Apart from the obvious of driving on the right hand side of the road, there are a few other points that all road users should be aware off. A European driving licence should be carried at all times and if it does not have a photograph then other photographic identification, i.e. passport should be carried.

There is now no legal requirement to change your UK licence or other European licence for a Spanish one, but it should be registered with the Trafico & the certificate provided carried at all times. Expat motorists resident in Spain & using driving licences issued in other EU member states are also liable for the new penalty points system & disqualification is reciprocal through the EU. Those who have not registered their EU licence with the Traffic Department have already technically committed an offence.

Other Items that should be carried in the vehicle at all times are;

A) Insurance documents & proof of payment of the insurance, i.e. bank receipt.

B) Two warning triangles.

C) Reflective jackets for driver & all passengers.

D) Spare set of all bulbs & fuses.

E) Spare wheel & tools for changing the wheel.

Car insurance in Spain covers the car not the driver, so usually anyone over 26 would be covered. Individual policies do differ, so if necessary ask the provider.

The new penalty points system introduced this year is now getting repeat offenders of the road at an alarming rate. Drivers who respect & follow the rules of the road have nothing to fear & all decent people should support severe penalties for those who drive drunk, without insurance, ITV certificate, or with excessive speed. A driver with a UK licence will have points added for offences committed in Spain

Many none Spanish registered vehicles are driven in Spain & the onus is on the owner to prove when it was brought into the Country. However if the vehicle has been, or intended to be kept in the Country for longer than 3 months, it should, by law, be re- registered. Many owners do not do this due to the import tax and paperwork. However, it is possible to import a vehicle free of IVA provided it has been registered in the owners name for at least 6 months before taking up Spanish residence. You must also prove that VAT was paid in the original Country of registration. You will be liable to pay the registration tax of 12%. This is reduced for a vehicle over 5 years to 50% of its new value. There is a condition that it is not sold or transferred within 1 year. It is possible to insure a foreign registered vehicle, but any vehicle not reregistered after 3 months is an illegal vehicle. One other point is that it will be necessary to be registered on the Padron when importing a car. If the Padron is under 30 days old the import tax can be avoided, if over then tax must be paid. It is not possible to renew registration of the padron to show a later date. See section 2.

MOT´s or ITV in Spain is required on any vehicle of 4 years, then again after 2 additional years & then every year. Very old vehicles will require a 6 month certificate.  All vehicles must display the certificate on the windscreen which indicates when the next ITV is due.

Other rules;

Seat belts must be worn.

Horns are forbidden at night – flash lights instead.

Three point turns and reversing into side streets is forbidden in towns.

Mobile telephones and audio headphones are illegal if used when driving.

When parking in town, spaces outlined/indicated in white will be free. Spaces in Blue are pay & display. There are exclusions to this, usually during the siesta & on Fiesta & Sundays. The information will be indicated on the pay machine.

Finally the meaning of road signs is generally fairly obvious, but it is the responsibility of all drivers to ensure they are fully aware of all the rules of the road and it is recommend that they take steps to make themselves aware & there are a number of good publications & guides for this purpose.

Finally beware of turning onto the wrong side of the road when starting your journey or negotiating a junction as this manoeuvre is when most accidents occur

2: THE PADRON & VOTING RIGHTS

The pardon is a role, or register, of all those who live full time or even part-time in Spain. Each town will have its own Padron office and it is fairly easy to register. You will need your passport & a copy of a utility bill.

Benefits from registering include the right to vote in local elections. With the number of immigrants increasing, it has been seen that in some towns the Spanish, although the biggest single nationality, are in the minority when all the other nationalities are added together. You may not feel it is important to vote, but it has become clear that thee none Spanish vote can hold the balance of power between the main parties. This can be very beneficial to the Expat community and has resulted in some Town Halls having English or councilors of other European nationalities within their ranks, which must be a good thing.

Voting, on the day stated for an election is carried out at the Town hall. Each person has a voting slip, which is sent out by post prior to the election. The system in Spain is of proportional representation and therefore a list of the candidates for the party of choice is printed on slips which are widely available before the election and on the day. With the voting slip and means of identification enable the voter to place the published list of their choice in a sealed envelope in the ballot box. The process takes about two minutes. As there is only one polling station, the atmosphere can be quiet exciting with the current Mayor, all candidates and party helpers, TV cameras, police etc.  

Persons of retirement age registered on the pardon also have the right to register at the local health centre, to register with a GP and receive free medical care and prescriptions. Although this will mainly involve speaking Spanish, there are usually, particularly in the larger towns, translation services available. The alternative is to register with a private doctor that speaks your language.

Town halls receive services and funding from the regional government based on the number of registered citizens. So if you feel that having more police, firemen, medical staff and all appropriate services is important, then registering on the Padron will enable the Town Hall to receive all the entitled funding.

There are no reasons not to register if you wish to enjoy your life to the full, however as stated before in section 1, if you have any intention of importing a car in the future, then do not register on the Padron more than 30 days before the importation. An example could be that you have a holiday home but intend to move out full time in the future and anticipate importing a vehicle at that time then it is advisable not to register until then.

3: HOBBIES

With extra time on your hands, it maybe that you wish to take up a hobby. There are many clubs and Societies catering for many types of hobbies. Local ex pat papers publish information weekly on these. A selection listed here is just the tip of the ice berg and are in no particular order.

Drama. Singing. Latin dance. Line dancing. Archery. Walking. Knitting. Cycling. Photography. Gardening. Fine dining. Book clubs. Painting. Yoga. Wine appreciation. Sailing. Water sports. The list is basically endless. There are even meeting groups for just making friends. So if you feel that you will be bored and without out interests then think again. Or maybe you will set up your own interest group.

Lists of groups and contact details are regularly printed in the local English papers. But please note that some groups do not meet in the summer months as many ex pats visit their own countries.

Located between Altea & Moraira just off the N332. A town of surprising contrasts - modern properties, wide avenues & narrow cobbled streets. Calpe's climate is one of the mildest on the Spanish Costa Blanca & is a popular area for the British to buy property.

Its strategic location has attracted settlers throughout the centuries & remains of Iberian tribes have been discovered around the Penón de Ifach. (Tooth Rock) Later, the Romans founded a prosperous colony here.

The ancient Arrabal Moorish quarter in the old town is framed by narrow, steep streets with small white-washed houses, decorated with flowers & with patterned stones embedded in the pavements. Here is the defensive tower - the Torreo de la Peça, the town walls & the old church, the only surviving example of Mudejar-Gothic architecture in the Valencian province. Today, Calpe has excellent shops, many bars & restaurants with lively terraces, two old churches, museums, picturesque streets & squares.

The town extends northwards along the gently curving bay to the impressive Penón, now a nature reserve and home to many rare plants. The summit of this immense rock, towering to 332 metres, can be reached by walkers & offers magnificent panoramic views. The long, clean pedestrian promenade is lined with bars & restaurants & the golden sandy Blue Flag beaches are safe for all.

The Fishing Port & Marina is a hive of activity with many private & pleasure boats serving adjacent coastal towns. There are two other marinas & four beaches in total. This is the ideal family holiday resort and a perfect place to live & begin your new life.

This newsletter is intended as a guide and to be informative and helpful in the process of searching for and purchasing a property in Spain. Total accuracy cannot be guaranteed and in all legal, fiscal and other matters a fully qualified professional should be consulted. Reproduction of any part of this newsletter is not permitted without written permission.