Ok, I'm looking for advice on how to swap my UK licence for a Spanish one. I know you don't necesarally have to but i'd rather do it.
I have been reading up on how to do this and as always with the internet I keep finding conflicting answers.

So, Firstly what do I need to get a Spanish Driving licence? I've read you need to own a property, but is renting one enough?
How long do I have to live in Spain before I can apply for my Spanish licence? I've read everything from having to wait 5 years to being able to do it "as soon as you land"?
Does it mean when you get your Spanish one, that your British one is "deleted" from the DVLA?
If I moved back to the UK in say 5 years can I get my UK one back?

Oh one last thing, Do you need a residency VISA or similar, if so do you get that when you buy property?


Any help will be much appreciated

First - welcome to the forum.

You need to get the new certificate of registration from your nearest National Police station or foreigners department. All you need for this is your passport - ownership or renting a property is not relevant.

You can exchange your licence as soon as you have this certificate.

Yes, your UK licence will be returned to the UK but it is a simple formality to get it back if you return to the UK.

There is a lot of information about the new "residency" certificate on this recent thread:- http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=668982

why would you want to go to all the trouble if its not necessary ? its hard enough sometimes sorting out the things that have to be done let alone the ones that dont

Interestingly enough, the Spanish licence is valid as ID in Spain so having one gets around having to carry your passport around with you everywhere. Of course, should you get caught speeding then its penalty points...

I always use my UK driving licence as ID in Spain and have never had problems.

Plus I've been stopped by the police a few times in a Spanish car and they have never said I need to change my licence to a Spanish one.

Until someone official tells me I need to change I am not going to.

So what difference in ID is a Spanish licence to an EU one ? both have photo but no address.
I think you will find the only real ID we have is our passport because we have no ID cards.
Are you really what you say you are ?

Well, it's not valid ID everywhere. You can't rely on it. The Hacienda? Seguridad Social?? I've even had my Spanish diving licence refused as ID in a couple of shops when paying by credit card....namely El Corte Ingles and IKEA. Yet on other occasions in the exact same shops it has been accepted.

The problem with using a DL as ID is that it is all so random. You don't really know if it will be acceptable or not until you are there.

Cricketman, far be it from me to tell another what they should do.

There are pros and cons effectively - I reckon personally it is unlikely that anyone would be fined for this - but I guess it is worth underlining that the law in Spain currently is as follows:

Translating Art 22 of Royal Decree 772/1997 as amended by Royal decree 62/2006:
"Once the period of time mentioned in paragraph c) of the previous article has elapsed (6 months after normal residency i.e. 6 + 6 months = 12 months) the holder of the [European Community] driving licence may continue driving in Spain where said licence is exchanged for its Spanish equivalent and where the following conditions are fulfilled - (goes on to state general minimum requirements for driving in Spain such as age etc).

As far as I can tell, should you be stopped for a speeding violation - for example, the effect is that you are fined on the spot rather than having the option given to residents which is to pay at a later date. You should receive a 30% discount from the nice guarda civil for paying in cash immediately.

Jdr, just saw your post. Difference is that the Spanish version carries your DNI/NIE number.

Of course we shouldn't forget where we are and that what happens in reality doesn't necessarily reflect what should happen. For example, I know that in Media Markt the require the Spanish identity card or if not Spanish your passport. Period.

I know lots of people that have offended with a UK EU licence and Residecia cards and have time to pay and also got the 30% discount.
Hire car drivers also even get the discount when fine is paid from their homeland.

Sure you are correct cricketman. I got caught coasting down from 120km/h to 80km/h at the end of a motorway in Asturias and had to go and find a cash machine. But got a discount.

Careful if up there by the way, the traffic police are fairly ruthless.

You're quoting outdated legislation, it is no longer necessary to exchange a UK licence for a Spanish one.
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citiz...esident_en.htm

I don't see that it says that at all.

Artículo 22. Aplicación de la normativa española a los permisos expedidos por los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea cuando su titular haya adquirido la residencia normal en España.

El titular de un permiso de conducción expedido en uno de los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea que haya adquirido su residencia normal en España quedará sometido a las disposiciones españolas relativas a su periodo de vigencia y de control de sus aptitudes psicofísicas, que serán los mismos que se establecen en el artículo 16 para los permisos expedidos en España.

I read that to say that residents holding EU passports must conform to the same requirements as Spaniards with regard to the period of validity of the licence and the need for medical checks.

This is confirmed by the EU commission site and the British Embassy site.

You refer to the previous Article 21 which merely states that EU licences are valid in Spain unless the age of the driver is lower than that allowed in Spain.

fred, apologies. Should be Real Decreto 818/2009. But the law is correctly stated. Thanks for the correction.

Bomber Harris, the page you have linked too seems correct though Im not sure it is contradictory.

It appears to me to say that you can only have you licence renewed (when it has expired) in the country where you are resident.
When this happens they can only issue you with a Spanish licence.
So if the day after you become resident in Spain your licence expires, you have to get a Spanish one, presumably.

The current legislation states that six months after becoming resident you should have a Spanish licence.
But of course all of this has to be read in the context that what happens in reality may well be a different matter altogether!

Where exactly does it say that?

The new 2009 law you refer to mainly makes changes to the classes of vehicles and the periods of renewal which are now 10 years up to 65 and 5 years thereafter.

It does not in any way change the rules about exchanging your licence which is still voluntary.

If you check the information on the Trafico site regarding an exchange of licence this is what it says.

"ESTE TRÁMITE ES VOLUNTARIO Y PUEDE SOLICITARSE EN CUALQUIER JEFATURA PROVINCIAL DE TRÁFICO"

Why are you persisting in trying to claim that your information is correct when Trafico, the EU commission and the British Embassy say otherwise?

This subject has been done to death in the past - perhaps you should do a search on "driving licence" and you will see what I mean.

Unless you can come up with a very specific reference to the fact that the law has recently changed and that an exchange is now mandatory, I fear you are wasting our time.