Medical equipment and devices

Start with "Can you bring your medical device to Spain and will it work?" It covers electrical, software, regulatory and service compatibility, and it tells you whether your current device is worth bringing at all.

After that, pick the page that matches your next step:

• Packing and moving equipment: "Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment".
• Buying or replacing equipment and supplies, and knowing who pays: "Getting and replacing equipment and supplies in Spain".
• Wheelchairs, walking aids and braces: "Getting a wheelchair, mobility aid or orthosis in Spain".
• Oxygen, CPAP or ventilation at home: "Home oxygen, CPAP and ventilation equipment in Spain".

Medicines, shipping household belongings and the disability certificate are covered elsewhere in the guide.

Key rules

• Cabin batteries: Lithium-ion batteries up to 100 Wh can go in cabin baggage without approval, while 100–160 Wh batteries need airline approval.
• Spanish power: Spain uses 230 V mains at 50 Hz with Type C and Type F plugs.
• CE marking: Ask the manufacturer whether your exact model is CE-marked before you move.
• Public funding: The public system pays only for catalogue items, often only in part, and each region sets its own amounts and procedure.
• Health card first: You can claim only once you have public health cover and a health card; earlier purchases are not reimbursed.
• Prescription: Only a public-system specialist can start the process for free equipment, after diagnostic tests.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your NIE or passport number — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment
• Inventory of your belongings and proof that you changed residence — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment

Payments and receipts

• Commercial invoice for a shipped device — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment

Other documents

• Prescription or doctor's letter for medicines you carry for personal use — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment
• Transport document for the shipment — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment
• Customs import declaration — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment
• CE conformity documents and the EU declaration of conformity — Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment

Medical equipment and devices: questions that cross several articles

Can I use a medical device without CE marking in Spain?

Yes, you can generally use a non-CE device such as an FDA-cleared pump or monitor for your own use, but you cannot sell or supply it to others. Spanish doctors and clinics cannot normally use or prescribe it, so ask the medicines and devices agency (AEMPS) about your specific device. Read "Can you bring your medical device to Spain and will it work?" and "Getting and replacing equipment and supplies in Spain".

What do I need to fly with a portable oxygen concentrator?

You usually need to tell the airline 48 hours to 7 days before departure, and send a medical form and a doctor's statement. The concentrator must be on the airline's approved list, with enough battery for the flight plus a margin. Read "Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment", then "Home oxygen, CPAP and ventilation equipment in Spain" for what happens after you land.

How should I carry insulin and other cooled medicines to Spain?

Carry them in your cabin bag, never in the hold, because the hold can get cold enough to freeze them. Use an insulated pouch, keep the original labelled packs, and bring a prescription or doctor's letter. Arrange a fridge at your destination, and see "Travelling and shipping to Spain with medical equipment" and "Getting and replacing equipment and supplies in Spain" for refills.

Do I pay customs duty on my medical devices if I move to Spain from outside the EU?

No, personal medical devices for your own use come in without duty or special permits, and customs generally does not check them. If you ship your wider belongings, duty-free import needs 12 months of living outside the EU, import within 12 months of moving, and an inventory.