Import a Car in Cantabria

DGT Office in Santander

Tips for importing in Cantabria

• 1The highest ITP in Spain: 8% — calculate total costs carefully
• 2The Santander-Plymouth ferry allows bringing cars from the UK
• 3Consider whether registering the car in another region is better
• 4There's only one traffic office in Santander

Steps to import a car in Cantabria

1. 1

   Find the car, considering the UK too

   The Santander-Plymouth route opens up a path rarely used in Spain: importing directly from the British market without passing through France.

2. 2

   Bring the vehicle in via the Santander ferry

   It's the only direct sea connection with the UK, letting you import cars without driving across the rest of Europe.

3. 3

   Pass the import ITV inspection

   If the car comes from the UK, note it may need adaptations before passing inspection, since it arrives right-hand drive.

4. 4

   Work out the national CO₂ bracket

   The registration tax applies the same as anywhere in Spain, but here it's worth paying close attention to the regional bracket that follows.

5. 5

   Pay the ITP (8%)

   This is the highest rate in Spain — it's worth weighing whether registering the vehicle in another region would work out better first.

6. 6

   Register at the DGT on Calvo Sotelo, Santander

   As the only office in the region, arrange your appointment with enough lead time.

Most imported brands in Cantabria