uk or spanish licence

I have read posts concerning driving licences but am still a little confused. I have residencia and am transfering my uk car to spanish plates.

I have a uk licence which expires next year when I am 70. Can I simply renew my uk licence or must I exchange it for a spanish one. It would appear that the former would be more dtraight forward.

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No. you can't renew your UK license. The DVLA will not send a driving license to a non-UK address nor record a non-UK address on the license itself. Change it now to a Spanish one before it expires or you will have problems when it does. 

 

 

This message was last edited by bobaol on 06/05/2014.

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Hi Bobaol, thanks for that. sorry I hadnt made it clear that I proposed renewing the uk licence to my uk address.

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Nic     ……………….  . I have Residencia …………….

Unless you are from outside the EU you cannot have Residencia.  An EU citizen cannot have Residencia.  You will have a Certificate to say you are register on EU Citizens Register.

Nic   I have a uk licence which expires next year when I am 70. Can I simply renew my uk licence or must I exchange it for a Spanish one.

 

If you do not reside in UK you cannot renew a UK D/L. If you say you do when you do not it amounts to fraud.   An address is not sufficient.  So.as Bobaol says,  you need to exchange the UK DL for a Spanish one.

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 Hi johnzx, with respect you know perfectly well what I mean by "residencia" as does everyone else on this forum.

My question was not to do with legalities merley wich procedure is simpler, thats all.!!!!!

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Replacing UK licence is easier...just tick the boxes and it's FREE...but know several cases where they have wanted to contact the person by phone...oops....not a good idea if you live here permanently.
However changing to Spanish is easy as well.....just cost a few euros.

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Nic  My question was not to do with legalities merley wich procedure is simpler, thats all.!!!!!

Renewing the UK one is simpler, but as I said  if one does not live there it is necessary to commit fraud in order to do it.

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Hi, Thanks for your replies. I have just found further info which suggests that in compliance with eu law the uk now require a medical cert to accompany an application to renew a licence at age 70. This cert is not however recognised here in spain.

It would appear therefore that I have no alternative than to exchange my uk licence for a spanish one.

I cant find a list of the docs I need to produce and whether I must produce a spanish medical cert with the application. I live in fuengirola area so assume I apply to trafico in malaga.

Any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

 

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Might be different in Fuengirola..but then everyone I know here on mainland Spain had a different medical procedure.
Perhaps it is to do with whatever, if any, medication one might be on.
Basically it was a drop in clinic for....
Eye test
Co- ordination test and BP taken.

Then take to Malaga traffico ....medical notes, originals and 2 copies of every legal document you process to prove who you are , what you are and where you live in Spain. Also 2 passport size photos and old UK driving licence.

A trifle over the top, I know, but as with the medical you can bet they will want something you didn't deem necessary.

Some give you a proper receipt on the day...others send it in the post.
Spanish licence from 2 weeks to 2 months later.
Total cost..c 85€.

Renewing 3 years later should be much much easier........but hey this is Spain....lol

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Nic, there is a medical centre opposite the bus station in Fuengirola, on the 1^st flr I think, the building by the taxi rank,

  They do everything on the computer when one needs to re-new a Spanish D/L, including the photos . If you ask there they should be able to tell you what you need to do to exchange your DL

 

This message was last edited by johnzx on 11/05/2014.

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If you get a Spanish driving licence and are a Spanish resident can you still legally drive a UK registered car?

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If you are resident in Spain then  (unless the law has changed recently) you cannot drive a non Spanish registered vehicle except in an emergency situation.  That was described to me by the Spanish RAC (RACE) as say a mechanic testing a car, say using a friends car to pick up his invalid mother when the friend could not drive, or similar.

I see no reason why you could not do so in say UK, if you have or rent a car there, but I have never thought of that situation before, interesting !    I have driven hire cars in UK and elsewhere !

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Thanks for that info. This rule, if true makes no sense. If I want to go to UK and hire a car under this rule I will be rejected. The licence has an EU logo which suggests use is valid anywhere in EU. Or is it only in Spain this applies? Or if I drive a friends or even my own UK car which is in Spain quite legally, I'm prohibited from doing so. It's balmy.

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Mickeyfinn, you only required to change to a Spanish licence if your permanent address is in Spain...ie over183 days pa. In which case your UK car , to be legal, would also be matriculated onto Spanish plates. Immaterial whether it is a left or right hand drive car.
If neither of these requirements apply to you then , don't see where your problem is , because you can keep renewing your Brit licence.

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Sorry but did you miss "

I see no reason why you could not do so in say UK, if you have or rent a car there, but I have never thought of that situation before, interesting !    I have driven hire cars in UK and elsewhere !

That meant I have driven using my Spanish DL.  Logically if a Spaniard goes to say UK he/she can rent a car.

But if, as you say you are RESIDENT in Spain, you cannot drive a non registered vehicle IN SPAIN

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Floela,  the question was "If you get a Spanish driving licence and are a Spanish resident can you still legally drive a UK registered car? "

He did not say 'his car'  but a /any UK reg car. (his friend's car maybe)

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Thanks for the replies, apologies if I misunderstood. Just to clarify then. Can a UK national, legally none resident, drive a Spanish car registered in their name with a UK licence in Spain?

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Yes, there are many people who own holiday properties here, who have a Spanish Reg vehicle, who do just that.

And just to cover all angles:  My son drives my Spanish car when he visits.  I have given him a letter of authority, in Spanish, to drive it, which can be demanded by the police.

And of course visitors rent cars on a variety of non Spanish DLs

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Thanks for all this advice.

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..... or even my own UK car which is in Spain quite legally, I'm prohibited from doing so. It's balmy.
This is what I was replying to. If resident and car matriculated ...no problem.

Our Spanish DL 's are very similar to the plastic ones in UK. Complete with European logo and photo. So useable in UK.
Only difference is that the vehicles one is permitted to drive are on the reverse side not on a attached piece of paper.

Spanish nationals are not permitted to drive a RHD car except in certain circumstances. We, however, are not of the indigenous people, only on the foreign register, so law doesn't extend to us....yet.

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