Remembering driving licence!

Can someone please tell me what happens if you get stopped by the police for a routine check or whatever and you don't have your driving licence on you? No 'urban myths' please, but what would actually happen? - Does anyone know? Would we be locked up or is common sense applied?

I keep meaning to have a chat with one of the British cops at Rojales market, and one day I will, but just like the driving licence we keep forgetting to.
It is a bone of contention with us, when we are in Spain. In the UK, we never have to think of carrying the driving licences but, invariably & frustratingly, each time we go out the door here, we either get down the road or halfway to the beach/shops or just finish locking up the 'fort Knox' of door locks & grill locks before remembering the licence.

It's very easy to say keep it in a wallet but we don't always take a wallet to the beach, market etc. My husband will put it in a trouser pocket one day, in his wallet another day, in his shorts the next day, so it is never in one place. Surely, every person in Spain would not have their licence on them every single time they are driving and it must be common for the police to find that someone has forgotten their licence, when they are stopped.

Even certified copies of licences and passports have to be remembered. We don't always take credit/debit cards out with us, so it couldn't be put in with them either...... Is it just us?

What about your logbook, insurance and other documents you are supposed to carry? Spanish residents are also supposed to carry their ID cards around with them at all times as well which means us foreigners (not having ID cards) should carry our passports around as well.
We keep all our documents in the case which came with the handbook. When driving, I just pick up the case and keys and know I have everything with me.
In Europe, UK seems to be the one out of step as you have to carry your licence with you in all the other countries of the EU. It is also a requirement in Canada and the USA as well.
Looking at some sites, people have complained they have been given on the spot fines for not carrying the correct documentation in the car but they don't mention how much the fine was. I'm sure the Spanish would be used to carrying their licences so do, actually, carry them every time they drive.

Hi Marcliff,
If you have a case with all those documents in, I assume you wouldn't leave them in the car when you pop in a shop or whatever, which means they have to be carried around with you all the time. That seems quite a risk really, as if they get lost or stolen it's a lot of documents to get replaced.
When I was a young busy mum, I can't imagine always having to have all those documents on me in the car, while having to take & collect children from various schools at different times of day, go shopping and other places, backwards and forwards from home, changing handbags regularly...I don't know how the Europeans do it! I think I would probably have risked the fine or leave them in the glove compartment and take a chance!

However, we do keep photo-copies of all those documents in our car glove compartment in England so at least the validity of insurance etc can be checked by the police if necessary but that's probably not good enough in Spain.

Hi All

When i get a car in spain i will probably leave all docs in the boot of the car not so accessible for break-ins.

Why would some of the Brits in spain carry any documents when they have English plated cars no tax that means no MOT (Because you cant get this in spain)

So no insurance and they tell me they are legal, Who are they trying to kid.

Would you drive at home with no insurance NO.

Sorry to go on but this is one of the things that annoy me when these people go on about breaking community rules.

Yes, seeing the number of British plated cars with no road tax etc is annoying. The police had a crackdown a few months ago and quite a few cars were taken off the road due to being illegal. A shame if one them hits you and they have no insurance etc.

However. Regarding the documents. Yes, it is a lot to carry around but it is Spanish law. I take mine in the (it's not a case, just the little zip up thingy that came with the car) little zip up thingy with the car handbook and put it in the car when we go out. I leave it in the glove compartment and don't carry it round with me. I then take it back in the house when we come back. Yes, it could get broken into and stolen but, if you thought like that, you'd be so paranoid that you would never leave the house.
I know us Brits aren't used to carrying ID around with us but the rest of Europe is. We always had to carry ID cards or passports in Germany and Cyprus and the Spanish are pretty well used to it. The Brits in Spain did have an ID card with the old residencia which contained a photograph but, in a classic kick yourself in the teeth act, a load of Brits complained that they didn't have to carry ID cards in UK so they shouldn't have to carry them anywhere else. Hence the fact that the new residencia cards don't have photos. But, the law in Spain says you have to carry photo ID with you so it means carrying your passport with you. Photocopies of passports are only acceptable if they have been notarised.
Some shops won't accept your driving licence as ID. Carrefour insists on a passport (but depends on which check-out girl you go to) which can be a pain.
Looking at a few sites where this has happened to people, the fine is €100 but reduced to €50 if you pay on the spot or within a certain time. If you can't prove you are a resident, the police are quite happy to accompany you to a cashpoint to draw the money out so you'd be advised to either carry the money, proof of residency or your bank card with you (Yeah, I know, more stuff to carry around).
And don't forget, don't drive in flip-flops!

Hi, I carry driving licence and documented copy of nei no ect in a little plastic pouch about the size of the licence keep it with the car keys and when i pick them up I pick that up, we were also told to always carry documents for ID at all times , mind you that was around 11 years ago so might have changed. re flip flops ladies should always have full shoes as even sandles toeless or no heels can get you fined, again I leave little canvas shoes in the car.

I will have to get a little plastic pouch with a key ring type attachment for when we have a hired car. Then we can attach it to the car-keys as it is always down to me to remember the documents. My husband just grabs the keys and goes..then gets annoyed when each & every time I say "Do you have the driving licence?"...and each & every time he has forgot...then I'm the Ogre.. LOL He doesn't think about the consequences - In fact I think that secretly he believes it's just me being ultra fussy and that it doesn't really matter, like in the UK.
I knew about the flip-flop rule - It's amazing how many people still wear them to drive though..very dangerous!
Can someone remind me where to get the passport copies authenticated, which can then be used for credit card & driving ID, to save carrying around an original? Thanks.

We were in Spain several years ago and my purse was stolen at Guardamar Market on a Wednesday. I contacted DVLA by phone and they said they couldnt send it to Spain so I would have to collect when next home. Family came out before the licence arrived and we were going to the Don Carlos turning left to park outside, where you can turn, and a Spanish driver overtook me on the driving side and smashed into my door...the Police were called and they followed me home to see my documents, which I didnt have in the car, naughty I know, they asked to see my licence and I tried to explain what happened and it had been stolen and showed him the document from the Guardia in Guardamar, but he wasnt interested and said I mustnt drive the car or I will be arrested, we had good cop bad cop and the bad cop said I would have to go to Alicante and the good cop said, because he could see I was getting upset, no go to Rojales. Which we did. We then had to go home even though we shouldnt have been going for several weeks and await my new licence to arrive. So that is the experience I had with no licence. Hope it is helpful. I think they make the rules up as they go along. Probably depending on the moon!!!! ha ha

Just been reading that they are going to change drink driving laws so you cant drive with any drink, I dont anyway as I spill it!! LOL,I believe its a very small amount in Spain anyway but personally I think best to stick to soft if driving although I know a lot of people like a glass of wine with a meal or even just a small beer but looks like these days will be over!

Sorry to hear that Lizals. I realise these are the rules here but if you had had your purse stolen in the UK your driving licence may not have been with you and you wouldn't have had to go through all that stress after losing it. The rules in UK allow the licence to be produced at the station, which is the sensible option. We have plenty of foreigners driving around in the UK but can't imagine them being treated like we are here. The UK Police have a direct line to the DVLA and can, and do, check any suspect car drivers on the spot, for licences & tax. making the need to carry documents unnecessary.
I just had a thought, if you just take out the photo licence and leave the paper copy at home, or vice versa, I wonder if that would that be sufficient, then we would not risk losing the whole licence. We only have paper copies though (don't all shout at once LOL...expect that's wrong as well ) but we may get photo ones too if this would work.