Driving Licence Update 14 October 2022 - Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car in El Raso - El Raso forum - Costa Blanca forum in the Alicante province of Spain
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Driving Licence Update 14 October 2022

GrahamLynnPosted by GrahamLynn on Fri Oct 14, 2022 10:49am in Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car
40 replies11075 views15 members subscribed

Driving licence update from UK Embassy  copied from CAB Spain

"*Driving Licence Negotiations*

We know that many of you continue to have questions, concerns and frustrations about the ongoing negotiations on driving licence exchange. All you want is to be back on the roads and we want this too. It continues to be a top priority for the UK. Ministers raised the issue again with their Spanish counterparts during our annual UK/Spain “Tertulias” summit last weekend in Oxford and we have continued to make progress on the outstanding points this week. We appreciate you would like to understand exactly what the hold-up is, but as we have said before, there are some details we cannot go into, as that could risk derailing the negotiations – which is the last thing that any of us want.

We do read all your messages and, whilst the Ambassador isn’t able to reply to every individual, we are in touch with many of the groups representing UK Nationals and we are meeting we are meeting one of the groups specifically lobbying on this issue to discuss their, and your, concerns. 

Lots of you have asked what happens once the final points have been resolved, so we’ve rounded up the most common questions below. 

What happens once the agreement is final?

Once the negotiation teams have agreed the text, it will then go forward for final legal and political approvals. On the Spanish side, this means going through the ‘Consejo de Ministros’ (Spanish Cabinet). On the UK side, it will be approved by relevant Ministers.

Article continues below

Then it will be published in the BOE (state bulletin) and should come into force the same day. You will then have six months to exchange your UK licence for a Spanish one (without having to take a test) and during that time you will be able to drive using your valid UK licence. 

Will the agreement only apply to those who were here before the end of 2020 and registered their intent to exchange? 

No. The agreement will apply to anyone holding a UK licence, whether they were here before the end of 2020 or whether they move here in the future.

Will there be enough appointments within that six months? 

It will be for the Spanish Government to administer the process and ensure the provision of appointments. This is something we have raised throughout negotiations and Spain is conscious of the potential number of UK nationals who may need to exchange during the six-month window. 

We would encourage you to get an appointment as soon as you can and not leave it until the last minute, remembering that you do not have to exchange in the town/region where you are resident if there is greater availability elsewhere. 

Do I have to complete the exchange process within six months of the agreement coming into effect?  

No, but you will only be able to drive on your UK licence during this six-month window. After that, you can complete the exchange, but will not be able to drive on your UK licence while you are waiting to do so. 

My UK licence has expired. Will I still be able to get a Spanish licence without taking a test? 

The fact that some people’s licences have expired, or are about to, has been taken into account by the negotiating team. Expired licences shall be accepted provided that they were valid at the time that the licence holder entered Spain.

I renewed my UK licence with the DVLA when I was already resident in Spain. Can I still exchange it without taking a test? 

All valid UK licences issued prior to this Agreement entering into force can be exchanged. However, you should not renew your UK licence with the DVLA if you are no longer resident in the UK. 

Once the Agreement is in place, you must not try to renew a UK licence with the UK authorities if you are resident in Spain. If you do so, you will not be able to exchange it for a Spanish one."



Written by

GrahamLynn

GrahamLynn

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Darro

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2022 11:20am

Darro

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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2022 11:20am

Nothing of substance to report then and I don't believe a word of the "can't go into detail, could risks derailing" BS, does anyone?

I don't believe those who illegally renewed their licences should get a free ride either.

Relyat

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2022 12:49pm

Relyat

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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2022 12:49pm

"Can't go into details" that sounds to me like they have something to hide. From whom they are hiding I wouldn't care to say... 

As  for eligibility, only those pre registered, not illegally renewed and not been living here years never having bothered to comply with the law. 

Wilbur

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:02am

Wilbur

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Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:02am

Hopefully it's senior civil servants dealing with these discussions and meetings and no one from the dysfunctional UK Cabinet or Ministers, otherwise,  we'll get nothing done.

vanal02

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 4:34pm

Posts: 2

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 15 Sep 2022

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 4:34pm

Hi,


I have a UK driving license, but am entitled to an Irish passport. When I receive the Irish passport will I be able to drive in Spain without any issues, or will having an Irish passport make no difference?


Alan

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tebo53

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 5:13pm

tebo53

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Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 5:13pm

vanal02 wrote on Tue Oct 18, 2022 4:34pm:

Hi,


I have a UK driving license, but am entitled to an Irish passport. When I receive the Irish passport will I be able to drive in Spain without any issues, or will having an Irish passport make no difference?


Alan

Sorry Alan but the Passport makes no difference. Its still a UK licence. 

Steve 

Carlmc

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:37pm

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Joined: 30 Jun 2021

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:37pm

Just checking this scenario for myself. I own a property in Almoradi and one in the UK too. My wife has a British passport and her residencia, as she spends around 10 month in Spain and 2 months in the UK.

I have both a British and Irish Passport and spend roughly 5 months in Spain each year and 7 months in the UK.

I have a UK driving license and my wife has exchanged hers for a Spanish one. She owns a car, but I do drive it some of the time. Am I okay to do this on a UK license? I own a car in the UK as I need it for my job, so need my UK license for that too. 

Bee2

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:58pm

Bee2

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Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:58pm

There is no problem with you driving a Spanish Registered car with a UK licence. It might be a good idea to have a letter in your possession to say you have your wife's permission to drive the car and you are insured to drive it. Although from other discussions on other forums you don't have to prove the insurance bit. That is the responsibility of the registered car owner. 

Bee

Carlmc

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 6:09pm

Posts: 58

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Location: Orihuela Costa

Joined: 30 Jun 2021

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 6:09pm

Bee2 wrote on Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:58pm:

There is no problem with you driving a Spanish Registered car with a UK licence. It might be a good idea to have a letter in your possession to say you have your wife's permission to drive the car and you are insured to drive it. Although from other discussions on other forums you don't have to p...

...rove the insurance bit. That is the responsibility of the registered car owner. 

Bee

Thanks for that. My wife is normally with me and the car is insured for any driver. 

ACP17

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 2:45pm

Posts: 2

Location: El Raso

Joined: 21 Oct 2022

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 2:45pm

I am diabetic and as such my UK licence has to be renewed every 3 years. Does anybody know if a similar situation applies in Spain where the licence is only granted for a fixed period and also do I have to take a medical examination (this occasionally happens in UK, usually involves an eye test) in Spain.

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