General de Tráfico. In 2026 the fee is 99.77 euros. You then get your Spanish registration number and have the number plates made.

Step 4: road tax and insurance

• Road tax (IVTM): an annual municipal tax that depends on your car's power and your municipality. In Spain it is usually much lower than in the Netherlands or Belgium.
• Insurance: once your car has Spanish plates, you take out Spanish car insurance. Ask your current insurer for a no-claims certificate, and you will often get a discount in Spain.
• Home country: report the export of your car in the Netherlands or Belgium, so you no longer pay tax and insurance there.

Your driving licence

A Dutch or Belgian driving licence remains valid in Spain. You do not have to exchange it, but when it expires you renew it in Spain as a resident.

What does it cost in total?

With the exemption you mainly pay the DGT fee, the ITV inspection, the ficha técnica, the number plates and a gestor, usually a few hundred euros in total. Without the exemption you add the registration tax, which for a recent car with high emissions can easily reach several thousand euros. In that case it is sometimes cheaper to sell your car and buy one here.

Your checklist

• Able to prove your moving date and use of the car
• Exemption requested within 60 days with modelo 05, or the tax paid with modelo 576
• Certificate of conformity (COC) requested
• Ficha técnica made and ITV inspection done
• Registered with the DGT and number plates made
• Spanish insurance taken out
• Export reported in your home country

Read also: moving to Spain, retiring to Spain, moving to Spain with your dog and moving to Marbella.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I drive on Dutch or Belgian plates in Spain?

As a tourist, as long as you are not resident. Once you are resident, you register your car on Spanish plates within about a month.

Do I have to pay registration tax if I move to Spain with my car?

Not if you lived outside Spain for at least 12 months, used the car there for at least 6 months and do not sell it in the first 12 months. You request that exemption within 60 days with modelo 05.

How much is the registration tax in Spain?

0% up to 120 g/km CO₂, 4.75% up to 160 g/km, 9.75% up to 200 g/km and 14.75% above that, on the value of the car according to the official tables.

What does registration with the DGT cost?

The fee is 99.77 euros in 2026, excluding the ITV inspection, the number plates and any gestor.

Sources

• Ley 38/1992 de Impuestos Especiales, articles 65 and 66.1.n (registration tax and exemption on moving)
• administracion.gob.es, Matriculación de vehículos procedentes de otro país (updated 20 March 2026)
• Pellicer & Heredia, Cómo matricular un coche extranjero en España (19 August 2026)
• Dirección General de Tráfico, 2026 fees

Written by the Imagine Marbella editorial team. Updated October 2026. This is general information, not legal or tax advice: have your situation checked by a gestor.