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How to Apply for a Spanish Driving Licence

The current law in Spain states that you can drive on a valid UK or other EU licence for six months, after which you must either....

How to Apply for a Spanish Driving Licence

English and other EU Citizens

Any UK driving licences that were issued prior to 1990 are invalid unless they are accompanied by an official translation into Spanish - Any infringement of this law could incur a very heavy fine.

The minimum age that you are able to hold a driving licence in spain is 18 years old, so any 17 year old holding a UK licence will be unable to drive.

Current Spanish driving laws and regulations state that you are entitled to legally drive on a valid UK, or other EU licence, for six months - after which time you must do one of the following four things as listed below :

  • Leave Spain
  • Not drive any road vehicle during your stay in spain
  • Apply for your UK or other EU driving licence to be approved and stamped
  • Apply for a Spanish driving licence

The british consulate suggests that it is advisable to exchange UK licences for Spanish ones, which are also valid for visits to the UK. In england the DVLA will not put a non-British address on a replacement licence, nor send one out of the country. Therefore, if a British licence is only registered with Spanish authorities and is lost or stolen, a replacement cannot be obtained from the UK, and Spanish authorities will not be able to replace one they did not issue.

Licence Validity & Renewals

Driving licences are valid for ten years if the licence holder is under 45, for 5 years from the age of 45 to 70 years and two years thereafter. To renew a licence in Spain the applicant needs a medical certificate issued by an officially recognised centre.

To apply for your driving licence to be replaced by a Spanish one

Go to your local provincial traffic headquarters (often based within the police station ) and ask to change your British driving licence for a Spanish one. They will inform you that you must undergo a medical examination (as do Spanish nationals) and give you details of how to proceed...

Take with you:

  • Your valid UK or EU driving licence
  • Your NIE certificate
  • Your Residencia paperwork
  • A photocopy of both sides of the driving licence id photograph card
  • Your passport and one photocopy
  • Two passport photographs

      • This process may vary slightly from town to town , but the above documents should cover all variations. When you have all of these documents the proceedure is usually very quick and simple.

      Your new spanish licence is also valid for driving during visits to the UK.

      To apply for your british driving licence to be stamped and registered

      Make it clear that you want your licence stamped, not replaced and proceed as above.

      Please Note:

      The practice of registering a british driving licence (photo type) can now only be carried out at main provincial police/highway authority offices, e.g., Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia etc...

