Historic Number Plates for Classic Cars in Spain

Registering Classic Cars in Spain

The process of assigning a licence number to a classic car in Spain is more or less the same as that for a normal car.  However in most cases, the car will have to go through more vigorous checks before it can be passed.  There is no differentiation in regard to age of vehicle and licence number issued.  A 50 year old classic Ferrari, and a brand new Nissan Micra, could end up with consecutively numbered plates.

So unlike UK registrations which in general contain a year marker, it’s very difficult to gauge a Spanish registered car’s age from its licence plate.

From a classic car perspective, this means that, if you’re bringing your pride and joy 1964 Mercedes SL to Spain, when you register it, you will end up with a licence number that is just one digit different to hundreds of other regular new cars registered at the same time. Not great for prestige.

Personalised number plates are very popular in many countries like the US and UK, and bring in a small fortune in revenue for the issuing authorities; Spain’s DGT however, have missed a trick – you can’t get personalised number plates in Spain. There is however another option for Classic Cars, or ‘heritage’ vehicles.

Historic Number Plates for Classic Cars In Spain

If you own a car that is 30 years old or over, you will in most cases be able to get it registered with a “historic” number plate for your classic car in Spain.  Historic licence numbers in Spain, begin with “H” and confirm the vehicles classic or ‘heritage’ status, allowing it to be driven on the road in its original condition even though that might not comply with current legislation, e.g. without seat belts if the car was manufactured before they were made compulsory by law.

You can of course register your classic car using the standard route, however if you want a special licence plate for your special car, then apart from being a way to overcome type approval requirements, historical number plates are an obvious choice.

How much does it cost to get Historic Number Plates for a Classic Car in Spain?

The cost to register a foreign Classic Car to Spanish Historic Number Plates varies depending on the car. You should expect to pay any thing between €800 and €1,200, in basic costs.  This would include arrangement, admin, all paperwork and certification, ITV, and the actual new ‘H’ plates.  The basic cost wouldn’t include any repairs or modifications that may be required to enable the vehicle to pass its ITV inspection, or taxes.

There are a number of taxes that may apply: local vehicle (road) tax, special registration tax, or import duty an VAT if the vehicle is from outside the EU.  So vehicles imported from outside the EU, modified or non-standard vehicles, e.g. kit cars, will generally cost more.

We offer a professional Historic Number Plates service to owners of foreign registered Classic Cars throughout Spain.

This service is suitable for both residents and non-residents who either already own a foreign registered Classic Car which they wish to bring to Spain, or those who want to buy one to import into Spain.

Note: Unless you are taking up residency in Spain, in most cases the car will be subject to special registration tax, which will vary depending on the marque.  We also offer a special service for people who are changing residency who wish to register their foreign vehicles in Spain and avoid paying this tax.

Click here to find out more about our Historical Number Plates Service