Spanish Driving License Explained [How-To English Guide]

If you have just moved to Spain and love to drive, getting a license should be among your top priorities. This is because even though you might be able to use your existing license for some time, sooner or later you will need the Spanish version if you don’t want to get in trouble with the law.

This guide will tell you the requirements of a driving license, if you can convert your existing license into a Spanish one and the entire procedure for it.

When Do You Need To Get A Spanish Driving License?

If you already have a driving license, you might not need to get a new one entirely in Spain. But whether or not you can convert your existing one will depend on the country where you got the license originally. In Spain, the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) is responsible for issuing driving licenses.

It is a good idea to get a license in Spain since you will not need to carry an International Driving Permit (which you need to carry in addition to your foreign license). Moreover, if you are planning to apply for permanent residence in Spain, getting a license will also establish your connection to the country.

EU / EAA Driving Licenses

If you are from a country within the European Union or European Economic Area (EU or EEA), you can continue using your existing license for up to two years in Spain. Once this period ends, you will be required to obtain a Spanish license. You can either exchange your foreign license or renew it. If you renew your EU license in Spain, it will automatically convert to a Spanish license. You also have the opportunity to exchange your license for a Spanish one at any time that you wish. In any case, you will need to adhere to the same conditions as a local license holder. You will also need to register with the traffic authorities within six months of your arrival in the country.

The same rules will apply to you as drivers in Spain even if you are using a foreign license. In case you commit an offense that would have resulted in a loss of points, you will be immediately required to exchange your license for a Spanish one and then the penalty will be applied to the new license. This penalty includes both a deduction of points and a ban on driving, whichever is appropriate depending on your offense. Moreover, you must be 18 before you can get a license in Spain, even if you were able to get it in your home country before that.

Non-EU / EAA Driving Licenses

If you are from a region that is outside the EU or EEA, you will only be able to use your existing driving license for six months. After this, you will be legally required to get a Spanish driving license if you wish to continue driving in the country. You can either exchange your foreign license or take the full test when you apply for a Spanish license. The exact process and requirements will vary depending on the country you belong to, and your occupation since Spain has standing agreements with some countries.

If your existing license is not in Spanish, you will need to carry an International Driving Permit or an official translation of the document. This will only be valid for a year, and you will need to apply for its renewal outside of Spain.

Countries With A Reciprocal Agreement With Spain

Due to the agreements between Spain and certain other countries, you might be able to exchange your existing license directly for a Spanish one without giving any theoretical or practical tests. There are more than 20 such countries, which are listed below. Be careful though; these agreements are revised periodically so they might not be in effect at the time that you are applying. It is always a good idea to check with your home country or the Spanish authorities for details.

Andorra
Japan
Korea
Switzerland
Algeria
Argentina
Brazil
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Dominical Republic
Ecuador
Guatemala
Macedonia
Morocco
Nicaragua
Peru
Panama
Paraguay
Philippines
Serbia
Turkiye
Tunisia
Ukraine
Uruguay
Venezuela

Countries Without A Reciprocal Agreement With Spain

For countries that are not on the list above, citizens will need to take the full test in order to get a driving license. This includes countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and others. You will not be able to automatically exchange your driving license for a Spanish one.

How To Get A Spanish Driving License?

The procedure for getting a Spanish driving license will depend on whether you are simply exchanging your existing license or getting a new Spanish one. The procedure for exchanging is understandably shorter and easier while a new license is harder to get.

You must remember though, that if you wish to exchange your license, your existing one must be valid (and not expired). You should also have obtained a license in your country before arriving in Spain. That is, if you first arrived in Spain and only then obtained a driving license in your country of origin, you will not be eligible for an exchange. In that case, you will need to apply for a new license.

Steps For Exchanging Your Foreign Driving License With Reciprocity

Register With The Traffic Authorities

Within six months of arriving in Spain, you must register with the traffic authorities, letting them know that you have an EU license and will continue using it. This can be done at the Provincial Traffic Headquarters in their Central Register of Drivers and Minor Offenders.

Take A Medical Test

After registering with the relevant authorities, you must also take a medical exam which will be used to determine if you are healthy and fit to drive. You can get assessed at an Authorized Drivers’ Check Centre.

Gather The Essential Documents

You must have the following documents with you when you apply for the exchange at the DGT (Direccion General de Trafico) to finally submit your documents to the Provincial Traffic Headquarters:

Completed application form
Proof of residence in Spain
Your existing, valid driving license
Two photographs
A declaration saying you have not been barred from driving for any reason whatsoever
A declaration that you do not currently have a driver’s license in any other country

You might be asked to submit some additional documents based on the country that you originally held a license in. This could be because of the nature of the state-level agreements.

