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Everything you need to know about towing a trailer legally in Spain this summer
Mazarrón-based Decklid Auto Services breaks down the rules, because getting it wrong could land you with a fine
With summer on the way and plenty of people planning road trips to and around Spain with trailers in tow, it's worth making sure you've got everything in order before you set off. Decklid Auto Services, a fully licensed British-run garage based in Mazarrón that's been serving the local community since 2010, has been fielding a lot of questions on this recently, so here's a clear rundown of what the law requires.
The single most important thing to understand about towing a trailer in Spain is the 750kg rule, because everything hinges on it. Whether your trailer falls above or below that weight determines an entirely different set of legal requirements.
Under 750kg (Remolque ligero)
Trailers under 750kg are the simpler category and are essentially treated as an extension of your car. They don't need their own number plate, their own registration or their own insurance, as they're covered by your towing vehicle's policy. There's no separate ITV inspection required either.
The paperwork you do need is the ficha técnica (technical card) and the homologation certificate for your tow bar. One thing worth knowing is that even though no separate ITV is required, the trailer still needs to be roadworthy and can be checked when your car goes in for its own inspection.
Over 750kg (Remolque no ligero)
Heavier trailers are treated as vehicles in their own right and the requirements reflect that. They need their own red number plate, their own permiso de circulación (registration), their own insurance policy and their own regular ITV inspections.
In terms of ITV frequency, there's no inspection required for the first two years, after which it moves to every two years up to around the ten-year mark, then annually, and every six months once the trailer passes ten years old.
The paperwork at a glance
For trailers under 750kg you'll need the ficha técnica, car insurance that covers the trailer and the tow bar homologation paperwork.
For trailers over 750kg, you'll need the ficha técnica, permiso de circulación, a separate insurance certificate and an up-to-date ITV certificate.
The mistakes that get people fined
The most common errors Decklid sees are towing a trailer over 750kg without proper registration, having no insurance on a heavy trailer, missing ITV deadlines and displaying the wrong number plate, which is more widespread than you might think.
If you need a tow bar fitted, Decklid can legally install them and also supply trailers directly.
As a fully licensed garage registered with the required industrial bodies, they hold both an opening licence and a carnet de manipulador to legally carry out air conditioning repairs, and are now part of the Expert Car Service Network under the AD Recambios umbrella.
Whether you need servicing, an ITV check, air conditioning work or trailer-related advice, their team of British and Spanish-speaking staff are on hand to help.
Contact Decklid for further details using the safe contact box above or the contact details below:
- Address: Avenida de las Moreras 14. Mazarrón, 30870, Murcia
- Telephone: (0034) 868 056 278
- Mobile: (0034) 626 678 840
- Email: info@decklidautos.com
- Website: www.decklidautos.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/david.decklid
