Changing driving licence from uk to Spanish, latest info?

RogerB did you deal with this yourself or get someone to do it for you?
I know they brought in a new system at traffico Alicante and you have to make appointments now but our technico in catral dealt with it for us.Well worth the money to take away the stress!

RogerB wrote:I have been waiting since April 2013 for my Spanish licence ... jumped through all the hoops, but am wondering what to do next, while my UK one is still sort-of valid!!

ready766 wrote:Its all gone wrong somewhere, try Nick Bateman from Trans Lingua in Benijofar, he will sort it in 3 months not 3 years. Mike

Jan wrote:

ready766 wrote:Its all gone wrong somewhere, try Nick Bateman from Trans Lingua in Benijofar, he will sort it in 3 months not 3 years. Mike

Have I missed something? From what I can see no-one said anything about 3 years.

Mike did!!!!!

Thank you ready766, we are very happy that our clients recommend our services if anyone has any questions regarding driving licences i am happy to answer all questions....
regarding the medical it all depends on your age and how long you have left on your licence.
please do not hesitate to call us on the info provided or pop in and see us.

many thanks

We changed our UK licences to Spanish earlier this year ages 61 and 62 NO medical required.

sueandneil32 wrote:RogerB did you deal with this yourself or get someone to do it for you?
I know they brought in a new system at traffico Alicante and you have to make appointments now but our technico in catral dealt with it for us.Well worth the money to take away the stress!

Well, I did the medical etc, myself in Torrevieja, then went to Trafico in Alicante with a friend who knows the ropes. Filled in the forms there and waited to be informed my licence was ready ...... nada!

Went back to the place in Torre, about 6 months ago, where they checked the computer and said that Trafico were still awaiting info from DVLA.

Since then, more of Nada!

Hello, I know a lot of residents do not change their British Licences for Spanish as we are in Europe and we have heard that this might change in May 2015 - and if you go back to the UK and have a Spanish license, we have been told you will have to take another driving test - at 70 this will be a headache for some of us. Welcome your advice on this.

roger b

you have to make 2 visits to traffico....the first is for the paperwork and you keep your uk licence, you are then notified by letter to return hand over your licence, you are issued with a 3 month temporary driving permit, your spanish licence will be sent by post...we got ours within 4 weeks

willemite wrote:Hello, I know a lot of residents do not change their British Licences for Spanish as we are in Europe and we have heard that this might change in May 2015 - and if you go back to the UK and have a Spanish license, we have been told you will have to take another driving test - at 70 this will be a headache for some of us. Welcome your advice on this.

I think that's a good point - I would never change my British licence for any other country. There are many Europeans driving in the UK on their home-country licences, so why should there be a need to change to a Spanish licence. Keep it, is what I say!

Jan

I think that's a good point - I would never change my British licence for any other country. There are many Europeans driving in the UK on their home-country licences, so why should there be a need to change to a Spanish licence. Keep it, is what I say!

Except for a couple of things. You cannot renew your UK licence if you are living in Spain. The DVLA will not issue one outside UK with a non-UK address. The photocard type (which are the only one being issued in UK from January) last for 10 years. You will not be able to renew it.
When you get to 70, you wlll not be able to renew it.
If you lose it, you cannot get a replacement.
As from next year, if you become resident in Spain you can still use your UK licence but it has to be registered with trafico and you will have to undergo the Spanish rules on medicals etc.
There is no need to take another test, either in Spain with a UK licence or in UK with a Spanish licence.

and if you go back to the UK and have a Spanish license, we have been told you will have to take another driving test
Whoever told you that is probably the same expat rumour starter that I regularly hear up the pub. You can change a Spanish licence for a UK one without taking a test. Unless, of course, the licence has run out.

For those who have taken out residency in Spain, I can see no drawbacks whatsoever in changing the UK one for a Spanish one even though you don't have to. If you're a non-resident then there would be absolutely no point and you wouldn't be allowed to anyway.
By the way, the Spanish medical for a driving licence consists of being able to walk into the office and asking for one. If you can do that, you'll pass. (not quite but it really is no big deal).

Thank you all for your response on this subject.