Apply For The Spanish License

Once you have completed all the pre-requisites, you can formally put in your application. You will need to make an appointment via the DGT website and depending on your ease, you can either apply online or complete the whole process in person. Bigger cities will have longer wait times because the traffic offices are saturated and you could even get an appointment as late as 6 months from your date of application! So a good idea is to make an appointment at a small city near you to get done with the exchange process timely.

Your old license will be taken away, and while your application is being processed at the Traffic Headquarters, you will be issued an interim certificate for three months that will allow you to drive in the meanwhile. Your Spanish license will be sent to your home once it has been issued.

Steps For Exchanging Your Foreign Driving License Without Reciprocity

Take Driving Lessons

You must take driving lessons from a recognized driving school. This means that you cannot simply sit with a family member to learn, but will need to go to a certified instructor. If you are unsure which ones count as such, you can search online or look for them in Spain’s Yellow Pages or Paginas Amarillas under the autoescuela category. Most of these will have manual transmission cars, and not automatic ones. Therefore, in a sense you are almost forced to learn on a manual transmission car. If you are not comfortable doing this, you will either need to find an autoescuela to meet your needs, or get more extensive driving lessons.

The school will sign you up for the driving test and will give you all the material you will need to prepare for it. You can only give the test if you are a legal resident of Spain and can only apply in the province you reside in.

Gather The Necessary Documents

You will need the following documents to apply for your license:

A mental and physical fitness certificate from the Centro de Reconocimientro de Conductores Autorizado (the Authorized Drivers’ Check Centre)
Two passport-sized pictures
Your application form
Spanish residence permit and proof of address
A declaration that you do not already have a similar license
A declaration that there are no legal cases or suspensions which bar you from driving.

Appear For The Driving Test

The test comprises two parts, a written theory and a practical driving test. These are usually conducted in Spanish, although you will have the option to take a translator with you. In some areas you might also be able to find English-speaking examiners. You can check with your testing center beforehand to make the process smoother for yourself.

You can only fail one of your tests once. This means that if, say, you retake the theory section, you will need to pass the practical test in one go. Otherwise, you will need to pay for the entire test again. The results of the theory section are valid for 2 years but the practical test has a much shorter validity: only six months.

How Long Does It Take To Get A Driving License In Spain?

The entire process can take somewhere between 1 to 6 months. This will depend on the type of license you are applying for i.e. an exchange or getting a new one, and also when your appointment is scheduled. Once you have your appointment, it will take a maximum of 3 months for your official license to arrive. Until then, you can use the provisional document provided by the traffic authorities.

The time taken will also depend on your preparedness for the tests. The time you dedicate to studying the required material as well as your retention of the necessary laws will determine how quickly you can give the test and hence get the license. You should expect to spend a fair amount of time studying the theoretical material since it is not too easy to remember all the rules. But don’t stress too much if you do not pass on the first try. In fact, according to official statistics, the majority of people do not pass their theoretical or practical tests on the first try (the statistics are worse for the practical test than the theoretical one).

How Much Does A Driving License Cost In Spain?

The amount you end up paying for your license will depend on how many classes you need at the driving school, and how many times you need to retake the test. On average, you can expect to pay at least around 700 euros, but this cost will go up depending on your circumstances. It is not uncommon to pay around 1500 euros for the entire process either.

Cost Example For Spanish Driving License Without Reciprocity

Illustrated below are the minimum costs you can expect to pay to get your license in Spain. This assumes that you do not need any extensive lessons, and that you pass your tests in one go.

Cost of registration – 200 euros. If you want to take an official practice test first, you will need to pay extra. Similarly, if you need more than 3 attempts to pass both the theory and practical tests, you will need to pay the 200 euros fee again
Theory classes at a driving school – 200 euros
Practical driving classes at a driving school – 25 euros for each class. Usually, people will need somewhere between 15 to 25 classes to be adequately prepared. You can buy packs of classes to get a discount
Administrative fee – 45 euros. This could be included in the package for some driving schools
Traffic taxes – 95 euros
Psychological aptitude test – 30 euros

Conclusion

Overall, the entire process of getting a license in Spain can seem tedious and complex with a lot of bureaucratic requirements. But as long as you take things one at a time, and stay in touch with the relevant authorities on the requirements, you should be good to go. If you are uncertain about the procedure at any point in time or require any help, you should seek expert advice to make sure you do not miss out on any essentials.