Driving license - Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car in Arboleas - Arboleas forum - Costa de Almería forum in the Almeria province of Spain
ASSSA Insurance
Have Tools Will Travel
Mini Digger Almera
UK DIRECT REMOVALS
Grupo Platinum Estates

Join the Arboleas forum

Join the Arboleas forumMy name's Alex and this is my website all about Arboleas in Spain. Register now for free to talk about Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car in Arboleas and much more!

Driving license

Posted: Thu Jul 8, 2021 3:18pm
14 replies536 views6 members subscribed
ROBB

Posts: 12

5 helpful points

Location: Arboleas

Joined: 8 Feb 2021

I went back to the UK before the lockdown happened and got stuck, while here and driving with a Spanish license a very nice police officer from traffic said as I might be here for a while so I should get my UK back and now, as I am now back at our villa can I just get my UK license swopped back to the Spanish one I had. I have residencia and NIE will Traffico swap it back with out all the testing. RobB.

Lowie1960

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 2:59pm

Posts: 182

46 helpful points

Location: Albox

Joined: 10 Aug 2019

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 2:59pm

ROBB wrote on Thu Jul 8, 2021 3:18pm:

I went back to the UK before the lockdown happened and got stuck, while here and driving with a Spanish license a very nice police officer from traffic said as I might be here for a while so I should get my UK back and now, as I am now back at our villa can I just get my UK license swopped back t...

...o the Spanish one I had. I have residencia and NIE will Traffico swap it back with out all the testing. RobB.

Hello.  Well very interesting.   I have Resendency and the only thing left to do was my license The lady that did all the paperwork for me as I have been trying to swoop over since Jan 2021. I kept asking and she said that there is a Back Log of paperwork. 
She has giving my UK License back to me

and said that the Spanish and UK where doing a DEAL with this.  I have paid for my doctors test.   So what is the next move

ROBB

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 3:06pm

ROBB

Original Poster

Posts: 12

5 helpful points

Location: Arboleas

Joined: 8 Feb 2021

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 3:06pm

Lowie1960 wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 2:59pm:

Hello.  Well very interesting.   I have Resendency and the only thing left to do was my license The lady that did all the paperwork for me as I have been trying to swoop over since Jan 2021. I kept asking and she said that there is a Back Log of paperwork. 
She has giving my UK ...

...License back to me

and said that the Spanish and UK where doing a DEAL with this.  I have paid for my doctors test.   So what is the next move

Hi Thanks , I guess the answer is wait and see then I'll wait for the hopeful deal to happen.

LosPardoslady

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 3:55pm

LosPardoslady

Helpful member

Posts: 602

422 helpful points

Location: Vera

Joined: 22 Jun 2019

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 3:55pm

I don't want to worry you but as a Spanish resident you can't drive on an English licence.  You had to register your intention to change your licence before 31st December last year.  Those who didn't, fall into the category of people who are required to take a Spanish driving test. 

I know there is a suggestion that Spain and the UK may come to a more flexible agreement as regards doing a straight exchange of licences.  However, as it stands at the moment that is not the case.  If you get stopped by traffico the likely outcome is, at least, a fine, possibly more as technically you are driving without a licence.  In addition you are likely to invalidate your insurance. 

ROBB

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 4:41pm

ROBB

Original Poster

Posts: 12

5 helpful points

Location: Arboleas

Joined: 8 Feb 2021

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 4:41pm

LosPardoslady wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 3:55pm:

I don't want to worry you but as a Spanish resident you can't drive on an English licence.  You had to register your intention to change your licence before 31st December last year.  Those who didn't, fall into the category of people who are required to take a Spanish driving test. 

I know there is a suggestion that Spain and the UK may come to a more flexible agreement as regards doing a straight exchange of licences.  However, as it stands at the moment that is not the case.  If you get stopped by traffico the likely outcome is, at least, a fine, possibly more as...

... technically you are driving without a licence.  In addition you are likely to invalidate your insurance. 

Oops thanks for that info I was still in the UK then so it looks like a driving test then. Many thanks. 

Advertisement - posts continue below

Chas99

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 6:56pm

Posts: 12

1 helpful points

Location: Huércal-Overa

Joined: 3 Jun 2020

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 6:56pm

ROBB wrote on Thu Jul 8, 2021 3:18pm:

I went back to the UK before the lockdown happened and got stuck, while here and driving with a Spanish license a very nice police officer from traffic said as I might be here for a while so I should get my UK back and now, as I am now back at our villa can I just get my UK license swopped back t...

