This may have been asked before but do tourists (non EU) when driving in Spain require an International license? Or will their normal driving license suffice?

As I understand it, as a non EU tourist, if you are driving your own car on your home country plates then you can drive it for up to 6 months on a foreign licence. This also applies if you are driving a rental car.

If you own a Spanish registered car then you must carry an International Driving Permit. You could also use an official translation of your licence from the Spanish embassy in your home country or a "Certificado de Equivalencia" from the Spanish Automobile Club (RACE). You must also carry your normal licence.

Thanks Fred - that is more or less what I thought.

How does that affect me then Fred ???
I own my own car and leave it in Spain.(Spanish registered plates.)
I only have a Uk licence???

Last time I checked the UK was still in the EU.

That could of course change but for the time being you are OK to drive your
Spanish reg car as a tourist on a UK license.

Incidentally, if the UK did leave the EU they would almost certainly remain in EEA and that would retain the same rules about licenses and residency etc. that currently applies as most EU rules also apply to EEA counties such as Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

There is no such thing as an 'international licence'.

What you are talking about is an IDP (international driving permit) which can only be issued by the licencing authority in the country which issued the licence it relates to. In essence it is no more than a translation and of itself has no other validity whatsoever and is as much use as a piece of toilet paper.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...Driving_Permit

Thanks Fred thats a relief. I would hate trying to explain things to the powers that be with my poor spanish if they pulled me up to check my docs

When out in the car I take all my docs,licence, passport, log book, IVA insurance ,accident form.
Have I got to take all this? Or am I being over cautious????????

My understanding is that if you are resident for longer than 6 months then you need to register your driving licence with the police in Spain.(EU citizens) but I have read long and very long discussions about this. I live in Spain and changed mine to a spanish one when the photos needed renewing but thats irrelevant for you, Denise.
Also, you should always carry your passport anyway - as you are supposed to carry your country's ID (Uk only has the passport). You also need to carry the insurance docs in your car - you used to have to have proof of payment with you too but they can check this on line now. ITV docs too. I have a copy of my NIE (green form) in the car too. If you wear glasses then you are supposed to have a spare pair in the car as well

There have been many discussions about this on this forum and there is no requirement to do anything with your UK licence until it needs renewal. Exchange and registration (endorsement) is still optional.

Bearing in mind the fact that Traffico frequently interpret the law differently it is always advisable to exchange or at least have the licence registered and endorsed.

I cannot understand why there is so much discussion on what the requirements are when the law is available to read and clearly states that there is no requirement to exchange/register.


Articles 15 and 16 of the law below cover the requirements.

http://www.dgt.es/was6/portal/conten...trafico144.pdf

The only exception is where a licence does not have any validity period on it (apparently this happens in some countries) in which case the licence is only valid in Spain for 2 years before it needs to be exchanged.