Spanish driving license

marcliff wrote:

Mac3blade wrote:Once you have changed to a Spanish licence, can you still hold onto your old UK licence? It would be handy to have if visiting the UK.

#

No.

Regarding that question you should note that according to EU rules it's not permitted to concurrently hold two EU licences.

It's therefore an integral part of an exchange to surrender your existing licence which is immediately voided and in due course returned to it's issuing authority (DVLA) in order for them to update their records and in doing so thwart attempts to do what you ask about, hold onto or reapply for a new UK licence you are no longer entitled to.

If by fraudulent means (no other way) you did manage to hang onto a UK licence and presented to a policeman a quick check with DVLA would reveal the truth which could conceivably find you continuing your journey on foot.

Some are know to falsely report a UK licence lost or stolen (and boast about it) in order to obtain a duplicate which they can either hold onto or surrender for exchange, either way if DVLA report the fraud back to the Spanish authorities then you will find your Spanish licence being withdrawn and, even if not prosecuted for the fraud, being required to retake a test in Spain.

When driving in UK a Spanish licence can be a positive asset because if stopped driving a Spanish or other foreign registered car it's a way of backing up a claim to be non resident.

Anyone thinking of driving a foreign registered car in UK should pause at this moment to think how they would do that if challenged?

Also remember that if you do manage to keep your UK licence, driving with an incorrect address on it can get a fine of £1000.

I changed my licence a few months ago at Elche and they kept my UK licence there and then gave me a temporary permission to drive and only needed one visit as they checked the licence details with dvla whilst I was sitting there

marcliff wrote:Also remember that if you do manage to keep your UK licence, driving with an incorrect address on it can get a fine of £1000.

Technically yes but £1000 is the stock maximum possible fine for a whole raft of offences but it's rarely if ever imposed.

I did mine in Almoradi, re opening times no appointment needed but only open tue wed and thur