Spanish driving licence

The DVLA website tells you that you need to surrender your UK licence if you have lived abroad for 6 months. Because of this, I applied for a Spanish licence via my solicitor, and am currently waiting for Trafico to confirm I can drive. They return your licence to DVLA and issue a new one. I too have lived here just over a year so wanted to get it sorted before buying a car. It can take some months just to get an appointment with Trafico in Alicante, so speak to someone who can do this for you and they will tell you about what is involved. A very simple medical has to be taken, and the certificate they issue is only valid for 3 months, so get the appointment fixed first. I believe that it is still 2 years rule here, but have read that they are cracking down on it.

It can be a complicated subject, depending how deeply you look into it. EU legislation effectively says it is legal to use a license issued an EU country in any other member state, provided you comply with any additional requirements in that state - which in Spain means the need for a medical. 

To avoid problems with traffic police, it used to be possible to register your license with Tráfico, but I don't know if that's still the case. Spanish legislation changed recently to make it mandatory to change licenses to Spanish, and although there are some doubts as to whether this accords with EU legislation, I strongly advise you to change over - it only needs to be done once, so grit your teeth and do it!

The medical is quite straightforward, including rudimentary tests of sight, hearing and reaction time. The paperwork is another matter, as it's not just an application form. You also need to have passports, photos, residencias etc. In addition to that, you need to submit a written declaration that there aren't any potential problems with your present license, and, as I recall, a statement that you're sane! At least, that used to be the case - things may have changed since we did it.

You can make an appointment with Tráfico online, and can normally get one very quickly. When you go there, you queue at one counter to pay the fee, are given a deli ticket, and wait until it's your turn. Then you cross your fingers and hope for the best!

You don't have to go to your nearest Tráfico office. Ours were done at Murcia, as that's normally quieter than Alicante.

I strongly recommend that you get someone to do it for you.

Thanks to everyone that replied. I will look into getting it changed.

I'm not on facebook.

Thanks

Thanks for the link.

"There were two such instances which required action. Firstly, if your licence has an indefinite expiry date, or more than 15 years validity and you were legally resident in Spain before January 19, 2013, you should have already renewed your driving licence. If not, you must do so immediately. If you only became resident after January 19, 2013, you had 2 years from your date of residency to renew, that date has also expired."

"Secondly, if your license has expired or is due to expire, you must renew it in your country of residence, in other words, if you are a resident in Spain, your current license, once it expires, must be renewed in Spain."

So seeing as i have a few years left on my license, and i became a resident in 2016, surely i can just renew to a Spanish one once it expires or before the 2 years is up? Still makes no sense from how that's written. 

The two years referred to in your quote refers to the period of grace given by DGT for people to take action in transferring their licenses, but as the quote says, that two year period had now expired.

Read the DGT publication (in English) at the following link:

DGT license rules

I don't know how much time you have to apply for a Spanish license after taking up residence. I think it's one month, but haven't got time to search BoE for the relevant law.

A fine for not changing your license will be more that the cost of the change.

Hi again,

It is confusing I know, but as I mentioned before, it is  a DVLA requirement that you return your licence after 6 months of moving abroad. Also if the Brexit vote carries any implications on UK licences, it would cause a mass of applications. I know of people who have lived here for 10 or more years who still haven't exchanged. I thought it was best to get it over with! Guardia Civil are not like the friendly UK Bobby!!

Good luck whatever you decide, and I'm glad that you got plenty of responses this time.

Hi,

That small fee is 140 euros. Was not expecting it to be that much.

I'll do it myself if it can save some money. Just need to know what to do.

Hi would you mind expanding on that please.

What do you take, what about a medical, how much etc.

Thanks