Using a UK drivers license in Spain - advice needed

You don't need to tell DVLA anything. Trafico do it all and contact DVLA to get confirmation you have a licence.
In fact, the DVLA website specifically says "you do not have to inform us if you are moving abroad" which means they are no longer concerned.

Then again, leaving it with just a month before the licence expires may have left it a bit late. It can take that long just to get an appointment with trafico so I hope your licence doesn't expire before you get the confirmation.
Ours took 2 weeks to get the appointment and then almost a month to get confirmation from the UK to trafico. Others have said they have waited up to 6 months before it was done.

Try and get an appointment with trafico as soon as possible.

I’ve got an appointment with tráfico tomorrow so that’s taken care of thankfully. Fingers crossed for the rest of it and thank you Marcliff for all your advice and speedy reply.

Hi We’ve recently (6 weeks ago) changed over our U.K. licences to Spanish.
Did ours through Mat at One Way Services.
We both had to do medical first, questions, eye test and coordination test, then down the road for our appointment with traffico. We had pre booked appointments with traffico they needed passports NIE and padron. They already had the print out of medical when we went up to the desk.
They took our U.K. licences from us and gave us a receipt,which was legal to drive until our 3 month temporary licence came through the post I think it was about 3-4 weeks before temp licence came through. Both receipt and temp licence are only valid to drive in Spain.
One of our photo card licenses has just arrived through the post, hopefully the other is on its way.
By the way Mat took us to Cartagena as Med centre and traffico are only a few minutes walk away from each other.

Hi how much does Matt at one stop cheers!

Prices are on his web site, but from memory it was 130€ each, which includes medical fees, traffico charges, form filling, making both appointments and taking you to the appointments.
Worth every euro for a hassle free service

I paid 35€ for medical and photos, plus 26€ (approx can’t find the receipt) for new license at DGT today. I was advised that I should not drive on my uk license after it runs out next month but to wait for my Spanish license. I was advised that this ought not to take more than one or two weeks. I’m ever the optimist!

Tráfico in Elche got my new Spanish driving license in one week, surely a record. However, it is two weeks before I can get an on-line appointment to collect it so I’m taking lot luck and going to turn up without an appointment.

Brightonsuperwomn wrote:Tráfico in Elche got my new Spanish driving license in one week, surely a record. However, it is two weeks before I can get an on-line appointment to collect it so I’m taking lot luck and going to turn up without an appointment.

Are you sure that is for the actual licence? You normally get an appointment to pick up your temporary licence (the one that replaces the letter you had to say you'd applied to change it) and the full plastic photocard is posted to you so you don't need an appointment to collect that one.

Hi, I found these post about a UK driving licence interesting. My UK licence expires in 2026 & I became resident this year. Do I need to change my licence within the next year as I'd hate to be stopped by the men with guns as I'm a single lady living over here.
Many thanks
Debbie