Honest, this isn't me, it's my younger brother, he's nearly 18! He could get banned from driving this month for speeding. I know, I know, I gave him a clip round his ear but a lot of us have done these things when younger.

Anyway, if he was to get banned in the UK, could he apply for a licence in Spain and take the driving test there or would his UK disqualification come in to it?

He may not get banned and he's never been in trouble before but he was motoring.

He's learnt his lesson (I hope). I've had him on an advanced driving course since which he passed and I've made him speak to police officers about the dangers of speeding.

He just keeps asking me what would happen in Spain and if he could drive on some kind of Spanish licence there (in time)?

Disqualification in the UK is not a bar to driving here, or in any other EU country, can still use his UK license. I read it on the DVLA web site as a friend has just been caught drink driving in France, and as he is a HGV driver he needed to know whether he would be banned in the UK. Interestingly enough a retired policeman friend though he would, but not so apparently.

Thanks Mike. Will look into this.

I'd be suprised. My Uncle was banned for drink driving in the UK and I know that he had problems in Spain. Whether they were official or just the Gaurdia having fun is another matter.

I' you have to have a fully valid licence in order to drive there. You can drive on your valid UK licence for six months before applying for an EU/Spanish licence so I don't think he would. As it would no longer strictly speaking be valid.

In any case you aren't allowed to drive in Spain until you are 18 anyway.

As you say he has to be 18, but you can drive on your UK licence till it expires, read the bit in free beer thread from the EU directive.

I believe that this is incorrect.

A EU Computer system callled.....Shengen/Shingen..I forget the actual name will soon be online whereby a conviction in any member state can be checked by a police officer in any other member state should you offend in that country, and be taken into accont!!
EU arrest warrants have ben around for some time.
Currently in France penalty points incurred there for driving apply on your licence in the UK.
Having said that, further research is required.

The EU Schengen agreement countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. They are connected in the sense of freedom to travel. Some of the countries are better connected to exchange information (like this DVLA data) than others. I’m not sure what the Spanish connections are like, or will be like in the future.

OK I have sat and had a drink with friends in the Flying Squad tonight, and while they are not connected to Traffic it is their understanding that if you are disqualified here in the UK then you effectively have no license to drive, therefore you cannot drive in another country.

As I said it is their understanding of the restrictions so maybe someone like Dogbyte in the Lounge could clarify the situation.

I was under the impression that when you were banned you surrendered your licence and had to apply for a new one when the ban ended.

You do, but some people tell the courts that it is lost and then just go abroad and drive.

I think there could be some serious insurance issues here, and in that guys position I don't think I could in all conscience risk being uninsured

To be honest if you are going to drive after being banned then I don't think you are going to worry about insurance!



I'm suprised. I was looking last night and it seems that all it says is you must have a driving licence. Nothing about it actually being a valid driving licence. What a loop hole that is!

No I realise that ...... and I'm fairly sure that for one reason or another there are many brits driving in Spain illegally. There IS more chance of you being stopped here. Having been here nearly 7 months I've been stopped here more times already than in 30 years of driving in the UK.

Some people apply for a duplicate licence l o n g before they commit any offences.

I don't know why

It's either what you are driving or something in, on or upon it.
Did you work out what yet?