British driving licence and Residence in Spain

There seems to be a lot of conflicting advice about if you need to change your U.K. driving licence for a Spanish Licence.

If you are not a resident in Spain you do not need to change your driving licence but if you are a resident you have to change your licence to a Spanish one within a 6 month period of obtaining Spanish residence. If you do not do this and continue driving using your U.K. or any other non Spanish Licence (non European driving licences have a different ruling), if you get stopped by the police then you will get a fine, have your licence confiscated etc.

The process of changing your driving licence is quite simple.

Requirements:-

- Have official residence in Spain.

- Be over 18 years old

- The U.K. / European driving licence must not have been obtained while you were a Spanish resident.

Documentation:-

1. Official application form obtained from the Ministry of traffic (DGT) office or on the web page www.dgt.es you will also be required to sign a declaration that you have not been disqualified from driving and that you do not own any other non Spanish driving licences.
2. You will be required to pay 26.60€ fee.
3. Accreditation of identity

-Passport & photocopy

-Residency certificate that is has not been cancelled & photocopy

4. Your U.K. or European Driving licence and photocopy of both sides and the counterpart with a photocopy.
5. A passport size photo that has a white background.
6. Photo card which can only be obtained at the Ministry of traffic office in person in by a representative.
7. If you are of retirement age and your licence has come to its end then you will need a medical certificate in an accredited clinic (Centro Medico Y Fisioterapia). They will test your reflexes, eyesight, & hearing. You will be asked about illnesses & medication. You will obtain a certificate to be taken to the traffic office. This certificate should not cost you more than 20€. You may need a translator if you do not speak Spanish.

If you do not want to go to the traffic office in person and would rather send a representative then the representative will need to be authorized in writing with your signature on the authorization.

All this documentation is in Spanish without any translation so you may need assistance to fill it all in.

Once all the paperwork is completed then you need to go to the traffic office which is open from 8.30am to 2.30pm in Alicante Monday to Thursday & from 8.30am to 1.30pm. From 8.30am to 3pm Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 1.30pm Friday. You will need to pay the 26.60€ fee at the casher then you will get a number and will have to wait your turn. It is important that you have all the paperwork filled in and the original driving licence, passport & residency certificate. If there is anything missing you may have to come back another day. It is best to get to the Alicante office early in the morning, 8 is a good time, there will be a lot of people queuing. This way you will be attended sooner. The Alicante office is a bit like a cattle market.

Once you have summated your paperwork you may be asked to surrender your licence strait away and given a provisional licence or covering document which will be valid for 3 months. Then your new Spanish licence will be sent to you in the post. If you are not asked to surrender your licence and counterpart then you will receive a letter to indicate that your provisional licence is ready then you will be required to surrender your licence & counterpart. You will have to go to the traffic office in person or send a representative with an authorization. Once the Spanish Ministry of Traffic has checked with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the U.K. and the Spanish Foreign office to check that all the details coincide, you will be sent your definitive Spanish driving licence.

A Spanish driving licence lasts for 10 years then needs to be renewed. If you change a U.K. licence for a Spanish on then it will only last for the amount of time you have left on your U.K. licence of that is not more than 10 years, if you have the medical test then it will last for 5 years then need renewing if you are of retirement age.

If you do not speak Spanish at all it is most likely that you will have to deal with a non English speaker at the traffic office.

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Sorry, but you are wrong. Spain lost a court case on 9.9.04, and now EU licences can be used until they expire. BUT a licence holder must still take the medicals as the Spanish do.

Changing the licence whilst still valid is voluntary, as you will see from the info on the DGT site, which is the last item on 'Requirements', which you have not shown on your post.

It would probably make life easier, as one would receive automatic reminders for the medicals. But it is not the law.

Please see Brian J Deller's or David Searl's books on these matters. 

aly is right, you are perfectly entitled to drive around as a resident with your UK licence.  I changed mine recently to a Spanish one only because the photocard part of it had expired.

Patrick,

Your information looks to be about 10 years out of date.

Sorry if the information I have posted is conflicting with infro from the u.k./ European union etc.

It's very clear that "official" information on this topic can be conflicting and confusing. Suffice to say, there is surely no good reason not to change your licence, if indeed you are resident in Spain and expect to be so for the forseeable future. Ditto re-registering your UK reg vehicles. Why so many people stubbornly refuse to do so constantly amazes me. On another forum I have just read about someone who has lost their UK licence and are having untold hassle trying to get a certificate of entitlement from DVLA in order to apply for a Spanish licence. They cannot get a replacement UK licence because they don't live in the UK. It all would have been avoided if they'd just changed their licence when they first became resident here. Why resist? Life is so much easier here if you play by "their" rules - even if they're sometimes wrong or injust.

Good practical advice Robert

I dont think Patrik is that wrong because my partner was stopped by the Gardia about 6 months ago and his details were taken, they told him if he was stopped again with a english licence then he would be finned or worse. he went strait to the the trafic office and it was a bit of a hassel for him so he got a company to do it for him. It was a bit expensive but it took the worry away. My partner was stopped again but has a provisional spanish licence- bit of paper and they accepted that. Now hes got his spanish one and hes a happy bunny now....... bless.

