In our article today, we will tell you how to get a driving license in Spain if you are not a citizen of this country, and we will also try to answer the most frequently asked questions related to this.
Do I Need a Spanish License to Drive in Spain?
Are you a driver and wish to continue to be him in Spain? Before using your car here, get learn how to drive in this country using a foreign driver’s license, or how to exchange your relevant document for a Spanish one.
You have a right to drive in Spain with a foreign driver’s license for a designated period, upon expiration of which all foreigners driving here have to receive a Spanish driver’s license.
Here are the rules: your foreign driving license can be used for the first six months if you don’t belong to the zone of European Union, or for a term not exceeding two years if you’re from the area of EU or EEA (European Economic Area).
On expiration of these periods, most foreign nationals who drive in Spain must apply a Spanish driver’s license, but there are also some exceptions, which we are going to talk about next.
Who is Allowed to Drive in Spain?
The age for obtaining a driver license in Spain begins from 18 years: persons under this age are not eligible to drive in this country, even if they got a driving permit in their home country before.
Any person at least 18 years old may continue to use their own national driving license to move around Spain: 1) the first six months after obtaining Spanish residence (for non-EU citizens); 2) the first two years of residence (for EU/EEA citizens).
By the end of this period, EU/EEA citizens who are Spanish residents must receive a Spanish driving license either by exchanging their foreign driving permit or prolonging their foreign driving document. There are some exceptions regarding the expiration date of your driver’s license.
As for Non-EU/EEA citizens, they must to obtain a Spanish driving license by either exchanging their foreign driving permit or requesting a Spanish driving license after appropriate training. Keep in mind that this procedure depends on your nationality or a line of work, because some countries have relevant agreements with the Kingdom of Spain.
So, Spain has agreements in place with more than 20 countries, thanks to it, foreigners can directly exchange their driving permits for the equivalent Spanish one. Participating countries for these agreements can be changed, therefore, always check the relevant actual list. Some privileged persons like diplomatic employees and international staff can exchange their driving permit under the simplified procedure, whatever their nationality.
The countries, which has the agreement on the mutual recognition of driving with Spain, are the following:
- Japan, Philippines, South Korea (in Asia);
- Algeria, Morocco (in Africa);
- Andorra, Croatia, Serbia, Switzerland (in Europe);
- Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Uruguay, Paraguay, Perú, Venezuela (in South America).
Citizens of the European Economic Area that means EU-countries as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway can drive without any restrictions in Spain, having a valid driving license. The period to use it is the first two years in Spain. After six months, it is necessary to be registered with the Spanish Traffic Authorities.
The requirements for EEA-citizens are similar to Spanish driving license owners, which implies to:
- undergo a medical examination in in a Spanish licensed medical institution;
- be a person at least 18 years old for obtaining the relevant category of vehicle;
- extend or exchange the driver’s license upon expiration two years. By renewing an EU driving license in Spain, it is converted into a Spanish license, which then has to be prolonged every 10 years, and every 5 years after the age of 65.
Non-EEA citizens can also drive in Spain if they have a valid foreign driver’s license, but the maximum period is only six months after duly registering and residing in Spain. Your foreign driving permit must be issued in Spanish, otherwise, you are obliged to present a legally certified translation or an International Driving Permit.
This document contains a translation of a person’s driving permit into many different languages, including Spanish. It should be always kept with you as well as the actual driving license. Your International Driving Permit is valid during one year and it must be issued outside of Spain.
Foreign driver’s licenses are valid during six months of residing in Spain and then you have to obtain a new document – a Spanish driving license. Some nationalities are allowed to exchange their driving license for a Spanish one. If you are not one of them, it is necessary to take the relevant driving tests in Spain.
All non-residents can drive with a valid driving license along with an international driving permit within one year. Subsequently, your legal residing in Spain must be confirmed before the international driving permit will expire, since your driving license becomes invalid after this period. By obtaining of any residency type in Spain, the six-month rule enters into force again.
How to Change Your Driving License in Spain?
In Spain, there are Traffic Departments – Dirección General de Tráfico or Guardia Civil Tráfico, just choose your local department, e.g.
In Alicante:
Dirección General de Tráfico
- Address: C. Catedratico Ferre Vidiella, 4, 03005 Alicante
- Phone: +34 965 12 54 66
In Torrevieja:
Guardia Civil Tráfico
- Address: C. Urbano Arregui, 0, 03185 Torrevieja, Alicante
- Phone: +34 966 707 301
How Can You Get a Spanish Driver’s License Instead Yours?
The set of necessary documents will depend on your home country.
Andorra, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland can exchange their driver’s licenses for Spanish ones by presenting the following documents:
- application form, filled properly;
- national ID-card or passport, (valid, original);
- current residence permit and residence card (valid);
- health certificate from a recognized medical center in Spain;
- current driver’s permit (valid);
- recent photos, (2 pcs.);
- written confirmation that you have not been forbidden to drive or suspended from driving;
- written confirmation that you do not own another driving license of the same category issued by another EU-country;
- duly translated driving license certified in an embassy or consulate (Korea);
- duly translated driving license (Japan).
Another list includes Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominical Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Macedonia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Peru, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Venezuela, which can exchange their driving permits for Spanish ones by presenting the following documents:
- application form, filled properly;
- national ID-card or passport, (valid, original);
- valid residence permit, ID-card, or foreign passport, plus the certificate of registration in the Central Register of Foreigners for EU citizens or residence permit for non-EU citizens;
- residence card (valid);
- health certificate from a recognized medical center in Spain;
- current driver’s license (valid);
- recent photos, (2 pcs.);
- written confirmation that you have not been forbidden or suspended from driving;
- written confirmation that you do not own another driving license of the same category issued by another EU-country.
- Thus, the driving license holders from non-EU/EEA countries, and these countries that were not in our list above must take driving tests in Spain, in order to be able to drive here. These tests can be also carried out in English (this should be clarified at your driving school).
Top five driving schools in Alicante
By the way, the top five driving schools in Alicante (2022) are the following:
1. Autoescuela Gran Vía
- Address: C. Marta Barrié, 3, 03012 Alicante
- Web-site: aegranvia.es
- Phone: +34 965 250 413
2. Grupo San Francisco Autoescuela
- Address: nº, Av. Catedratico Soler, 12, 03007 Alicante
- Web-site: autoescuelasanfrancisco.com
- Phone: +34 965 120 604
3. Florida Autoescuelas
- Address: C. Vicente Chávarri, 16, 18, 03007 Alicante
- Web-site: autoescuelasalicante.net
- Phone: +34 965 100 196
4. Autoescuelas Plusvial
- Address: Placa de los Luceros, 18, 03004 Alacant, Alicante
- Web-site: autoescuelasplusvial.es
- Phone: +34 865 801 085
5. Benalúa Autoescuela
- Address: Pl. Navarro Rodrigo, 16, 03007 Alicante
- Web-site: autoescuelabenalua.com
- Phone: +34 965 929 919
