Driving licence update - if you can call it that!

Chrisdee wrote:Don't make comments like that when you don't know people's circumstances!

Tom mc wrote:All the moaning Brits again, you all had chance to change but chose not to.

Tom mc wrote:I am wrong,don't think so.

Yes you are - completely wrong

Rokhsareh_s wrote:Yes u are very wrong TOM MC... there are people who came after the BRIXIT and were not able to exchange their licences, because there was no agreement! So they hadn't have any chance as u mentioned!!!!

Your statement is incorrect

1) UK Licence Holders

For holders of UK driving licences, to drive in Spain as a resident in Spain, after the end of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement transition period (December 31, 2020), it is necessary to change your UK driving licence for a Spanish one. You cannot use an International Driving Permit (IDP) instead.Current regulations mean that a UK-issued driving licence is valid for 6 months after arrival in Spain.

UK driving licence validity in Spain(30 April 2022)
If you moved to Spain after 1 January 2021, your valid UK licence will be recognised for 6 months from the date you obtained residence, or until 30th April 2022, whichever is later. Previous temporary extensions to the exchange period have ceased.

From 1 May 2022, if you have been resident for more than 6 months and have not exchanged your UK licence for a Spanish one, you will no longer be able to drive using your UK licence.

For example, if you became resident in Spain before November 2021 your UK driving licence will not be valid from 1 May 2022 onwards. You need to pass the Spanish theory and practical dirving test before you can legally continue to drive in Spain.

If you did not request the licence exchange with the DGT before December 30th 2020, the current process is that you will still have to take a practical and theory driving test in order to obtain a Spanish licence. Spanish and UK authorities confirm that they are still in negotiation for further recognition of UK and Spanish driving licences in both countries. Please feel free to contact us on our infoline, to register for updates on the situation.

You can find out more about the process of applying for a Spanish licence on the DGT site, where the information is also available in English: https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/permisos-de-conducir/obtencion-renovacion-duplicados-permiso/permiso-conducir/index.shtml.

You can take the theory test in English , but the practical is only available in Spanish.

You can still use your Spanish licence in the UK for short visits, or you can exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test. You will be able to drive in the UK with your EU driving license until it expires, you reach 70, or until three years after you become a UK resident again.

Please note:You cannot renew or replace your UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence if you live in Spain.

Thank you.

JPEG & TOM MC, u two think u have the answer for all this???
Firstly, if there was an agreement there won't be an issue but let's not get into that part!
Secondly, I like to know if u two would be able to pass the driving test & practical & willing to spend over £1000 on it??!!
Please next time think about people circumstances before u lecture them.

Rokhsareh_s wrote:Secondly, I like to know if u two would be able to pass the driving test & practical & willing to spend over £1000 on it??!!

Maybe that's why they did it the timeframe?

In life there are always cut off dates or times. We, well some of us, learn to live with, accept it and work within the time constraints.

Turn up at the airport late, oops, the plane's gone. Reply too late for an offer, oops, you missed it. Read about a one day sale that was on yesterday, bugger missed it

Ooooooppppsss 5 mins of my life wasted to explain to people who have no common sense!

Tom mc I notlce you have it been long on this forum. Are you so smug because you’ve just changed yours? IDVLA at Swansea swapped my crown dependency one for a UK one and sent it to Our old UK address as Spanish Trafico will only accept UK ones. My wife’s was running out so she sent it twice to DVLA and was returned as we no longer lived in the UK. She has now spent over 800€S so far and not yet got behind the wheel of a car even though she’s been driving over 40 years to pass the Spanish test. It seems as if she will have to spend many more hundreds and weeks. I need to have a leg operation at sometime and will need her to drive me around for 2 months. She has met many other people in the same predicament. So will you come round and take us shopping,to appointments,social,site seeing and other outings and take us back or donate to her lessons. Umm I thought not. Perhaps some people have left it too late but don’t judge everybody the same.

sarnia cherie wrote:.

I gues you are what the military might call collateral damage. Unfortunate but….

I have lived in Spain for 16 year got residency 12 year ago changed my driving licence 4 year ago. So no not smug. Came to live in Spain live by the law of the land.