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Using a Non-EU Driving Licence in Spain
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Your license issued from a country other than Spain is valid for a short while, after which you might be able to exchange it...
Licence holders 18 years of age and older, with a valid licence from anywhere other than the EEA countries may legally drive in Spain for up to six months after first acquiring Spanish residency.
During that period it is essential that an official translation or an International Drivers Permit (IDP) accompany any foreign licence that is not in Spanish.
After six months the foreign licence is no longer valid. Exchange agreements exist between Spain and some countries which allow the licence holder to exchange their licence for an equivalent Spanish one. Spain has a special licence exchange agreement with Switzerland, South Korea, Japan and Andorra.
Licences issued in the following countries may also be exchanged by foreigners legally resident in Spain: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, the Dominican Republic Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Macedonia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Paraguay, Peru, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela. (2020 agreements)
Any person with a licence from any other country will need to take the full Spanish driving test.
Note: the list of countries sharing exchange agreements does change. It is recommended to confirm with the relevant nation's Consulate in Spain if an exchange agreement exists.
Exchanging a non-EU licence for a Spanish licence
Licences
issued in the following countries may also be exchanged by foreigners legally
resident in Spain: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, the Dominican Republic Ecuador, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, Macedonia, Monaco,
Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Savior, Serbia, Switzerland,
Turkey, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Any
person with a licence from any other country will need to take the full Spanish
driving test.
Note: the
list of countries sharing exchange agreements does change. It is recommended to
confirm with the relevant nation's Consulate in Spain if an exchange agreement
exists.
The
DGT has a list of countries with an
exchange agreement
Application
must be made at the Provincial Traffic Headquarters (Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico).
An appointment can be requested online.
Necessary
documentation:
- Completed application
form
- Photocopy (and
original) of a Spanish Residence Permit (Tarjeta de Residencia) and a copy of
the passport along with the NIE number (Número
de Identificación de Extranjero) as proof of address in Spain
- Certificate of
mental and physical fitness issued by the Authorised Drivers Check Centre
(Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores Autorizado) of the province of
residence of the applicant
- Two recent
photographs (32 x 26 mm)
- Declaration in
writing that there is no legal process pending nor licence suspension that
forbids the right to drive
- Declaration in
writing that no other equivalent licence from any other country is held
- The licence
being exchanged and a photocopy (It may be necessary to have an official
Spanish translation of the licence).
- Administration
fee
The
Provincial Traffic Headquarters may request verification from the country that
issued the permit that it is real and valid.
Further
information (in Spanish) is available from the Provincial Traffic Headquarters
by telephone:
- Provincial Traffic
Headquarters (in Spanish)
Tel: 902 300 175 (Monday to Friday 09:00-16:00) Helpline: 060
Not permitted to exchange a licence
Australia,
the USA, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa are included in the list of
countries where no agreement exists. Once the licence holder has legal
residence in Spain they may drive for up to six months on their licence before
taking a Spanish driving text.
- Information
from the Australian
Consulate in Spain
- Information from the American Consulate in Spain