Well I guess either way you will need to do a UK test after 3 years tesidency so if reciprocal ( which only seems fair) UK nats in Spain would need to eventually do a test
Remember though all immigrants in UK need to have English as a residency requirement so for them a UK test is not so hard.

The link provided shows that the 3 year limit applies to those 67 or over so if say one became resident at age 69 they would have until age 72 to exchange. Those under 67 can continue to drive on an EU licence up to age 70 when they must exchange their licence. That is very different to rules here in Spain and it would seem from the info on licences that brexit has not changed the driving licence exchange rules for EU citizens resident in the UK. From that I would think there is a good chance of reciprocal arrangements being made at some point in the future.

I agree that is how it reads.

Notdunroamin, I agree with you (apart from the bit about the football because I wanted Spain to win the tournament!) that Spain don't have to do anything. UK nationals are going to need ETIAS visa waivers soon which will make changes to the 90/180 more complicated and far less likely.

The UK voted for Brexit and the 90/180 day rule is a direct consequence of that so you are just going to have to live with it (and all the other inconveniences) and stop expecting everyone else to change their rules to suit you.

If you want a level playing field, lobby your government to change their rules to 90/180, it would be easier.

Forget UK's 180 days, in context it's irrelevant.

90 days is a Schengen rule, to change it will require the unanimous agreement of all members and there is no logical basis for thinking that they would do that.

Yes, this is the way I see it and I don't doubt that it is being worked on, as per the UK government statement on the matter.

I gather part of the delay with France was down to the French needing to enact some legislation, which may well also be the case with Spain. In Portugal (and, I assume, the other 23 member states where UK licence exchanges are already possible) that legislation was enacted well prior to the end of the transition period.

It would be easy enough to put pressure on the Spanish if it looked as though they were not going to progress this, by threatening not to recognise Spanish licences or to allow for their exchange. Obviously that has downsides for both parties and it makes far more sense to have an agreement in place.

'You can drive in Great Britain until you’re 70. If you’re 67 or over when you become resident, you can drive for 3 years. After this time you must exchange your licence. You do not have to retake your test.' You can drive in Great Britain on a full, valid driving licence from an EU country. - Exchange a foreign driving licence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

So if you are an EU national now living in UK, you can drive on your EU licence till you are 70, then you need to exchange for UK one, but you don't need to pass a test. Different rule applies if you've exchanged your non-EU licence in order to obtain a licence from an EU country (under reciprocal agreement, like your Argentinian licence for a Spanish one). Then you can't just simply exchange for UK one but have to pass driving tests.

I doubt it will change anytime soon.
Spain exchanges licences with mainly other Spanish speaking countries (and why not, its easier for them to understand the language, rules of the road and what the nice policeman with the gun is saying to them)
The UK exchanges with countries on the whole whose language is .... wait for it Predominantly English (like Canada, Australia, NZ, most of the Caribbean)
Neither exchanges with the US. (don't ask me why)

Driving licence change to Uk is as set out below.
https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-...european-union
So the Uk has already given EU drivers a better deal, the EU are the ones in the driving seat (sorry) when it come to reciprocating.
Cant see that happening with he level of angst the EU has at the moment.
In fact the EU are the only group of countries given this, all others (apart from those on the list) MUST take a Uk test after a year.

The Uk allows EU (and in fact all foreign citizens 180/365) visitors as it always has, not a new rule for EU citizens due to Brexit.
The chance of the EU (or spain) doing the same would allow every other 3rd country to cry foul.
Again the EU will be the ones who have to give, and Im sorry there are probably many other things more important to deal with from the WA than these two for a few lucky second home owners or those who couldnt be bothered to exchange before the end of last year.

This is going to sound harsh but, its been over five years now. Some of this was very clear to some people from day one.

I tend to agree. If Spain agrees to everything expats want in order to live in Spain it hardly feels fair on other 3rd countries. And please dont say but Brits keep the Spanish economy going and therefore Spain mustn't bite the hand that feeds- other people buy homes in Spain ( Scandanavians, Russians, Americans). At the moment the rule is you have to do a Spanish test - so if you are coming soon take that into consideration. If/ when it changes then so be it.

This is why UK will exchange Spanish licences - and the reason Spain won't because they haven't ratified the convention.

