Have been hiring and driving in Spain on my old paper licence for the last five years. Never been stopped, but have since been told that it is illegal. I rang the DVLA who cannot comment on rules in other countries. Did a search on the forum but no luck. Can anyone offer a definitive answer ? I am happy to get a new photocard, but want to wait until after April when my 6 points are spent and I can have a clean licence, and I have a visit planned in April.
Thanks.

Its apparently all down to having the correct address on your paper copy. As in the UK, if its not correct then its illegal. Thats all I know



Jo

Read the bottom of the free beer thread. ;-)

I'm not sure I agree with your comment ...

Take most of us Brits who have moved to sunnier climes yet still have the UK DL. The address mentioned is not our residence and so is incorrect.

We are not allowed to hold a UK DL having moved abroad so the best we can do is either keep the DL with the wrong address or go to trafico and get a Spanish licence.

I, for one, can't do the latter as I would loose some of the (driving) classes that I am entitled to drive on the few occasions I go back to UK.


So, bottom line, I have to keep my UK licence with an incorrect address!

Well I have heard that the only legal licence here is an EU photo licence, which of course also has a paper part

There is an agreement by DVLA apparantly that they accept people living abroad with an EU licence will have the wrong address on their licence. But the worry is, if you lose the licence and you dont have an address in the UK then where are you going to have a new one issued to.

See driving licences in the free beer thread

When my daughter got the car towed to the pound a few years ago and mrsjdr went to pick it up and had to show paperwork and driving licence.
The policeman said if he caught her with a paper licence again he would be very cross as you must have a Euro licence with ID on it now. ;-))
You can still hire a car with one though apparently if you are still a UK resident and on holiday.

I have always hired cars in Spain using the paper licence and have never had a problem. The guardia have also stopped me and havent commented on me having just the old paper licence.

It is an EU directive for all countries to have a plastic licence card with a photo on it to stop fraudulent use of licences.

I honestly never knew that perhaps theyve never said anything to me before as Ive also shown my passport along with my licence as proof.

You know how long it takes for these rules to get established and twice as long for those who deal with it. lol

And is everyone aware that there is an expiry date on the plastic licence? It is only valid for 10 years from the date of issue. The date is shown on the front of the licence.

It seems that there are at least 40000 that aren't aware!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/dri...cle5741199.ece

Yes and of course you will need a UK address to renew the licence, which brings with it its own set of challenges for some people here

Poollounger I think you should take what you heard with a pinch of salt, if the paper licence was no good, why do the car hire companies happily rent their vehicles to us????

Also as mentioned above, the photocard one is only valid for 10 years and its expensive to get in the first place. Another scam to get money out of the unsuspecting.

I'm hanging on to my paper one which lasts till I'm a good bit older yet....

I think there may well be issues for Brits living in Spain but for us visitors hopefully no probs.

All the info you need is here

http://www.dgt.es/portal/es/oficina_...en%20España.