keeping a boat in spain

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Coxsimon

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Hi all,

I'm UK citizen, with a property in spain (wife has spanish passport but is also uk citizen). We go on holiday to spain every year (for less than 90 days).
Can I buy a boat (less than 6m) in the UK, tow it to spain and leave it there (garaged when not in use)? It would only get used in the summer months while there on holiday.

Would I be liable to matriculation tax, or need to register the boat locally, or any other nonsense bureaucracy that the spanish have?

Thanks in advance,

Simon
 
Yes to para 1, no to para 2.
You will need insurance, though, plus SSR (part 1 a bit OTT).
Do you know if there is somewhere to launch it nearby?
 
PlanB said:
Yes to para 1, no to para 2.
You will need insurance, though, plus SSR (part 1 a bit OTT).
Do you know if there is somewhere to launch it nearby?
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Yes, there is a small local yacht club with swinging moorings that we have used before (we currently have a small 4m Spanish flagged boat but want to get something a little bigger).

So I wouldn’t need to prove to Spanish customs that I’m leaving the boat in spain?

thanks
 
No and No. If you take a boat into the EU from the UK you are potentially liable for VAT. You can import it temporarily for up to 18 months then either bring it back or import it and pay VAT. My understanding is that matriculation only applies if you become resident.

Better to buy a boat locally. You can still register it in the UK as you are resident here. This avoids complying with Spanish rules on the boat but it would be sensible for you to get an ICC.
 
Tranona said:
No and No. If you take a boat into the EU from the UK you are potentially liable for VAT. You can import it temporarily for up to 18 months then either bring it back or import it and pay VAT.
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Yup.. It's a bit of a minefield but if the boat was outside of the EU 'customs union' (ie. in GB) when the UK officially left the EU, the vessel will no longer be VAT registered in the EU so after 18months of temporary import, you're liable to pay VAT on the boat, which could be a hefty sum.

Northern Ireland is an interesting one since it remains and has remained in the EU single market so it'll be interesting how the rules would be interpreted for boats that were located and registered in NI when the UK left the EU..
 
Fire99 said:
Yup.. It's a bit of a minefield but if the boat was outside of the EU 'customs union' (ie. in GB) when the UK officially left the EU, the vessel will no longer be VAT registered in the EU so after 18months of temporary import, you're liable to pay VAT on the boat, which could be a hefty sum.

Northern Ireland is an interesting one since it remains and has remained in the EU single market so it'll be interesting how the rules would be interpreted for boats that were located and registered in NI when the UK left the EU..
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Thanks. It seems there’s very little definitive answers on this on the web.
The reason for buying in the uk is that prices seem better than in spain. Plus we holiday in north spain (La Coruna) and not too much local stock it seems, unlike in the south.
 
Coxsimon said:
Thanks. It seems there’s very little definitive answers on this on the web.
The reason for buying in the uk is that prices seem better than in spain. Plus we holiday in north spain (La Coruna) and not too much local stock it seems, unlike in the south.
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Yeah I struggled to get definite info too. I guess the 'elephant in the room' is at 18 months. What would the potential VAT bill be if the current situation remains and you're still a UK person with a UK boat in Spain. That may be worth investigating, though I've no idea how you would find out. It's all a bit smoke n mirrors with this it seems.
 
Fire99 said:
Yeah I struggled to get definite info too. I guess the 'elephant in the room' is at 18 months. What would the potential VAT bill be if the current situation remains and you're still a UK person with a UK boat in Spain. That may be worth investigating, though I've no idea how you would find out. It's all a bit smoke n mirrors with this it seems.
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VAT is 20% for boats taken in/out of EU or UK. This is the best website I’ve seen so far for explaining different situations;

Buying a boat in Europe after Brexit
 
Coxsimon said:
VAT is 20% for boats taken in/out of EU or UK. This is the best website I’ve seen so far for explaining different situations;

Buying a boat in Europe after Brexit
Click to expand...
It doesn't look too bad. You could buy a boat in the UK. Sail her into the EU. Keep her there for 18 months. Sail out of the EU for 24 hours and go back in again and the 18 month period begins again. So southern Spain would be handy having Gibraltar fairly near. Northern Spain may need a bit of a journey to get out of EU waters though..

Then I guess it's just the personal issue of being able to personally be at your boat for more than 90 days every 180..
 
