Download Your Free Customs Clearance Authorization Template for Importing a Car in Santander (Word/PDF)
Importing a vehicle into Spain through the port of Santander involves navigating strict customs procedures. One of the mandatory documents you will need to provide to a customs agent or freight forwarder is the Authorization for Customs Clearance (Modelo de Autorización para el Despacho de Aduanas). This legal document grants a licensed customs broker the legal power to act on your behalf before the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) to process your vehicle's import duties, VAT, and registration paperwork.
Instructions on how and where to submit it in Santander
To use this template correctly, follow these practical steps tailored to the local procedures in Cantabria:
- Fill out the template: Complete all personal details of the importer (vehicle owner) and the designated customs agent or representative.
- Sign the document: The document must be signed by the vehicle owner. Digital signatures (such as FNMT Certificate or Cl@ve) are widely accepted by modern customs agencies in Santander, though wet-ink signatures scanned to PDF are also common.
- Where to submit: You do not typically submit this directly to a government window yourself; instead, you submit it directly to your contracted customs broker (transitario) or freight forwarder operating at the Port of Santander. They will upload it alongside the Single Administrative Document (DUA) to the Spanish Customs electronic system (AEAT).
MODELO DE AUTORIZACIÓN PARA EL DESPACHO DE ADUANAS (IMPORTACIÓN DE VEHÍCULOS)
DON / DOÑA: [Nombre y Apellidos del Importador], con DNI/NIE [Número de Documento], y domicilio a efectos de notificaciones en [Calle, Número, Piso, Código Postal, Santander, Cantabria], con correo electrónico [Correo Electrónico] y teléfono de contacto [Teléfono].
AUTORIZA EXPRESAMENTE A:
La empresa / El agente de aduanas: [Nombre de la Empresa Transitaria o del Agente], con NIF/CIF [NIF/CIF de la empresa], y domicilio profesional en [Dirección del Agente en Santander u otra localidad].
PARA QUE, EN SU NOMBRE Y REPRESENTACIÓN:
Realice todos los trámites, gestiones y declaraciones necesarios ante la Dependencia Provincial de Aduanas e Impuestos Especiales de Cantabria (o cualquier otra aduana española), así como ante la Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria (AEAT), relativos al despacho de importación, liquidación de derechos arancelarios, Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (IVA) y, en su caso, Impuesto Especial sobre Determinados Medios de Transporte (IEDMT), correspondientes al siguiente vehículo:
- Marca: [Marca]
- Modelo: [Modelo]
- Número de Bastidor (VIN): [Número de Chasis de 17 dígitos]
- Matrícula de origen (si procede): [Matrícula anterior]
La presente autorización se otorga al amparo del artículo 18 del Código Aduanero de la Unión (Reglamento UE nº 952/2013) y faculta al representante aduanero para firmar la Declaración Aduanera (DUA) y cuanta documentación complementaria sea exigida por la normativa vigente.
En Santander, a [Día] de [Mes] de [Año].
Fdo.: [Firma del Importador]
(Adjuntar copia del DNI/NIE/Pasaporte del importador)
Additional documentation required
Submitting the customs clearance authorization alone is not enough to clear your vehicle through the port of Santander. You must bundle this template with a complete dossier for the Spanish customs authorities. Typically, you will need to provide:
- Proof of identity: A valid DNI, NIE, or Passport of the vehicle owner.
- Proof of ownership: Original purchase invoice, bill of sale, or notarized transfer contract.
- Technical vehicle documents: The original foreign registration certificate (both parts if coming from an EU country, or export certificate for non-EU imports).
- Transport documents: Bill of Lading (B/L) or CMR if the car arrived by cargo ship or truck via the Port of Santander.
- Proof of origin or emissions: Necessary for calculating import tariffs and the Impuesto de Matriculación (IEDMT) at the local tax office.
Expert tip: If you are importing a vehicle from outside the European Union (such as the UK post-Brexit, Switzerland, or the US) arriving directly into the Port of Santander, ensure your customs agent calculates the 10% import duty and 21% VAT correctly before attempting to pass the ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos). Working with a specialized customs agency based in Santander will save you days of administrative delays at the maritime terminal.