new resident and want to change to a Spanish driving license.

Bad news, you will need to get booked in to take the Spanish driving test (theory and practical) as you only have a very limited period to continue using your UK license.

Evening Tony,

Not too bad for you as you have 6 months from your residency date to get the Spanish licence. However, there is a school of thought that the UK & Spanish governments may still manage to reach agreement on a straightforward "Swap" scenario. Watch this space! Suggest you sign up for UK Government alerts - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain

Hope this helps!

Manus

And I suggest you start boning up for that Spanish test! 

On a different topic reading through your earlier posts you say that you got your NLV on the strength of an S1, is that correct and if so was it accepted at your residency interview as all reports to date have been to the effect that an S1 was NOT acceptable for that purpose and that private insurance had to be shown.

It may help you if you have a look at the N332 website.   It is run in collaboration with officers of the Guardia Civil for English spaking people and deals with anything to do with driving in Spain.   It also has an English version of the Spanish equivalent of the Highway Code.

Darro,  Yes, my S1 form was accepted.

Now that I have got the tie , I have to give my solitor in SGM benijofar my documents plus my S1 forms and then they will action get on the Spanish health system. I have confidence that I will get the Spanish health insurance but will let you know if not.

tony

Thanks Manos and other posters.

I was initial misread the note about the recent letter about who/ who can't drive in Spain.

I've always been aware that a test may be need and will start working on passing the theory test, it won't do any harm anyway and wait until as long as possible before taking the driving lessons and test. I assume at 73 I will need a medical so will get this done as well.

To be honest after being through the NLV, taking and paying for a driving test doesn't phase me.

Good for you Cisco54, it's nice to see some proactivity where the driving licence is concerned!  And don't worry about your S1 - initially, it wasn't accepted for NLV applications, but that changed at the beginning of this year.

Kind regards,

Kim

Hi Kim,

Alway nice to hear your kind and helpful  advice on this forum.

My time in UK, getting NLV,  was memorable for good and bad reasons, I got to see and know my new grandson and conversely had the landlady from hell, a Mrs 'buckett' but on steroids. I could have stayed with my daughter but thought I'd best keep away because of the covid. 

I'm so glad I'm back in Spain and I'm almost back into relaxed mode after getting my tie last Friday and I'm in the  process of getting my car matriculated and my Spanish health card.

Tony