Fire99 said:
It doesn't look too bad. You could buy a boat in the UK. Sail her into the EU. Keep her there for 18 months. Sail out of the EU for 24 hours and go back in again and the 18 month period begins again. So southern Spain would be handy having Gibraltar fairly near. Northern Spain may need a bit of a journey to get out of EU waters though..

Then I guess it's just the personal issue of being able to personally be at your boat for more than 90 days every 180..
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I’ve got a while till I have to worry about the 90 day rule; unfortunately I still have to work!
 
Just as an extra; UK reg car, UK trailer and UK (SSR?) Boat adds up okay. But you can’t mix them, I believe. I.e. Spanish car, UK trailer. Otherwise you may be okay, again get ICC for easiest encounters with Guardia on water. Carry insurance docs too. Are the moorings official?
 
As a UK tax resident, I don't anticipate vat problems with putting my UK vat paid boat in southern Spain (EU) for about six months at a time. But from the yachting monthly letter this month, it seems that if one becomes an EU (in this case Portuguese) tax resident, with a non EU flagged boat, they are fond of presenting huge vat bills to the owner.
 
Major Tom said:
As a UK tax resident, I don't anticipate vat problems with putting my UK vat paid boat in southern Spain (EU) for about six months at a time. But from the yachting monthly letter this month, it seems that if one becomes an EU (in this case Portuguese) tax resident, with a non EU flagged boat, they are fond of presenting huge vat bills to the owner.
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Not heard of any problems in Portugal but, quite correct that any UK boat owned by resident which arrived since B day, is subject to VAT.
 
Major Tom said:
As a UK tax resident, I don't anticipate vat problems with putting my UK vat paid boat in southern Spain (EU) for about six months at a time. But from the yachting monthly letter this month, it seems that if one becomes an EU (in this case Portuguese) tax resident, with a non EU flagged boat, they are fond of presenting huge vat bills to the owner.
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That is a myth - there are lots of unanswered questions about the example they give. There are hundreds of of UK VAT paid boats in Portugal at any one time without any problems (and the example was not a UK boat anyway). From the information they give, the Portuguese customs are not following EU rules in respect of EU VAT paid boats.

The rules are quite simple. The only thing that matters is the VAT "status". If it is UK VAT paid it can stay in the EU for 18 months at a time. The owner must be a non EU resident but the flag of registration (and tax residence of the owner!) is irrelevant.
 
You also need to check the trailer is legal in the EU. They have a different weight limit, different rules for lighting and in most countries, the trailer would need its own insurance and MOT after a grace period.
 
I am not up to date... But, less than 6mt used to be a bit grey. As in Ins for marinas and other requirements (Portugal & Spain?). We kept an ally skiff at 13ft and a 11ft dinghy in the Algarve for several years. Dinghy was from Zimbabwe but I put it on the SSR, Skiff was reg in Virginia US. While we bumped into the Marineiros from time to time , they never questioned the reg. Likely different now.

On trailers, since 2012, all trailers in France need to be homologated. That costs more than its worth for a homebuild.( UK has previsions to allow it at acceptable cost) Previously, under 500kg was not regulated, so you could say that your current trailer was that old... Going up in weight, they have to be registered and have their own logbook and test.So no faking.
 
Coxsimon said:
I’ve got a while till I have to worry about the 90 day rule; unfortunately I still have to work!
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Surely having a wife with a Spanish passport should largely address the Schengen 90 day issue - provided she also travels.

Could this be an issue for getting VAT free temporary admission of the boat, as would not be available for people considered to be established in the EU? If both fully UK resident hopefully OK, but if waving Spanish passport may raise questions.
 
DownWest said:
I am not up to date... But, less than 6mt used to be a bit grey. As in Ins for marinas and other requirements (Portugal & Spain?). We kept an ally skiff at 13ft and a 11ft dinghy in the Algarve for several years. Dinghy was from Zimbabwe but I put it on the SSR, Skiff was reg in Virginia US. While we bumped into the Marineiros from time to time , they never questioned the reg. Likely different now.
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Three items requested by marinas, boatyards, customs etc. are passport, registration docs and insurance. Police usually check for light dues payment as well but they tend to stop and inspect local boats more than visitors.
 
Thanks for all the insightful input. It seems there’s still so many issues yet to be ironed out post Brexit.
might just keep looking for a Spanish flagged boat; I think it will be easier in the long run
 
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