Patrick, may I ask when you spoke to those various offices?

I wiill say that the DGT seem to be tinkering with the web site, and I cannot now get the page I had printed out about a month ago. However, using that link on the 'canje permisos', the information stated is -

' Driving licenses issued in any Member State of the European Union or the United Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area in accordance with Community legislation remain valid in Spain, under the conditions that have been issued in its place of origin, with the exception that the age for driving is that required to obtain the equivalent Spanish license.

However, not valid for driving in Spain driving licenses issued by one of those States that are restricted, suspended or withdrawn at any of them or Spain.

The holder of a license issued in one of these states has taken up normal residence in Spain shall be subject to the Spanish provisions relating to its term, control of their mental and physical fitness and allocation of credit points.

In the case of a driving license is not subject to a specific duration, the holder shall ensure a renewal after two years since normal residence in Spain '. (google translated).

So that still corresponds with my first post.

I have been in contact with the DGT Delegacion (General de Trafico) and they have informed me that it is nessasary to change (Canjear) the British/European licences if you are a resident in Spain. The person who attended me told me that people are currently being fined when stopped by the police for not having there situation in order.

So what you have here is yet another example (as if we needed one) of the Spanish authorities issuing totally incorect advice and information, based on legislation that was ruled unlawful years ago. The advice from DVLA is correct and up-to-date. UK issued licenses are valid THROUGHOUT THE EU until expiry. End of.

If anyone is threatened (or fined) simply bring a formal complaint via SOLVIT.

The law is asolutely clear on this. There is no room for doubt. UK licenses are valid until expiry in Spain, whether you are resident or not.

Patrick,

The link you provided clearly states that EU and EEA driving licences are valid in Spain and that you can voluntarily change it to a Spanish licence if you wish.  The information you have provided on this thread is incorrect and misleading.

Read the first 2 sections on the right hand side of the link you provided.  It's in black and white and couldn't be any clearer.

http://www.dgt.es/portal/es/oficina_virtual/conductores/canje_permisos/?tit=Canje de los permisos de conducción expedidos en Estados miembros de la Unión Europea y los pertenecientes al Espacio Económico Europeo (EEE: NORUEGA, ISLANDIA Y LIECHENSTEIN)

Even if the Guardia Civil tried to fine you for driving on a UK licence, Spanish car insurance usually comes with something called "defensa en multas" which means your insurance company will fight any fines on your behalf.  So no need to worry.

The Guardia carry guns. I don't.

If you think there's any mileage in arguing with a guy carrying a gun, you're a fool. Why make life more complicated than it need be? Resident in Spain, change your licence ASAP. End of.

John, at last - I knew we'd find something we can agree on! 

Well below was copied from the DGT website and dated 29.8.2012. It clearly says its voluntary for EEC members residing in Spain wanting to change license.

Last word to all you pedants out there before I go and bash my head against a brick wall.

Print out a copy of the info from the DGT website (in Spanish of course), get it authenticated by a gestor, a lawyer, a notary, your bank manager, the British consul, the bloke down the pub who knows best, etc.etc., and keep it in your car to show the nice man with a gun when you get stopped. Of course, it won't make any difference if he's having a bad day and decides to fine you or impound your car, but it'll make you feel smug that you know the law better than him as you watch your car being towed off to the pound!

Or....you could just go and change your licence for a Spanish one. Up to you.

Well all, from my experience of the DVLA and their comical antics with driving licences, since they "lost" 4 years of my driving record from my licence because they would not admit their error, now every time i have any dealings with the DVLA, any and all documentation, including the licence itself, i put through the photocopier and make multiple copies of it . This is to prove its previous existence during the period before it disappears completely from history!

Anyone doing ANY dealings with the DVLA is well advised to do this as they WILL  NOT admit ANY error on their part, due to the fact they are perfect! All this before the start of dealing with Spanish beauracracy too! If you are dealing with either the Spanish OR the English driving offices, be very wary BEFORE the event, as often , afterwards it ends in tears. Good luck all..............

Dear aly not in spain, johnzx, Mr. Sanchez1, Nicky71, Roberto......

Patrick

Cuando se trate de un permiso de conducción no sujeto a un período de vigencia determinado, su titular deberá proceder a su renovación, una vez transcurridos dos años desde que establezca su residencia normal en España, a los efectos de aplicarle los plazos de vigencia previstos en el artículo 12.

In the case of a driving license is not subject to a specific duration, the holder shall ensure a renewal after two years since normal residence in Spain, for the purposes of applying the terms of validity under Article 12.

A UK licence has specific duration (mine lasts until 2047!!!), therefore no need to change to a Spanish one.  I don't know why you're still trying to confuse the issue.  It's quite clear that there is no need to change to a Spanish licence.

It's pointless contacting anyone in the Spanish bureaucracy because you will be told a different answer depending on who you speak to.  Therefore, it's best to look at the offical website, which you have kindly provided the links to.