UK & foreign cars onto Spanish plates · Barcelona & all of Catalonia
Import your UK car and get it on Spanish plates, without leaving Catalonia.
We collect the car, sort the headlights, take it through the import ITV, deal with customs and tax, and bring it back on Spanish plates. You get a fixed, itemised quote before you commit, and updates on WhatsApp throughout.
Quotes within one working day · English and Spanish spoken
Before · UK rear plate
After · Spanish plate, legal for residents
The difference
Until now, getting it all done in English meant a long drive south.
The usual route
1,100+ km
- Drive to a specialist in the south and back, usually with a night in a hotel.
- Order headlights from abroad and hope they arrive before your ITV slot.
- Pay an all-in price without seeing what is tax and what is fee.
With Replate
0 kmwith collection
- We collect from home or work, use a local workshop and a local ITV station, and bring the car back.
- Headlights are sourced and fitted before the test is booked.
- Your quote shows every official fee, tax, part and our fee on its own line.
How it works
Five stops from UK plates to Spanish ones.
You send the documents. We handle everything between your front door and Tráfico.
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1
Send your V5C
WhatsApp or email a photo of your logbook and tell us where the car is. We reply with a fixed, itemised quote within one working day.
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2
Paperwork
We check your documents, order the technical file the ITV needs, and claim the customs and tax exemptions you qualify for.
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3
Workshop prep
Headlights converted or replaced for driving on the right, rear fog light moved if needed, and tyres and lights checked before the test.
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4
Import ITV
We take the car to a local ITV station for the import inspection, which takes about an hour and a half.
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5
Spanish plates
We register the car with Tráfico (DGT), pay the taxes and fit your new plates. You get the Spanish registration certificate, ITV card and windscreen stickers.
Typical timeline: 2–4 weeks from documents to platesRegistration usually completes about 10 working days after the ITV pass
Who we help
For residents of Catalonia with a foreign-plated car.
UK cars
Customs, headlights, ITV and registration. If you're moving here with a car you've owned for at least six months, customs duty and import IVA are usually waived.
Irish cars
Right-hand drive like UK cars, so the same headlight work, but no customs to clear.
Other EU cars
French, Dutch, German and other EU plates. No customs and no headlight changes, so it's mainly the ITV, tax and paperwork, and our fee is €250 + IVA. In français, Nederlands or Deutsch.
Everything else
Motorhomes, motorbikes and cars from outside the EU. Tell us what you have and we'll say straight away whether we can help.
What it costs
Most of the bill is official fees and tax. We show you which part is ours.
These are the official costs in Catalonia for 2026. Your quote lists each one on its own line, next to our fixed fee.
Catalonia sets its own registration-tax rate on the top CO₂ band. Headlights, technical documents and any repairs depend on the car and are quoted individually.
Ballpark estimator
Rough numbers in seconds. Your fixed quote uses Hacienda's official valuation and checks every exemption you qualify for.
A guide only. Registration tax is worked out on Hacienda's official value for your make, model and age, which is often lower than the market value of an older car. UK-built cars can qualify for 0% customs duty with proof of origin.
Deadlines
The clock starts when you become resident.
Talk to us early. Some exemptions are only open for a few weeks.
To register as a resident
A resident's foreign-plated car is expected to be registered here within 30 days of starting to use it in Spain, or 60 days if you moved your home here with it.
To claim the registration-tax exemption
People moving their home to Spain can be exempt from registration tax, but the claim has to be filed within this window. Miss it and you may lose the exemption.
To claim customs relief on a UK car
Duty and import IVA are waived if you lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, owned and used the car for six months before moving, and claim within 12 months of moving.
Penalties on unpaid tax
In recent Guardia Civil and tax agency checks on foreign-plated cars in the Balearics, penalties ran at 50–150% of the unpaid tax, and cars can be immobilised on the spot.
What you'll need
Have these ready and we can start straight away.
- Your original V5C logbook, or your EU registration certificate
- Passport
- NIE certificate or TIE residence card
- Padrón certificate from your town hall, ideally issued in the last three months, or your deeds or rental contract
- Driving licence
- Photos of the car from all four sides
- Photos of the VIN and weights plate and the tyre pressure sticker
- Certificate of Conformity, if you have one. We can order it if not.
- Valid insurance on the car until the new plates go on
Why Replate exists
In February 2026 I drove my Land Rover from Sitges to Murcia to get it onto Spanish plates. That's about 570 km each way, a night in a hotel, and a tense morning waiting for a parcel of headlights to arrive before my ITV slot. I couldn't find anyone in Catalonia doing the whole job in English, so now I do it here.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I have to bring the car to you?
No. We collect from home or work across Barcelona, the Garraf and the Penedès, and can arrange collection from elsewhere in Catalonia. If you'd rather drop the car off, that works too.
Can I keep driving on UK plates while you work on it?
Yes, as long as the car stays legal in the UK, with road tax, MOT and insurance, and you're within the time Spanish rules allow. We'll tell you where you stand when we quote.
What happens with my headlights?
UK headlights dip towards the left-hand kerb, which dazzles oncoming drivers here, so the import ITV checks for a beam pattern made for driving on the right. Depending on the lamp, we fit E-marked units built for right-hand traffic or have your existing lamps adjusted.
Send us a photo of one headlight and the label on top of it and we'll price it.
Will I pay customs and IVA on a UK car?
Usually not, if you're moving your home to Spain. The conditions are that you lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, owned and used the car for six months before moving, and claim within 12 months of arriving.
Otherwise UK cars pay 10% duty plus 21% import IVA on their value, although cars built in the UK can qualify for 0% duty with proof of origin. We check this before you commit to anything.
How long does it take?
Usually two to four weeks from receiving your documents to new plates on the car. Registration typically completes about 10 working days after the ITV pass. A customs claim or special-order headlights can add time.
What if the car fails the ITV?
The inspector lists what needs fixing. We tell you the price of any extra work before doing it, fix it, and take the car back for the re-test.
Do you only handle UK cars?
No. We also register Irish and other EU cars, and can advise on motorhomes, motorbikes and cars from outside the EU.
Can you help with my driving licence and insurance?
Yes. Ask us about exchanging a UK licence for a Spanish one, and about insurance on Spanish plates, when you request your quote.
Fixed quote
Tell us about the car.
We'll reply within one working day with every cost itemised. After you send this, WhatsApp us a photo of your V5C so we can confirm the details.