All vehicles on the roads in Spain must be roadworthy

The table below shows when the ITV test has to be passed for passenger transport vehicles «turismos», caravans, motorbikes under 50cc and motorbikes over 50cc, depending on the age:

TYPE OF VEHICLE	AGE	ITV
Passenger transport vehicles «turismos» and caravans	Under 4 years	Exempt
	Between 4 and 10 years	Every 2 years
	Over 10 years	Every year
Motorbikes under 50cc	Under 4 years	Exempt
	Over 4 years	Every 2 years
Motorbikes over 50cc	Under 3 years	Exempt
	Over 3 years	Every 2 years

ITV can be passed in any province of Spain, no matter where the vehicle is officially registered. In Malaga province it is necessary to get the      appointment in advance.

It is illegal to drive without the valid ITV, so please ensure you pass it before it expires. If you do not pass first time, you have one month to go      back without paying for ITV test again.

Let us know if we can help: info@meexpress.net

!!Feliz día de los Santos Inocentes/ Happy Holy Innocents’ Day!!

The 28th of December is Innocents’ Day, similar in spirit to the American April Fools’ Day. On this day, people play inocentadas (pranks or practical jokes) on friends and relatives: people make jokes hoping that the victim believes the false thing. When people get caught, the joker says: «Inocente, inocente!» («Innocent, innocent!»).

Today, the celebration is festive and fun, with people playing jokes and pranks on each other as much as possible 🙂

What would you do on Dia de Los Inocentes?

MeExpress.net Social Media Team

Relocation solutions in Spain: info@meexpress.net

Legalize your vehicle in Spain

We can help you to legalize your vehicle in Spain in 3 days. The sooner your start the registration, the cheaper, faster and less problematic it will be. info@meexpress.net, call us now: 658785898. / Photo: MeExpress.net

Re- registration to spanish number plates

Members of the Guardia Civil de Tráfico are focussing their efforts in free-flowing traffic areas such as urbanizations, schools zones, ring roads, etc.

Drivers whose cars still have the original country plates instead of a Spanish one are being stopped.

So be careful about driving and breaking the rules!!

MeExpress.net Social Media Team

info@meexpress.net

Working in Spain and being Autonomo

If you would establish your own business and would manage it yourself, then this is the most appropriate type of company for you.
Autonomo status is the Spanish equivalent of self-employed or freelance and in addition covers people operating (unincorporated) small businesses. Anyone engaged in any of these activities is obliged to legalise them with respect to registration, paying the taxes and charging IVA (VAT).

In order to register in Spain as Autonomo, you must be in possession of an NIE certificate, a bank account (for the social security charges) and a work permit (if from outside the EU).

Registering Autonomo is essentially a two step process: registering as self-employed with the tax office (Agencia Tributaria) and joining the Autonomo social security system (Regimen Especial de Trabajadores Autonomos RETA).

Setting up a business in Southern Spain is simple with MeExpress.net- Relocation company in Malaga/ Gestoria.

Please, let as know if we can be of assistance: info@meexpress.net

If you got stopped by the spanish Police while driving

Once the Police have decided they want to impound you, they may follow you to your house, or take the car to a Police depot. The impoundment of your vehicle means that you have to start the registration process immediately by payment of the registration tax (now called emissions tax or matriculación tax).

Other taxes will have to be paid for non-European vehicles. And the registration has to be finished within two months. The vehicle has to be collected from the depot with certain documentation that proves the start of the process. Please see information below regarding the registration process or contact us for advice on your personal situation.

MeExpress.net Social Media Team

info@meexpress.net

New Certificate of Registry as European Union Citizen in Spain (NIE/Residencia)

The Spanish National Police informed that the Residencia format has been reduced, replacing the current A4 document for a standard laminate card, being the same document but with a tenfold reduction in size, much more handy now.

However, this new NIE number does not include a photo of the resident, so it must always be shown together with the passport or driving license with photo.

Spanish driving license is the only official Spanish document that a foreigner from the European Union will be allowed to have and that will be valid for identification purposes as it includes the NIE or Residencia number.

MeExpress.net Social Media Team

info@meexpress.net

Declaring the car off the road in Spain

This is a necessary procedure that has to be done in Trafico when your vehicle is not on the road for a long period of time for some reason. For example, when you export it, or when you do not drive it due to technical problems.

It is in the best interest of the owner to give «baja» to the vehicle, as the Road Tax will not be issued.

If later you want to drive the vehicle, you have to make a reverse procedure of «alta» and declare the vehicle on the road again. Please note it is illegal to drive the vehicle in the state of «baja».

Payment of the outstanding road taxes

By law, when you drive a Spanish car, you need to have with you the confirmation of the payment of your local Road Tax. It is issued by the Town Hall listed on your registration document (Permisso de Circulacion).

Usually the payment request is sent to the address on the document, but in many situations the owners never receive these letters. But it is still a responsibility to have it paid.

Please note that past unpaid Road Taxes do not disappear, but become attached to the vehicle, and the interest and fines grow every year. So the earlier you pay the cheaper it will be.

Me Express Social Media Team

info@meexpress.net

Driving your foreign car in Spain

A lot of people don’t bother to register their vehicles because the police have never stopped them yet. They are just delaying the big problem, which every time becomes more complicated.

If you haven’t started the process yet, but continue driving, try not to get sopped by the Police or Guardia Civil, as you can be in trouble. Your car may be impounded on the spot or, if you are lucky, at our house. You may not be able to convince the Police that you do plan to start the registration shortly.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions: info@meexpress.net. (00 34) 952 49 00 28, Málaga, Alhaurín El Grande

Buying and selling a car in Spain

Buying or selling a used car in Spain can be a hazardous business, but if you take care to ensure that all the necessary paperwork is completed to cover yourself against liabilities, things should go smoothly.

If you are buying

Before committing yourself to a purchase, you can ask in Trafico for a document called Informe – life of vehicle. It will tell you if the vehicle has any problems/fines attached to it and who is the current official owner. Please confirm that the person selling you the vehicle is the official owner. If not, do make sure that the documents provided to you are from the official owner.

It is also very much advisable to make an official sale-purchase contract to benefit both parties. The template of the contract can be bought in any Gestoria, Official Tobacco Shops or here in Me Express.

Please note, that if the official owner is deceased, it is illegal to transfer his/her vehicle.

You should be given the originals of the following documents:

– Permiso de circulacion – car registration document

– Ficha technica – ITV document

– Payment confirmation of the current Road Tax

From the official owner you need the following documents (without them the transfer cannot be done):

– Copy of the valid passport

– Copy of the NIE or Residencia document

– Copy of DNI card – if the owner is Spanish

If you are selling

As a seller you should ensure that the vehicle would be transferred onto the new person’s name. We advise you to make the contract of sale-purchase, keep the copies of identification documents of the buyer and if you can go with him/her to a Gestoria or our office to make sure that the process of transfer has been started.

Otherwise any future fines, Road Taxes or accident involvement will all come back to you and you will be liable for them. Also, keep the contact details of the buyer, just in case.

Please contact us regarding the costs of the above services and list of necessary documentation. info@meexpress.net, Antonio García, Gestor.

Me Express Social Media Team