Gestoria – Import a vehicle in Andorra
During your expatriation in Andorra, it happens that you need to take your material and equipment with you. If you are planning to import your car, you should know that it is possible to repatriate any type of car to the Principality, whether it comes from France or any other member country of the European Union. What are the conditions to bring a car to Andorra and register it? What are the steps to follow and which file to put together?
Let's find out together the procedure for importing a vehicle to Andorra! Through these lines, we will talk about registration, insurance and import tax or IGI (Impôt Général Indirect), the equivalent of VAT in Europe.
What is a vehicle import?
Vehicle importation is the act of bringing a car from abroad to your country of residence. It can be done within the framework of an expatriation or when the car of our dream is in another country.
In the case of Andorra, it is perfectly possible to bring your car there. You just have to respect some rules. Some administrative obligations must also be followed strictly.
The processing of your file by the Andorran authorities can take between 5 and 7 business days. You will need to gather the required supporting documents. If you do not, this period may be longer.
Requirements to import a car in Andorra
To import a car into Andorra, you must be familiar with the Euro 5 standard. Applied since 2009, it regulates the maximum limits in correlation with the polluting emissions of vehicles. This does not include CO2. The Euro 6 standard has taken over since 2016. But already, if your car does not comply with the Euro 5 standard, you will not be able to import it into the Principality.
Among other conditions, the car must be registered in your name for at least 6 months. The steering wheel of your vehicle must be on the left. You will also have to import your sedan during the 6 months after obtaining your Andorran residency status or receiving your residence permit.
You will also need to have other documents, namely the certificate of transfer if it is a used car, the original purchase invoice for the new car and the proof of Andorran residence.
Procedures for importing a vehicle into Andorra
The procedure for importing your car from France, Spain or another EU or non-EU country must be declared to the Andorran government. You must also go through the administrative formalities with the French and Andorran customs. The passage to the customs is indeed the first step. The Andorran tax is 4.5% of the vehicle price.
You will also have to perform a technical control ITV (Inspecció Tècnica de Vehicles). The process is not very different from that in France, Spain or elsewhere in Europe. The ITV is a very strict control. If you don't comply with certain details, you risk a counter-inspection. In order to remedy this, dealerships or garages usually offer pre-maintenance, which is particularly recommended. Then there is the document for the change of license plates that you have to fill in.
Useful information
The administrative procedures in Andorra are generally done in physical institutions. Few procedures can be done online. Unlike France, which, since 2017, allows online procedures for any application for car registration, among others.
You can use the services of an expert in vehicle registration Andorra. He will be able to provide you with solutions adapted to your needs and accompany you to the relevant administrative institutions.
Our Gestoria can help you thanks to our wide network of partners. We are available from customs clearance to obtaining your license plate. We can provide you with a complete service.
Take into account your environment to buy a suitable vehicle
It would be wise to consider the climate and environment in Andorra before importing a vehicle or choosing any car. As you know, the Principality is snowed in during the winter. The equipment as well as the car itself must therefore be adapted. Moreover, the Andorran law requires the use of snow tires or chains during the winter season.
The technical control
All vehicles imported into Andorra must pass a technical inspection. This applies to both new and used cars. However, new cars can be exempted.
For this process, you will need to provide some supporting documents. Among them, we can mention :
- The certificate of conformity,
- The certificate of non-registration,
- The car registration document or the technical file,
- A copy of the identity card or passport.
This is required to have the vehicle registration document of your country of origin. It is yellow for the Principality of Andorra.
To get it, you also have to gather other documents:
- Certificate of Insurance ;
- Bank account number ;
- NRT copy for a company;
- Residence card for individuals;
- Technical inspection certificate;
- Customs documents.
At the end of this control, you will have by the same occasion the permission to drive.
Realize your expatriation project without further delay!
Make an appointmentLicense plates in Andorra
For the license plate application phase, you will not have to provide any important documents. All you have to do is present the yellow card mentioned above. The particularity in the Principality is that it allows personalized license plates. They must contain letters and/or numbers.
It should be noted that the alphabet chosen must correspond to the Catalan alphabet. These personalized license plates may not contain accents. Some letter combinations are reserved for certain categories of cars, such as vintage cars.
In Andorra, not all license plates have the same shape. The ones for test vehicles are indeed not the same as the current plate model. Just like the temporary plate.
In any case our gestoria can assist you in all your steps, from finding your new vehicle, to the registration of this one, through the administrative formalities and the passage of the itv. We can also accompany you in your steps for the importation of a car corresponding to the standards Euro 5.
Why import a vehicle?
Do you have a collector’s car that is dear to your heart or any other reason? If you simply can’t part with your car because of your expatriation in Andorra, registering it remains a simplified process. The cost and taxes related to the importation of vehicles in Andorra are relatively low compared to other European countries. The VAT rate is even reduced to 1% for hybrid vehicles.
