Spanish Driving Licence and NIE - Page 3

Not changing residencia to tie doesn’t mean you’re not legal in this country

For those looking to exchange UK licence to Spanish, it appears an agreement has been reached.  Still going through approval process, so no effective date yet.  This from DGT:

*Driving licence exchange* 

Following the ambassador’s last message, both the legal and political approvals are underway. We can’t yet provide a date when the process will be complete, but once we have further information we will let you know. In the meantime, here are provisional answers to some of the questions you have asked about what we expect to happen next. 

What happens after the agreement is published in the BOE?

Once the Agreement is finalised and published in the BOE (Spanish state bulletin) you will be able to drive for six months on your valid UK licence, during which time you will need to exchange it for a Spanish one to be able to continue driving. After that six months, you will no longer be able to drive on your UK licence, but will be able to continue to exchange it for a Spanish one. When we say UK licence we mean any valid licence issued by the DVLA (Great Britain licensing authority), DVA (Northern Ireland licensing authority) or Gibraltar licensing authority.

I understand I have to take a psicotecnico test (psychophysical aptitude test). What does that involve? 

The psicotecnico test is a short test to check your eyesight and reactions. You may also have a brief interview with a doctor. You will need a certificate showing you have passed the test in order to exchange your licence. It is valid for three months. There are a wide range of providers and you can find the official list at: 

https://www.dgt.es/conoce-la-dgt/con-quien-trabajamos/centros-reconocimiento-conductores/

Will UK driving licences as a result of an exchange of a licence obtained by a test in a third country be exchanged? (For example, I took my driving test in Australia and converted my Australian licence to a UK one when I lived there) 

You should be able to exchange a UK licence obtained as a result of exchange with a third country as long as Spain also has a driving licence exchange agreement with that country. In the example, Spain does not have an exchange agreement with Australia, so you would not be able to exchange it if your licence was originally granted there. 

(NOTE: This one is a bit misleading.  If you present a UK licence, it’s a UK licence with no indication of it having been swapped for a foreign licence - I can say with certainty that a licence obtained in Australia, then swapped for a UK one WILL be accepted as I know a person who has done just that)

What types of licences can be exchanged?

You can exchange any valid UK car (category B) licence and we expect that many other licence categories can be exchanged too, including mopeds and motorcycles. Further details of all categories will be available when the agreement is published. 

For all you avid fans of licence exchange, this is the most recent update I can find, dated 19 December 2022

“This is a brief update on progress towards driving licence exchange coming into force and some more information on what to expect once that happens.

"The UK’s legal checks have now been completed and a final version is with Spain for agreement on their side. When the British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Spanish Foreign Minister Albares met this week, they both agreed that we are close to completing this process. We will update again before the Christmas break and work with Spain will continue between Christmas and New Year.

"In the meantime, here are provisional answers to some more of the questions you have been asking us: 

My UK licence has expired. Will I be able to exchange it without taking a test?

Yes. The text includes provision for expired licences to be accepted for exchange, provided they were valid at the time you began living in Spain.

Do I have to give up my UK licence? Why can’t I keep both?

Once an exchange agreement is in force, you can drive in Spain on your UK licence for the first six months of living here, during which time you must exchange it for a Spanish licence. It is not possible to hold licences issued by the UK and Spain at the same time. If you return to live in the UK at any point, you will be able to exchange your Spanish licence for a UK one without taking a test.

I'm in my 80s/90s. Is there any age restriction on who can exchange their licence?

There is no age restriction and your driving licence remains valid until it expires. However, in general, once you reach 65, your licence will only be issued for five years, rather than 10. Validity periods are different for driving different categories of vehicles.