Driving in Spain
Driving licence rules will stay the same until 31 December 2020.
If you are resident in Spain, exchange your UK licence for a Spanish one. If you do this before 31 December 2020 you will not need to take a driving test.
You will need a valid residence document to exchange your licence.
To start the exchange process, book an appointment with our office colleague Raul who will apply on your behalf to Spanish Traffic Authority (DGT)
Make sure you request the correct option:
• if your licence has expired or is due to expire in the next few months, you should choose ‘renovación’
• if you have lost your licence or it has been stolen you should choose ‘sustitución’
• for all other instances choose ‘canje’
You should get a photocopy of your UK licence certified by a notary prior to initiating this process in case there are any delays. You will have to hand over your UK licence to the Spanish Traffic Authority when applying to exchange it for a Spanish one.
You will be issued a temporary driving permit (“Autorización temporal para conducir”) to use until your Spanish licence is processed. This document is only recognised by traffic authorities in Spain and is not a valid document in any other country.
You can instruct a registered ‘gestor’ like ourselves to carry out this exchange process on your behalf .
These rules may change from 1 January 2021. We will update this guidance once more information is available.
Driving in the UK with a Spanish licence
Until the end of the transition period, you can still use your Spanish licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test.
These rules may change from 1 January 2021. We will update this page once more information is available.
Lost, stolen or expired UK licences
If you live in Spain and your UK driving licence is lost, or stolen, or if it expires, you will not be able to renew it with the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will need to apply to the DVLA for a ‘certificate of entitlement’ in Spanish to be able to apply for a Spanish driving licence.
For information on driving in Spain, read our guidance on:
• what you need to drive abroad
• driving rules in Spain
Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Spain
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
If you register as a resident or spend longer than 6 months of the year in Spain, you must register your vehicle with the Spanish authorities and you may need to pay some taxes.
You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.
Posted on 28 Aug 2020
