Do I need to pay import duty shipping a car to Spain from the UK?
Yes, since Brexit the UK is treated as a non-EU country. Import duty is 10% of the vehicle value plus 21% IVA (Spanish VAT).
Ship a Car from the UK to Spain
Ship your car from the UK to Spain via RORO or shared container. Spain is one of the closest and most popular European destinations for UK vehicle exports. The Ship Cars provides weekly RORO services to Valencia, Pasajes, Sagunto, and Barcelona from Bristol and Southampton with short transit times. Typical transit: 5–8 days by RORO to Valencia, Barcelona, Sagunto and Bilbao from Bristol/Southampton.. Main discharge port: Valencia.
- Transit time
- 5–8 days by RORO to Valencia, Barcelona, Sagunto and Bilbao from Bristol/Southampton.
- Main port
- Valencia
- Shipping methods
- RORO is the most popular and cost-effective method with weekly sailings. Container shipping is also available for added protection. Drive-on/drive-off service makes RORO extremely convenient.
- Import rules
- Spain applies the EU import duty of 6.5% on vehicles of non-EU origin, plus 21% IVA. Vehicles must pass the ITV inspection and be re-registered with Spanish plates.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep UK plates on my car in Spain?
Only temporarily (up to 6 months for tourists). If you become a resident, you must re-register the vehicle with Spanish plates within 30 days of establishing residency.
Which Spanish port is cheapest to ship to?
Valencia and Sagunto typically offer the most competitive RORO rates from UK ports due to high volume and frequency of sailings.
Get a free quote · WhatsApp +44 7376 584421 · info@theshipcars.co.uk