Starting business in Spain?

Question

I am going to live in Spain in Feb next year. Have played with the idea of running private City tours from the Town of which I am moving too, in a 6 seater vehicle. Does anyone know the legal implications of this? Will I need a Taxi license and if so is it easy to apply for. Or would I just need public liability insurance?

Answer 1

I looked into this for someone a good few years ago.

We gave up.

Things are easier now and does not take 2 to 3 years to set up a business any more (more like 6 months) but it is complicated and easier if you go to a Gestoria.

I suggest that  you go for 'chauffeur driven - car hire'.

Never say taxi or you will open something akin to Pandora's box and a can of worms!  I have never met a foreign taxi driver in Spain.

Taxis are highly protected as they are in the UK and there is a nasty catch-all unfair competition law. All tourist buses and taxis have public service plates. But hotel mini buses seem to escape.

Your gestor will advise but don't take no for an answer. Lateral thinking always helps.

Do not get involved with government departments personally unless your Spanish and patience are of a very high standard.

Going illegal may mean that if if literally comes to the crunch, you may not be insured and thus lose everything.

Good luck!

Answer 2

i live in spain and would not even try to start a busness here most peole i know that have tryed have failed due to red tape it normaly takes two to three years to sort the paper work out then after that if youve upset somone they denounce you and the every thing is cancelled my advise is to look into it very serously

Answer 3

Hi Mason, I totally disagree with what others have said. I am german and have been living in south of Spain for over 12 years. To start any sort of business here is as easy or difficult as in any other civiliced european country. So to say you have to follow the legal steps in the same way i did 9 years ago in order to start 3 fashion shops at the same time.

I went to a gestoria and they did all the work.

It makes me mad when some british try to picture Spain as if it was as in Franco times.

The reality is that we are thousands of foreigners coming yearly to settle in Spain.

Answer 4

Carol has given some good advise. I also live in Spain and can tell you it is very difficult to get started, if you want to do it officially and legally. A Gestor will be able to deal with all the necessary paperwork for you, licence if required etc. I do know quite a few Brits who have started legally registered businesses and are doing well, but it seems that most do fail.

That is why a lot of Brits here work off the record. Certainly where I am there are a few people who run airport car services. Not licenced I can assure you. Also lots of artisans, plumbers, builders etc who run their won businesses without registering. Not saying it's right or wrong or the best way or not. Just telling like it is.

The other thing is Spain is made of 11 (I think it's 11) Autonomous regions, and they all have their own laws, like the states in the USA. The National Government would pass important laws, things such as taxi licencing would be a local issue. The cost of licences would differ as well. So there is no answer to your specific question re; licences etc, as it will differ from place to place. That's why you would need a local Gestor.

Good luck but think very carefully about what you do.

Answer 5

Mason, the best thing to do is when you arrive in Spain to go to a Gestoria. They look it all up for you - of course in the hope that afterwards you hire them for your administration.