...o the Spanish one I had. I have residencia and NIE will Traffico swap it back with out all the testing. RobB.

Hi Rob. Without knowing the details I do not know how you became stuck in the UK as you had Spanish residency. As I understand it all through lockdown Spanish residents were free to return if that was there main home. Also after speaking to a friend who is a senior traffic officer in the UK, he said to me the advice you received by the officer regarding the need to re exchange your Spanish licence to a UK one was incorrect unless you were a permanent resident to the UK.

ROBB

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 7:56pm

ROBB

Original Poster

Posts: 12

5 helpful points

Location: Arboleas

Joined: 8 Feb 2021

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 7:56pm

Chas99 wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 6:56pm:

Hi Rob. Without knowing the details I do not know how you became stuck in the UK as you had Spanish residency. As I understand it all through lockdown Spanish residents were free to return if that was there main home. Also after speaking to a friend who is a senior traffic officer in the UK, he s...

...aid to me the advice you received by the officer regarding the need to re exchange your Spanish licence to a UK one was incorrect unless you were a permanent resident to the UK.

Thanks thats interesting,  I have a house in the UK which I was getting ready to sell due to bad lodgers more like squatters so there must of been a misunderstanding on my behalf with the officers information. I'll listen better if it ever       happens again.

Chas99

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 8:06pm

Posts: 12

1 helpful points

Location: Huércal-Overa

Joined: 3 Jun 2020

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 8:06pm

ROBB wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 7:56pm:

Thanks thats interesting,  I have a house in the UK which I was getting ready to sell due to bad lodgers more like squatters so there must of been a misunderstanding on my behalf with the officers information. I'll listen better if it ever       happens again.

I do hope the apparently poor advice given to you over your licence does not give you any complications getting a Spanish licence back. I do not foresee it being a problem and do not expect you will have to take the Spanish driving test as you were already resident before all the B word stuff kicked off. I will of course stand corrected if that is not the case. Hope all goes well for you sir!!

ROBB

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:21pm

ROBB

Original Poster

Posts: 12

5 helpful points

Location: Arboleas

Joined: 8 Feb 2021

Posted: Fri Jul 9, 2021 9:21pm

Chas99 wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 8:06pm:

I do hope the apparently poor advice given to you over your licence does not give you any complications getting a Spanish licence back. I do not foresee it being a problem and do not expect you will have to take the Spanish driving test as you were already resident before all the B word stuff kic...

...ked off. I will of course stand corrected if that is not the case. Hope all goes well for you sir!!

Thank you for your kind words and thoughts.

psy1967

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:48am

psy1967

Helpful member

Posts: 200

216 helpful points

Location: Velez-Rubio

Joined: 29 Jun 2016

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:48am

ROBB wrote on Fri Jul 9, 2021 7:56pm:

Thanks thats interesting,  I have a house in the UK which I was getting ready to sell due to bad lodgers more like squatters so there must of been a misunderstanding on my behalf with the officers information. I'll listen better if it ever       happens again.

ROBB - I worry for you that there may be a can of worms waiting to be opened here that is bigger than your driving licence problem.  Is your Spanish residency "permanente", i.e. you have had residency for more than 5 years and have renewed it after the initial 5 year period expired?  If not, then an absence of greater than 6 months could, in theory, invalidate your residency.  https://www.thelocal.es/20210318/how-long-can-brits-stay-in-the-uk-without-losing-their-eu-residency/

If you are thinking of selling your UK property, then (a) make sure you know what your residency/tax residency position is and (b) get some good tax advice.  If, for example, you have owned the property in the UK for 20 years, lived in it as your main home for 15 and rented it for the last 5, then your UK tax charge on sale is likely to be minimal, however if you are Spanish tax resident then I believe you would be liable to pay tax in Spain on the entire gain since initial purchase. 

Sign up for free or login to reply to this topic

Want to reply to this topic? Login or register for free to post your message:

Find more Driving, hiring, buying and owning a car topics from a particular area:


Register for free!

Login to your account

ASSSA Insurance
Have Tools Will Travel
Mini Digger Almera
UK DIRECT REMOVALS
Grupo Platinum Estates
Advertise your business here
Advertise your property
Help with my computer