Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

My partner and I are planning to move to Spain in a few months, all being well. Can anyone give me any info on getting a Spanish driving licence. I hold a full UK licence, No convictions ( as yet) and I am 72 , physically fit and wear glasses only for reading. Do I have to do a written as well as a practical test or is it a matter of a straight swap? do i need an up to date medical. ? Any helpful comments greatly appreciated.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

There's some guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-i...iving-in-spain

You'll need a NIE first and I suppose an address in Spain.

If you have a current licence you'll be able to swap it for a Spanish one this year. You can make an appointment here: https://sedeapl.dgt.gob.es:7443/WEB_...itaPaso2.faces The first pull-down is the office location for your appointment; for the second select 'Renovación de permisos de conducción (UE/EEE)' and in the third which will appear select Reino Unido (type r and it'll jump there).

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Many thanks Laggo , very helpful.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

You need your residencia before you can even begin the exchange process but if you set it in motion before Dec 31st. you will be OK.

The medical is a joke with the doctor essentially assessing you by your answers to a few generic questions and a blood pressure test. If you have chronic ailments which could impact your driving abilities, diabetes for example and especially if insulin controlled, it's probable that you will need a certificate from your own doctor saying that you are safe to drive.
​​​​​​
The eyesight test would barely present a challenge to many a registered blind person and the reaction test is a bit like playing Pong on an early 70's 1st generation amusement arcade machine, I doubt anyone has ever failed it but if they have then frankly they didn't ought to be even thinking of getting behind the wheel of a car in the first place!

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Many thanks

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I exchanged UK to Spanish before residencia. I went to an Abogado who did it all for what I thought to be a very reasonable 65 euros.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

You cannot swap the Uk driving licence for a Spanish one until you are resident. Our solicitor confirmed this earlier in the year when I thought the cut off was in January (we move over in August now)

You need the residency document to enable the exchange, if you are going for a straight swap IE. not getting a new 10years, you may not need the medical (but I see you are over 70) so you will.

Im 57 and can make a straight swap although my licence will run out on the same day my UK one would have (some time in 2027)

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

You must be mistaken because proof of residence (residencia card) is an absolute pre-requisite.

What are the dates on your residencia and Spanish licence?

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I am certainly not mistaken. I did not have and was not asked for residencia card when I got my Spanish driving license. Requirements may have changed since I received my license and/ or vary in different regions.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I was sent home twice from Traffico, Malaga, first time although I had the appointment hard copy in my hand it was not on the computer, second time the clerk wanted an original copy of the Residencia certificate not the colour copy I had.
Then I was virused, soon to try again, need a new empadronamiento first.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Good luck :-)

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

EU directives state that only residents can apply for a national licence, if it were otherwise anybody say banned in their own country could simply slip over a border, pick up a new one from there, then go home and continue driving with it.

If you did indeed get yours without being resident then it was a cock up - or perhaps a brown envelope passed under a table, who knows?

Whatever, how you came by it without residence it was totally irregular and not in any way representative of how the system both should and does work.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I know and I am sure my Abogado did too.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Thank you for this piece of info. My appointment's a week today and I wouldn't have thought of that. What else is needed? UK licence (in date; I'll take both parts coz they'll only want the other), passport (probably), original residente card, hard copy of appointment...

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

The correct size photographs

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Obvious now you've said it :thumbup: Presumably passport-sized is what they're after?

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

When dealing with Spanish bureaucracy ALWAYS have copies AND originals with you but only produce originals if specifically demanded.

For an exchange you also need a doctors report which includes a sight and reaction test.

Honestly if you dont know what you're doing, and I'm sorry but it's apparent that you don't, then get a Gestor to do it all for you. Plenty about and it won't cost the earth.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I seem to remember they were smaller than passport sized. I had passport size photos but had to get new ones. I just went to local photographer I got about 10 photos for a few euros

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Is correct smaller than passport, go to a photoshop, they know the right size.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Yes you're both right - they want 32 x 26 mm.

Another item for the list is to fill in their form and print it off: Mod.03-ES.pdf

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I had my appointment on Monday and it was straightforward enough once I knew what was required. I'm younger than the OP, and I'm sure there's regional differences. However below is my experience in case it helps others. There's also an excellent Jim guide.

What type of swap do you want?
It's a fluid situation, but at the moment there's two ways of changing your licence: canje or renovación
Canje: straight swap of licence (same expiry date)
Renovación: licence renewal with expiry date 5-10 years from now, depending on your age and condition. For this you'll need a medical.

Originally I was just going to swap my licence but I read elsewhere that if its expiry date is within about 2 years then you may as well renew it, save paying twice.

Appointment screen
Online https://sedeapl.dgt.gob.es:7443/WEB_...itarCita.faces For 'País' type r and it'll jump to Reino Unido.
Back in January I was having trouble finding an appointment. My Spanish friend called them to see if I was doing it correctly. They told her that appointments must be made online but that you can book one anywhere in the country. Of course now lockdown must be considered.

