Driving license

Hi

Anyone know anything about having to change UK license for a Spanish one if your a resident ?? Heard lots of storys, to to be honest thought that the UK one also covers EU ???

  The British Embassy in Madrid give the following guidance on UK
Driving Licences in Spain:

UK driving licences issued from 1990 and the photo card licence issued
from 1997 are accepted in Spain. Licences issued before 1990 are only
accepted if accompanied by an official translation into Spanish
(available from the Spanish Embassy in London and the Real Automóvil
Club de España if the licence holder is already in Spain). UK
Provisional Licences are not valid for use in Spain.

It is not obligatory to register your British driving licence with the
Spanish authorities but it is recommended, since if it is lost or
stolen it is quicker to get a replacement Spanish licence

Once the UK licence runs out or if it is lost or stolen, the new
licence must be Spanish if you are resident in Spain
If members need more details or information they can refer to:
http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/cars/ 

Thanks for the info, the papers blow it all up, several people have told me it had to be changed to Spanish if you became a Spanish resident

I think that you will find, you have two choices.

1, Change your UK license to Spanish (you will also need a drivers medical).

2, Register your UK license with the local "Trafico" and your NIE is eched into it. To be legal, you still have to have the drivers medical.

http://www.dgt.es/was6/portal/contenidos/documentos/oficina_virtual/conductores/hojas_informativas/inscripcion_permiso_conduccion_paises_union_europea_islandia_liechtenstein_noruega_2012.pdf

If you are a resident of Spain and have been so for 2 years you must exchange you UK licence for a Spanish one also if you are over 45 you must have a medical test

This is the law according to Traffico at Alicante and is confirmed by EUrules

 What's the average cost of a medical & is it sent directly to the governing body with a copy to yourself?

Hi - it may have changed but I got one done about three years ago in Torrevieja and it was 27€ and they just handed me a certificate.  As Alicante Trafico then said I didn´t need to change my UK licence, I now need to go and get a new medical done and then apply for my Spanish licence within 3 months.