Talk Quesada forum

I hesitate to ask the question for fear of starting another round of Brexit recriminations, but does anyone know if the UK blue badge is still being recognised in our part of Spain. There does not appear to be a definitive answer to this question?

You're right, there is a lot of conflicting information and much of the internet information sites are out of date. You can Google the information and you can get many different answers.

The UK.gov site says that the Blue Badge cannot be used in Spain but it can in other countries. On the other hand, a letter from the British Embassy says a reciprocal agreement has been made and the Blue Badge issued in Spain will be recognised in UK and the one issued in UK can be used in Spain.
So that's two official UK sites which conflict.

An EU site regarding the Blue Badge throughout the EU shows each individual country and the bit for Spain says:
Visitor to Spain

Visitor from another EU / EEA member state – you may use your Parking Card in Spain.

Visitor from outside the EU / EEA – you may use your Parking Card in Spain.

Other EU sites say the EU parking permit may be used but UK has removed the EU and the stars from the Blue Badge.

Anyone know of any up to date official Spanish sites that say it can be used? Plenty of unofficial ones around and plenty which are well out of date but even links to the Spanish government sites don't seem to answer this question properly.

N332 has a bit about the blue badge but it's on the facebook page and I'm not on facebook so if anyone is maybe they could see if there's a link to an official page.

I've done a little more digging. The UK.gov site gives a list of countries in which the Blue Badge can be used.
Blue Badge in EU

If you scroll down the countries, it says Spain (including islands) No. Pretty definitive one would think.
However, one of the links it gives is to a EU site and, when you call up Spain on that, it says you can.

Blue Badge Spain

Now, this is a guess so don't take it as gospel. I think that if you are a non resident on holiday to Spain then you can use a UK issued blue badge but if you are a resident and live in Spain then you can't.

As I said, confusing.

Thank you Marcliff for taking the trouble to reply and your research. It is a confused picture for the moment. Hopefully clarity will emerge at some point.

Probably will add to the confusion but as a resident with a previously issued UK issued blue badge I was advised that upon expiry I needed to apply for & change to a Spanish blue badge which I have done -- be warned however the process took almost 3 years!!
Perhaps a source of answers in the UK would be ask your local issuing office for advice + if you are a resident with a blue badge apply for a Spanish one asap through your local Social Security office.
I would also add a word of warning over recent months there seem to be more parking patrol men checking validity & a car next to mine at Quiron Hospital had a fine slapped on his windscreen.

glosman wrote:Probably will add to the confusion but as a resident with a previously issued UK issued blue badge I was advised that upon expiry I needed to apply for & change to a Spanish blue badge which I have done -- be warned however the process took almost 3 years!!
Perhaps a source of answers in the UK would be ask your local issuing office for advice + if you are a resident with a blue badge apply for a Spanish one asap through your local Social Security office.
I would also add a word of warning over recent months there seem to be more parking patrol men checking validity & a car next to mine at Quiron Hospital had a fine slapped on his windscreen.

We stopped using my wife’s, UK issued badge, once we got residentia. However, as we’ve still a property in England, we update the badge online, for when we finally return to the UK

I am a non resident visitor driving a left hand drive spanish registered car any clues as to wether or not I can use the blue badge please? Isn’t a problem till june!

This is from memory so please forgive me if I have not got it right. Firstly, I am a non resident therefore when in Spain I am on holiday. I have a printout off the Blue Badge system which is in Spanish and basically says my badge can be used and gives the applicable ley (law) number and this is displayed alongside the blue badge. I am sure that residents cant avail themselves of this as obviously once a resident of Spain you cant apply for or use a UK blue badge and have to go through the Spanish system to obtain one. With regard to Spanish reg cars if you pick up a hire car it will be Spanish reg. So I can only assume using your own car would be the same. I Have had no issues since Brexit but we have not been out much

I read about this recently but didn't save the link but my takeaway from it was that recognition in Spain had ended however if you have a badge with the EU symbol on it you'll probably still get away with using it but new ones which no longer have it are visibly not valid and consequently more likely to attract unwelcome attention.

Here ya go.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 75957.html