Read all about it by clicking a link in Euro driving licences on HERE

Not too familiar with legal matters but I think if you are a visitor your UK driving license if fine. But I had a conversation with some Spanish friends of mine who were saying that the new driving laws that came in a few years back went against the EU. In effect the law said that a Spaniard can go anywhere in Europe on his Spanish license and not be forced to change it (as is EU wide practise) but doing it the other way around Spain insists on the change (although I know many who haven't). Unusually, my friends were "fighting our corner" saying it was arrogant of Spain to do this.

I got stopped a couple of years back and was told by the Guardia Civil who knew I had been around here for considerably longer than 6 months told me I had to change my license and let me off with a warning.

Some guys I know simply applied for a new UK license from DVLA saying that they'd lost the previous one and submitted the "lost" one to trafico and keeping their own, renewed license as back-up.

JDR
That link did not work we got redirected back to the front page. When we done a search for ‘Driving Licence’ it came up with some thing like 5000 plus subjects!!!

Our experience…

We both have Dutch Licences. (A long story for Ian, being English). And all we had done was our NIF and address added to the back. However there is an expiry date. So what happens then we don’t know. Either we have to change to a Spanish one, which seems to go against the EU principle, or we get another stamp.

Sorry about that, it was a link I had in my favs from a while ago.

I got to it by clicking a link in Euro driving licences on here
It still works ok, I think, well it does on my PC. LOL It is a pdf file, if you dont have a PDF reader then download FOXIT READER

are you sure about that? thought as the address on record is your old uk address that makes the licence/EU card invalid unless etched with your N.I.F. number.

Read my link.

Northsammi has made an interesting point though which isn´t covered in your link. Your UK driving licence (which is valid according to the link) would contain a false address.

I suppose if you contact DVLC to update your address to a spanish one they would just invalidate licence?

Read part 2 and also part 3 section 2.
The directive brought in was to cover not having to change to a Spanish or whatever part of the EU you was in licence.
The licence would cover you to drive in any E U country until it runs out, then you would have to renew it in your country of residence, it makes no mention of address change, although I understand what you say.
The whole point is to have one licence to cover all countries to make it easier for the police to check, hence the photo and all personel info in the same position on the licence.
It makes it easier whatever language you speak cos all the relevant info is in the same order.
I take the directive as meaning now that as my licence is legal anywhere in Europe until it runs out, and believe that is the reason it is no longer a requirement to stamp the back of the licence, if I live in Spain at that time then I will have to renew it in Spain which I assume would be the Spanish version EU licence, it will be the same but written in Spanish and subject to different age laws etc.
But as all laws they are very vague.

The point about not having to change your licence? this must be reciprocal??
How would the DVLA endorse a licence issued in say Spain? The british courts/local police in the case of fixed penalties don't have a mechanism for exporting a licence to another country do they? and couldn't endorse it themselves as the driving laws vary across different countries so the offence codes would be different??
Fines aren't a prob but the points can soon add up!!
Anyone fancy getting my driving licence registered to their address for me????

That is what has taken so long to sort out, Spain and other countries insisted you must change, but have now had to abide by the directive.
You can still be fined, and if the Spanish police are in any doubt will just take your car until its sorted, read the story of Marbella`s ex mayors BMW HERE.

Lifes too short, I'll stick with my bike and an occasional taxi Thanks to all for your input.

I think I am looking at the wrong bit - part 2 is about tourist places and part 3 about importation. Can you direct me to the intended part?

Am I right in saying that if you are a British citizen living in the Uk with a Uk license and you change your address, is it not a legal requirement that you update DVLC immediately? If the UK licenses are valid abroad until they expire then the address would be out of date in decades in some cases!

I think it is a good idea to have a standard EU licence, but I think it should be issued in your country of residence as soon as you become a resident there. Not 37 years down the line!

We sort of agree with what you say, however, you should have the correct address on it so the local police can check the relevant details. it seems like another half baked EU law. Yes you can drive, reside etc in another EU country, but the details have to be kept up to date. it is doubtful if the DVLA, or any other county's equivalent will allow you to change the address to that of another county. Just look at the UK's form. There is no space on it for adding another country or a post code which is not the same format as the UK's.
We have done what the local authorities said to do. Ian's licence has been seen by several Guardia Civil bods, in routine checks with no bat of an eyelid. we don't always believe what is written on web sites. Sometimes they are out of date or just written in good faith but without knowing the full facts. it is a shame the link given by JDR did not work as that is the official web page of the EU.

Sorry I should of said click on link in this part.It is a pdf of the directive.

The European Driving Licence – finally

On 23rd of March the member states of the European Union finally agreed on the 3rd Driving Licence Directive, that was proposed by the European Commission in 2003. We recommend our members to read the complete directive by clicking on http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/...licence_en.pdf.

The link works now through "The European Driving Licence – finally" on above post.