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Driving Licence (UK) to Spanish Licence

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:09pm
17 replies576 views4 members subscribed
RayHelen2016

Posts: 95

21 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 15 Apr 2018

Hi there can anyone help. Me and my husband are from the UK. We have bought a house in Villamartin with the intention of living 6 months in Spain and 6 months UK.

We have booked our residencia for first week of Nov.

We have a Spanish plated car in my husbands name.

Do we need to change our UK licence over to a Spanish driving licence? even though we are staying less than 183 days in Spain.

The last thing we would ever want to do is give up our UK driving licence for a Spanish one!

And help appreciated. Many thanks

Mr Chips

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:18pm

Mr Chips

Helpful member

Posts: 152

100 helpful points

Location: Catral

Joined: 22 May 2017

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:18pm

If you decide to apply for a Spanish driving licence you have no choice you will have to give up your British licence because trafico returns it to DVLA. 

tebo53

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:41pm

tebo53

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 4776

4960 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 29 May 2018

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:41pm

RayHelen2016 wrote on Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:09pm:

Hi there can anyone help. Me and my husband are from the UK. We have bought a house in Villamartin with the intention of living 6 months in Spain and 6 months UK.

We have booked our residencia for first week of Nov.

We have a Spanish plated car in my husbands name.

Do we need to change our UK licence over to a Spanish driving licence? even though we are staying less than 183 days in Spain.

The last thing we would ever want to do is give up our UK driving licence for a Spanish one!

And help appreciated. Many thanks

You are supposed to apply for a Spanish driving licence after you have lived in Spain permanently for 2 years.

You should be ok to keep your UK licence. 

I don't think you can be official residents of Spain and the UK at the same time!! You will have to eventually decide whether you are residents of Spain or UK

Relyat

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:42pm

Relyat

Very helpful member

Posts: 896

890 helpful points

Location: Pego

Joined: 12 Jul 2018

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:42pm

RayHelen2016 wrote on Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:09pm:

Hi there can anyone help. Me and my husband are from the UK. We have bought a house in Villamartin with the intention of living 6 months in Spain and 6 months UK.

We have booked our residencia for first week of Nov.

We have a Spanish plated car in my husbands name.

Do we need to change our UK licence over to a Spanish driving licence? even though we are staying less than 183 days in Spain.

The last thing we would ever want to do is give up our UK driving licence for a Spanish one!

And help appreciated. Many thanks

I take it that you haven't read"Jim's guide" 

Relyat

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 7:40am

Relyat

Very helpful member

Posts: 896

890 helpful points

Location: Pego

Joined: 12 Jul 2018

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 7:40am

Don't confuse the three issues, as others have done.

1) After 90 days, or at the start of your stay if you anticipate it being in excess of 90 days, you must sign on the foreigners register, aka Residency.

2) After 183 days in one year, not necessarily consecutive, you are considered a tax resident, this is automatic.

3) Driving licence, read the guide.

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tebo53

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:40am

tebo53

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 4776

4960 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 29 May 2018

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:40am

Who is confused? Show me a reply that shows confusion.

The OP asked about driving licences. I suspect that you are confusing the issue!

RayHelen2016

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:43am

RayHelen2016

Original Poster

Posts: 95

21 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 15 Apr 2018

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:43am

Thanks for the info. We are already clued up on residency, tax etc it was just the driving licence we wanted clarification on. Did you attach a link as I can't see anything on here. 

Regards 

RayHelen2016

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:52am

RayHelen2016

Original Poster

Posts: 95

21 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 15 Apr 2018

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:52am

tebo53 wrote on Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:41pm:

You are supposed to apply for a Spanish driving licence after you have lived in Spain permanently for 2 years.

You should be ok to keep your UK licence. 

I don't think you can be official residents of Spain and the UK at the same time!! You will have to eventually decide whether you are residents of Spain or UK

Thanks for this. It goes without saying I would want to keep my residency in the UK and we will use our home in Spain as a holiday home if needs be. 

Regards 

Relyat

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:18am

Relyat

Very helpful member

Posts: 896

890 helpful points

Location: Pego

Joined: 12 Jul 2018

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:18am

tebo53 wrote on Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:40am:

Who is confused? Show me a reply that shows confusion.

The OP asked about driving licences. I suspect that you are confusing the issue!

I take it that you didn't bother to read every reply, had you done so it would be obvious.

Relyat

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:18pm

Relyat

Very helpful member

Posts: 896

890 helpful points

Location: Pego

Joined: 12 Jul 2018

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:18pm

Kimmy11, on reflection perhaps I was a little terse.

Just as well that you came along to supply the helpful link, just a shame that you then went on to muddy the waters with the rest of your post.

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