Comment on this Article

 
Does this apply regardless of your residential status ?
S Shaw - Tue, 10th Jan 2012
Over 70 the licence is now renewed for 5 years unless the medical requires otherwise There is no legal requirement to have an EU licence validated by the country of residence
Fred Pegman - Tue, 10th Jan 2012
Contrary to your statement there is no need whatsoever for UK driving licences to be stamped or replaced by a Spanish one for residents in Spain; unless they work professionally in road transport. However they must be accompanied by a valid Spanish medical certificate within the complicated and recently changed local regulations for periodic checks. Given that most current UK photo licences only last 10 years, it is worth exchanging for a Spanish one before you hit that problem.
F E Mattimoe - Tue, 10th Jan 2012
Please amend "to 70 years and 2 years after that to 5 years thereafter until you are aged 80 I have just received mine renewal licence and it expires in november 2015 when I will be 70 and 6 months very strange
Frederick Pegman - Sat, 5th Nov 2011
Many thanks Sr Deller - your book is always highly recommended by Tumbit as a source of reliable and up to date motoring info !
Tumbit - Admin - Tue, 1st Nov 2011
All the facts and proof of them may be seen in the book, Motoring in Spain, temporarilly out of print while the Fourth Edition is being finished. But if your UK licence expires, you have 3 years to renew it either in the UK if you have a legal UK address (not strictly legal though) or here in Spain. Obtain a Form D737 from the DVLA. This is a certificate of your classes for which you have passed the tests. But remember that if resident here, it is fully legal to use your foreign EU licence, e.g. a current unexpired UK, as long as you obey the same administrative rules that Spanish drivers have to and one is the taking of the periodical, simple medicals at the special clinics (reconcimientoes).. Toimnot take nthe medicals meansd that youtr licencve wille expire in Spain (and the EU) and you will probaly not find out until in a Court of law where the other driver's lawyer will tell te Court that you had no driving licence as you lose the accident case.
B J Deller - Tue, 1st Nov 2011
Thanks Old Timer I will certainly give it a go.
Phil Newcombe - Thu, 1st Sep 2011
My understanding is that you can apply for a Spanish Licence from an expired UK Licence, but you may still need to go through a Medical Exam in Spain to prove your fitness to drive.
Old Timer - Tue, 30th Aug 2011
Due to an illness I have had to have my UK driving license renewed, subject to medical reports, firstly for one year, then two and that last time it was for three years. Since then I have moved to Spain and was told by the DVLA that I can no longer renew my license because I do not have GP in the UK (or a UK address). My medical reports came from my consultant at the hospital not from my GP anyway. My license expired some time ago. Can I still apply for a Spanish driving license even if my UK one is out of date?
Phil Newcombe - Tue, 30th Aug 2011
Good advice Craig - this seems to be one of the 'bar stool hero's' favourite subjects (along with not bothering to import a UK car). Nice to read a first-hand account aswell.
Mr Grumpy - Sun, 1st May 2011
I exchanged my licence for a spanish one. It was very painless. I read (like in a previous comment) and hear from many of the practice of obtaining a duplicate licence ffrom the UK prior to exchange. When I initially attended the traffic office I took all the required documents and paid the fee. After going to the window I was sent away still with my UK licence and told they would write to me when they had had confirmation from the UK that my licence was valid. They said that whilst waiting for their letter I should go and have my medical. I did all this, recieved the letter and went back. At this stage they took the UK licence off me and issued me a Spanish card temporary licence stating that the new plastic licence would be with me in a couple of weeks. It was. Out of interest after having my Spanish plastic licence for a few weeks I called the DVLA in Swansea and simply asked "what is the status of my licence". They found me on the computer and simply answered that I do not
Craig Shaw - Sun, 1st May 2011
Like a lot of expats, I didn't want to give up my UK driving license, so I reported it as being lost on the DVLA website. You can order a duplicate copy online for 20 Quid and that way when you hand your old copy in to the Traffico you will still have a copy to keep. Not stictly legal, but works for me.
Paul Coulson - Wed, 24th Nov 2010
A very big thank you Tumbit.I now realise that for the last 3 years I have been really fortunate .I had my UK license stolen and i thought carrying the denuncia was adequate! Having read your articles,almost everything I have been doing is illegal.Time to sort it out.Again thanks
Will Park - Sat, 3th Jul 2010
Cheers Paul! Whilst we acknowledge that the procedures do vary from Region to Region, we will modify our list of recommended / required documents to take - always better to be over-prepared.
Tumbit - Admin - Sat, 26th Jun 2010
Further to my visit to Trafico for the 2nd time, it seems you also need your Residencia paper, or Permit of Residence ( a copy and the original to show them ). I was also told by Trafico that because Britain is in the EU, our British driving licence is fine to drive with, and not just for 6 months only. I've decided to have both for piece of mind!
Paul Attard - Sat, 26th Jun 2010
the above bullet points are correct except for one: where it says a copy of your NIE form, i'm afraid that's not quite correct. They need to see the ORIGINAL. If you think you've got all the paperwork, you can bet your life there's something missing. They love to frustrate you!!! It'll cost €26 too. Suggest you look at their website under "trafico" to double check!!
Paul Attard - Wed, 23th Jun 2010
Fernando, In the UK the advice given to Businesses is NOT to recognise a non-UK license, and I would assume that the same is true in Spain. It may help your case to do the following 2 things : contact the issuer of your license to confirm this and also to obtain a sworn translation that you can keep with your license when applying for vacancies.
Tumbit - Admin - Thu, 29th Apr 2010
Hi, can you please tell me if you know if my British forklift and reach truck driving licenses can be exchanged, or recognised in Spain?
Fernando Fabbri - Wed, 28th Apr 2010
I passed my theory test with this page http://www.englishdrivingschool.com they have a lot of test in english.
Jason Miller - Mon, 25th Jan 2010

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