Moving to Spain Guide – Chapter 6 – Driving in Spain
Contents
Driving with the licence from your home country
Licence Exchange
Spanish Driving Test
Bringing a car to Spain
Dirección General de Trafico DGT
People moving to Spain often ask what they need to do to drive in Spain if they have a licence in their home country. Sometimes people also wonder if they should bring their car to Spain.
Before addressing these questions, it is important to point out that the Dirección General de Tráfico, known as the DGT, is the body which is responsible for everything related to driving in Spain. Its website describes the full range of its remit and is available in English.
The DGT covers everything from driving tests to licences, vehicle registration and fines for traffic offences.
Driving with the licence from your home country
How long can you drive in Spain with your existing licence issued in your home country?
If you are from the UK or another non-EU country
If you are from a non-EU country you may drive with the licence issued in your home country for six months from the date you arrived in Spain, or from the date on which you were granted residence status. You must then exchange this for a Spanish licence if your home country has an exchange agreement with Spain. The UK has an exchange agreement with Spain. If you are not eligible to do this you must sit a Spanish driving test. This applies whether you buy, hire, or borrow a car.
If you have an EU licence
If you have an EU licence you may use it to drive in Spain for as long as it is current although you may choose to exchange it for a Spanish licence. Once resident, if you lose your licence or it is stolen or defaced you need to get a renewal/replacement Spanish licence. You do not need to take a test. For some categories of licence you have to renew them after two years of being granted residency in Spain.
Spanish Driving Test
The Spanish Driving Test consists of three stages taken in this order:
Whilst you do not have to pay a driving school to study for the theory test, the practical lessons must be done through an approved driving school. Until you have passed your Spanish driving test you cannot legally drive any vehicle that is not a driving school vehicle.
Here is our “Guide to Driving in Spain” which describes the process more fully:
Bringing a car to Spain
Can you bring your car to Spain when you move?
Yes you can, but different rules apply depending on whether you intend to bring a car registered in an EU country or a non-EU country. However, vehicles in both categories brought into Spain must be registered with the Spanish authorities within six months of entry into the country, when they will be issued with Spanish plates. It is illegal to drive a vehicle without Spanish plates after six months.
Bringing a car from an EU country into Spain
Bringing a car from an EU country into Spain is relatively straight- forward. However, the vehicle still has to be proved roadworthy, registered and be fitted with Spanish plates within the time limit.
Bringing a car from a country outside the EU
Bringing a car from a country outside the EU is more complex. If contemplating doing this you should check the position regarding the import duty and taxes which may be payable. Also if your vehicle is more than four years old it will need to go through a test.
Here is our “Guide to registering your vehicle in Spain”
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