Buying and driving a Uk registered car back to the UK

I am looking at the logistics of switching cars when I repatriate back to the Uk. I have a Spanish car and Spanish drivers licence. I would like to sell my car or swap it for a RHD British registered car. However I believe I would not be entitled to drive this back to the Uk on a Spanish licence? Does anyone have any experience of this?

There is no problem you driving back on a Spanish licence, you can drive on that licence in the uk for 12 months after which you must exchange it for a UK one. I'm taking it that you will be a UK resident, it's a full licence for cars and you got your original licence in the EU (including UK). You could look up all the necessary details on the DVLA website.

I was under the impression that if I bought a Uk registered car here I would not be able to drive it through Spain and France on a Spanish licence.

The ownership of a vehicle and your licence are not mutually inclusive. If your vehicle is legal to you, then your licence as long as it is legal for the vehicle you are driving is irrespective as to which country it is issued in.

You will be okay as long as you have deregistered as a Spanish resident before you start to drive the UK registered vehicle

nigelandkath wrote:The ownership of a vehicle and your licence are not mutually inclusive. If your vehicle is legal to you, then your licence as long as it is legal for the vehicle you are driving is irrespective as to which country it is issued in.

jpeg wrote:You will be okay as long as you have deregistered as a Spanish resident before you start to drive the UK registered vehicle

Why de-register, the journey may be before Nikkifinca, has change to the UK, just preparing the move?

I can drive a SP registered car on my UK DL
I can drive a UK registered car on my UK DL

So cannot see anything Illegal in driving on UK plates to UK, on a Spanish DL, the car being legal including MOT in all other ways.

Oadbyman - you would think so wouldn’t you? but apparently it’s not that straightforward and its to do with your country of residence. From what I have read I can drive a Uk reg car on my Spanish licence if the car does not belong to me but if it belongs to me I can’t! This applies whilst driving in Spain and France, not the UK. So deregistering as a Spanish resident, as suggested by jpeg, does make sense although one would have to assume that once deregistered I would be a UK resident by default. I can’t find the definitive answer...

Can you not drive the Spanish car to the UK first then start a sale or swap with someone who is either relocating to Spain from UK or who has a second home in Spain?

It is quite simple Spanish law states that a Spanish resident with a Spanish driving licence can not drive or own a vehicle other than a Spanish registered one but can drive a vehicle non-spanish providing the owner is in the vehicle with them but only for a short period

Drive your Spanish car back to the UK and sell it to a LHD specialist in the UK ..I bought my Spanish Reg car from the UK and got it shipped back over here .....