Buying vs importing cars in Andorra [GUIDE 2023]

Many people wonder if they could buy or export cars from Spain to Andorra or vice versa.

The answer is yes, you can. The import and export of vehicles in Andorra and Spain is a common practice.

Many people from Andorra buy a car in Spain or Germany and import their vehicle to the country and proceed to register it in Andorra.

However, it is also possible to buy a vehicle directly in Andorra and avoid the formalities of exporting and importing vehicles in Andorra and the subsequent registration.

Both options are viable in Andorra, however, it will depend on the car in question or the specific vehicle in question that you intend to buy to make a decision.

Types of vehicles that can be imported into Andorra

Regarding the import of vehicles, all kinds of vehicles can be imported, be it any car (as long as it meets the requirements), motorcycle, bus, yacht or boat, jet ski, etc.

All these vehicles must meet the requirements and documentation to proceed with the importation.

How a new resident can bring his car or motorcycle to Andorra.

Importing cars into Andorra can take place, but cars must conform to certain conditions, which may include compliance with EU emissions regulations «Euro 5 Category» or higher.

Cars older than 25 years are allowed into the country and are known as classics. They have a different import regime and all import formalities have a different procedure.

The import duty is calculated on the basis of the price in the markets and covers almost all types of vehicles. Unless a car is purchased in other parts of Europe, it will incur additional charges.

Driving license and car in Andorra

One of the obligations of those who have the residence in Andorra, is the homologation of the driving license.

In case you are interested in the homologation of the driving license, we explain you how to do it, or leave it in our hands.

Can I import any type of vehicle to Andorra?

The vehicle previously registered in the country of origin can be registered in Andorra as long as the driver lives in the country where it was registered.

If you are not driving a car and wish to import one into Andorra, you must comply with European standards, as well as have a minimum age.

The COC certificate of conformity

COC certificates are standard documents issued by manufacturers. It is basically an indication of the characteristics of motorized automobiles along with their conformity to the standard in the country where the product was produced.

It came into force compulsorily in 1993 and has been mandatory since 1995 and is essential for most countries and under the EU Directive 70/156 e. C. This can be requested from the distributor of the vehicle itself.

What do I have to do to buy a car in Andorra?

To buy a car in Andorra it is not necessary to have a driver’s license, you will only need to process the change of name of the vehicle itself.

However, once you have the vehicle, you must have the vehicle insured in an Andorran insurance company, you must have the yellow card of the vehicle up to date and the license plates in your name.

We can help you to do all this in a fast and agile way, turnkey.

Importing a car from Andorra to Spain

An import of vehicles from Andorra to Spain can be done when the vehicle is actually registered in Andorra.

In this case, an export from Andorran territory and a subsequent import of vehicles into Spanish territory must be carried out.

Keep in mind that this involves the costs of the formalities, the costs of the process in the Spanish and Andorran freight forwarders and the corresponding VAT of the market price of your vehicle.

These costs are sometimes not taken into account when importing vehicles into Spain and make the process quite expensive.

Please note that you must present the original invoice of the car and the car must be in good condition, including the engine.

Extra documentation required in case of other countries + ITV.

Drivers obtaining a driving license from a foreign territory that has not been registered in the European Union must present the following documents to obtain the driving license approved in Andorra:

Certificate of authenticity of the national license presented, released by the same issuing authority.
Certificate of equivalence of the categories that the applicant wants to homologate, issued by the issuing authority of the national license.

Persons with permits from a country that is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention must attach the following legalized documentation:

– Notarial act attesting to the authenticity of the driving document and its equivalences , or.

– Certificate of authenticity and certificate of equivalence of the competent body in the issuance of driving licenses in the country of origin for the following purposes

To complete the consular legalization process, this documentation must be previously submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Andorra.

All the documentation provided, for these cases, must be accompanied by a sworn translation as long as the language used in the documentation is not French, English, Spanish or it is a license in European format. This is established by law and regulation in Andorra.

Personalized license plates in Andorra for your vehicle

In Andorra you can request the personalization of license plates for your vehicle. We can help you with the procedure to obtain personalized license plates in Andorra.

For this you will need the Andorran residence. It does not matter if the vehicle is a second hand product or a new product.

This procedure is done directly for residents in the Government. It is a management that takes about 15 days approximately.

This plate belongs to resident owners. The owner will have to change his car plate for the new plate when necessary.

If you sell your car, the personalized license plate (plates + ITV) can still be kept in your name by making a small management.

Advice on importing vehicles to Andorra

We can help you with the re-registration and transfer of vehicles to the Principality.

We are the best in vehicle importation, we have a wide experience in these services and management of vehicle registration and delivery of personalized license plates in the Principality.

If you want some additional information about what we can do and this process is strictly governed by the current regulations and travel codes after receiving your passport and residence card in Andorra.

A reminder is that if you want to buy a new and/or second hand car in Andorra you have to pay IGI taxes.

Advantages of buying a car in Andorra

It is advisable to buy a vehicle in Andorra at any of the Andorran dealers, because the tax on the purchase of a vehicle in Andorra is significantly lower. The rate is therefore considerably reduced.

The age of the vehicles is often lower than in other countries, so that helps them to pass the ITV more easily.

In this context, fiscal factors are extremely important for buying a car in Andorra.

Another problem that was never known in Andorra is the fact that Andorran driving licenses have no effect on the Spanish points system. It is often considered positive.

Parking in Andorra

Andorra lacks numerous free parking lots throughout the territory, however, it does offer several parking lots and even buildings for parking in various locations around.

However, we recommend you to get the parking card of the comú as it has good discounts in the communal parking lots, so you can move more economically in Andorra. Although many people do not know about this card, it is not in low demand and has even had a waiting list, as the service is provided only by the parish comú in question.

Contact us

If you need anything related to the Andorran residency, or the authorization for the import or export of your vehicle across the border, either in the Principality or outside the Principality of Andorra, we can help you.

We have also imported pleasure boats and even jet skis under the Andorran flag, both from dealers and directly from manufacturers. So if you have any doubt, we will be able to help you.

These are services we provide for all types of registration of cars or other vehicles, regardless of the number of vehicles you need to pass through the Andorran border or the age of the vehicles.

Through our service, a declaration and the payment of the relevant fee, whatever the type of vehicle and whether it comes from the most remote countries, we will help you with your cars in Andorra.