Medical
Can get a pdf list of medical centres here: Centros de Reconocimiento de Conductores; appointment was needed.
Apparently it's of a higher standard if you have categories above a car e.g. busses, lorries. However my test was straightforward.
Some people write that they had to take a videogame-type reaction test, but again that wasn't requested of me.
For me he just took my blood pressure, did a sight test, asked if I smoked and took a photo. All for just 47€!

Documentation
Appointment sheet printed. Not sure if this was necessary.
Modulo 03 filled in, from here: https://sede.dgt.gob.es/sede-estatic.../Mod.03-ES.pdf
1 x photo 26 x 32mm.
Passport and copy.
Residencia card, no copy needed.
Driving licence and copy. Keep a second copy at home to make sure you get back the categories you had before.
Empadronamiento, no copy needed.
Bank card to pay the 24,10€.
Medical report if renewing. I should have made a copy of this in case everything goes missing.

Procedure on the day
Perhaps this will be different for each office, and from what I've read the beurocracy here is much more together than down south, but here's what happened to me:
Turned up early because I had read that there's a separate queue to pay and it can be long. This wasn't the case in this office - I saw one person and paid at that desk.
On arrival typed my NIE into a screen; got a deli-counter ticket. Waited about 5 minutes.
At the desk it took a long time, about 20-30 minutes, as there was a lot of typing for each category and my licence has a lot of them. She actually apologised half-way through that it was taking so long.
Apart from that it was pretty painless. I think she said they will post me a notification when the new one's ready and then I can return to pick it up. In the meantime there's a website to check the status: https://sedeapl.dgt.gob.es/WEB_EST_PERSEO/ (which doesn't appear to work).

The Jim's guide is here: https://www.costablancaforum.com/are...spanish-41247/

Thanks for the help on here.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

"Residencia card, no copy needed"

I rest my case 👍

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I went today

I had to take copies of my residencia, passport and empadronmiento.

Still unsure whether they give me the green light to go to get the medical OR if I have to go off my own back??

Spanish red tape, gotta love it.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Did you apply for an exchange (canje) or renewal (renovación)? If the former, from what I've read you don't need a medical. I just turned up to one of their medical centres and asked what was required.

There's a link to the list of centres in my post above.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

I'll be honest I have no idea which I got, the guy did say I need to get the medical before the end date of my current UK licence next year, so I am presuming as soon as the new Spanish one arrives, its free reign to get the medical.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Most countries have a mandatory medical for a driving licence. The UK is the glaring exception. When you change your licence the assumption is that you have had a medical to get your foreign licence so issuing a replacement does not need an extra medical. If you are changing and want a full term replacement licence you need a medical because a Spanish citizen renewing his licence would have to have one.

That said, you cannot be sure that for an exchange that they will not request a medical. Like all procedures in Spain it varies from place to place, so always assume the worst.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Sounds like you got the exchange. I did read somewhere (somewhere on the internet, so maybe not 100% accurate) that you can only renew your Spanish licence withing 3 months of its expiry, so don't pay for a medical as soon as the new licence turns up.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

UK Gov site just updated latest info on the exchange process and time is running out!

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-i...iving-in-spain

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

My wife and I used the same Gestor that we used to obtain our residency. We exchanged our UK licences and certainly had a medical. It was very basic, BP check, a few questions, hearing test and the reaction test. Took the medical report to the Gestor with our UK licences. Received a Trafico stamped paper copy of our UK licences and about 18 weeks later (!!!) our ES licences were ready.

The cost per licence about Euro 110, for this cost IMO it is worth paying a Gestor.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Unless you are a high level Spanish speaker do not go to traffico alone. They are under no duty to speak English and therefore will simply dismiss you meaning you have to acquire a new appointment. And good level means more than hello/ thanks/

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Good advice, trying to do it on the cheap will often end in tears and a bigger bill.

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

We went on a bus trip to Cartegena, half way home my wife realised she had left her handbag in a cafe. The driver kindly phoned and arranged for the Police to collect it. When we arrived home I took my motorcycle to retrieve bag. As luck would have it it started to rain very heavily. When I got to Categena I asked for directions to the Police station and was directed to the Guardia Civil office. In my best Spanish I explained, "No no Señor" and was directed to Police Local office where I had to explain and describe handbag and what was in it. The desk officer contacted the officer who was out on patrol. He returned and I told the story for the third time - my Spanish was definitely improving with practice. He gave me the handbag. The officers escorted me outside, where he started discussing motorcycles in perfect English.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...1bc3bf65a6.jpg

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

UK Gov just updated their site on the exchange process

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-i...iving-in-spain

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Not seeing much new?

Re: Uk to Spanish Driving licence
 

Just to say that a month and 2 days after my appointment I received my new and rather shiney Permiso de Conducción :lol: and, as a bonus, I see that doing it on my own has saved me about 110€ :thumbsup:

Re: "They are under no duty to speak English and therefore will simply dismiss you meaning you have to acquire a new appointment" - this must be regional because up here they were very friendly and wouldn't have minded if I didn't speak any Spanish. So if you've got the time and fancy the challenge then read the guides and have a go yourself.