Can't see why that would present a barrier to an agreement on exchanging of licences as they're signatories to that Convention, along with the Geneva Convention of 1949, which the UK has also signed.

The Uk only signed this just in case there was a no deal scenario. This would have meant NONE of our Uk licences would have been valid from 1st Jan 2021

The issue about exchanges has arisen because now the Uk is out of the EU. The EU no longer have access to the DVLA database to 'prove' you have a current and valid licence. I know this could easily be sorted, but again its ONLY in the UK's interest.
The system in France is quite an unusual one as you could not exchange your licence unless you had to have points or a fine attached. Then they changed it over (head over to the French forum if you need proof).

As mentioned above in another post UK second home buyers don't account for a huge percentage of the total. There are quite a few US, Australians here and I know a couple from South Africa, ALL of them had to take a test and you don't see them bleating on about 'rights' and it not being fair.

Base covering thats all, a clever government department just covered the 'basic' needs and they never intended to go any further.. *Dont hold your breathe if you think a deal on this happening soon* Although great if it does.
Which now puts Uk drivers in the same boat as any other 3rd country citizen (like the US etc) who would need an IDP as a tourist.

I think this was also done to cover those drivers who still retained the paper licence as the IDP has to have your photograph and is then a form of ID (like all EU wide licences must now have). I think the Uk is only one of a very few countries that still have paper licences.

The 1949 an 1968 convention just states that a UK issued IDP will be recognised.
The bold is lifted directly from the document.
Being party to this Convention ensures that in the event that the UK leaves the EU, without either an EU wide deal, or a comprehensive set of bilateral agreements on driver licensing, holders of UK driving licences can ensure recognition if they hold the relevant International Driving Permit.

And this for the 1968 convention.

The specific element of contingency planning is the ability to ensure that UK licence holders will be able to obtain an International Driving Permit to guarantee recognition of their licence when driving in the EU and EEA after exit day. If the UK had not ratified the 1968 Vienna Convention, then in the absence of a “deal” the UK would have not had the ability to issue documents to guarantee UK licences in all member states

If you want an EU licence maybe you should consider moving to one of these. (I got this off a website)
According to expert opinion, there are many countries across the European Union where passing your test is not difficult, including Greece, Moldova and Belarus.

Not true.

There was no obligation to exchange a licence during it's period of validity but if you committed an offence which carried a loss of points then the French could make you exchange your licence to deduct them, typically for one point offences they didn't bother but for more serious offences they frequently did. It would come in the firm of a knock on your door by a Gendarme, sometimes many months after the offence in question had been committed and the fine paid.

Up until July 2019 it was possible to exchange on demand but from that date they refused to accept applications (now 100% online via the ANT's system) which is what's caught a lot of the last minute chancers out.

The vast majority had plenty of time to exchange their licences before that if they has wished however some valued the virtual impunity a UK licence gave them more.

This is irrelevant as far as people moving post end of transition period is concerned.

I'm still puzzled about the general level of scepticism and the reasons given. I'm sure the UK government long ago said it would be aiming for mutual recognition of driving licences and it's clear it has acted on that and got assurances from all member states (with the possible exception of Italy, although I gather that negotiations are also ongoing there), that even where agreement hasn't yet been reached, it will be.

Here is Baroness Vere, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, on the subject :
Driving Licences : Reciprocal Arrangements : Question for Department for Transport UIN HL13926, tabled on 4 March 2021

... and again, in May :
Driving Licences: Spain : Question for Department for Transport UIN HL227, tabled on 13 May 2021
.
..and here is a statement from the Spanish government, issued at the time of the announcement of the extension of validity of UK licences :
Spain extends certain Brexit adaptation measures to 31 October

So both governments clearly stating that they have mutual recognition in their sights and that talks are in progress, in addition to the done deals between the UK and the overwhelming majority of other EU member states, showing that the UK is acting on its original pronouncements and strongly implying that it is not of unilateral benefit.

Plus a pledge to have the whole thing wrapped up by year end.

I will continue to drive on my UK licence just as I have always done in Spain. Never had a problem. Also I still haven’t heard of anyone having a problem with the 90 day visa. I look in the news everyday and can’t see a thing. Can’t see Ibiza or Mallorca or Tenerife sticking by that rule when holiday reps and seasonal workers need more than 90 days to keep the island running.