BRITISH DRIVING LICENCE EXCHANGE IN SPAIN

SO… WHAT CAN I DO?

You can drive in Spain using a your British driver’s licence for some period, as soon as you are not a resident in Spain. If you are a resident in Spain, you will need to wait for a new driving licence exchange agreement between Spain and UK. If you cannot wait because you need to drive in Spain as a resident, you will need to get  a new driving licence in Spain. There is no other alternative.

Due to Brexit, Brits who were living in Spain before January 1 2021 and who wanted to keep driving legally were required to exchange their UK licence for a Spanish one by giving their licence details to the Dirreción General de Tráfico (DGT), Spain’s vehicle and licencing body, before December 31 2020. They can then exchange their licence to get a new Spanish one before December 31 2021. Anyone who didn’t do this will have to retake their driving test, in Spanish, to get a Spanish driving permit.

However, valid UK driving licences belonging to British tourists and non-residents in Spain are still currently recognised for 6 months from the moment they arrive in the country.