Exchanging your driving licence in Spain
How to get a driver's licence in Spain
The legal age for driving in Spain, as in any other European country, is 18. If you're thinking of staying less than 6 months, and if the issuing country of your licence is a contracting party of either the 1977 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic or the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, then your licence is valid and you should not face any trouble driving in Spain.
If you have any concerns regarding the driving licence from your home country, you can ask for an International Driving Permit, which is a document valid for one year that is translated into 8 languages and valid only with the original driving licence. It has wide international recognition.
Exchanging your driving licence
If you have a driving licence from a EU/EEA country, and are a resident in Spain, you have to exchange your licence for a Spanish one. You will not have to take any tests to do this.
Other States have agreements with Spain regarding the exchange of driving licences, but keep in mind that you'll only be able to exchange your licence if you got it after the bilateral agreement with you country started. The countries that have agreements with Spain are: Andorra, Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Croatia, Ecuador, Morocco, Peru, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil, El Salvador, Philippines, Guatemala, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.
More information for each country can be obtained under (in Spanish):
http://www.dgt.es/portal/es/oficina_virtual/conductores/canje_permisos/
The exchange has to be done at your nearest "Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico", that can be found under:
The documents to provide for the exchange are:
- A proof of identity (passport)
- A proof of residence (for foreigners, the Número de Identificación de Extranjer - NIE is required)
- The valid driving licence to be exchanged
- Two photographs (32 x 35mm)
- A written declaration from the applicant that they have not been banned from driving
- A written declaration from the applicant that they do not hold another driving licence of the same type in another country (apart from the one they're exchanging).
Remember that Spanish driving licences do need to be renwed. Your Spanish driving licence will need to be renewed with the following frequency:
- Every 10 years if under 45 years of age
- Every 5 years if between 45 and 70 years of age
- Every 2 years after age 70
If your issuing country (or State in the case of the US) does not have a licence agreement with Spain, then you will have to sit the full exam (theory and practice) to get a driving licence.
Getting a driver's licence
The Spanish driving licence is sometimes regarded as more difficult to pass than in other European countries. The easiest way to go for it, is to register with a driving school (autoescuela) that will take care of the registration procedure with the Jefatura. Otherwise, you can also apply directly to the Jefatura by yourself (see above for the link with all the addresses).
The registration with the school will cost you 200€. This often includes either theory or practical classes, depending on the school.
Theory test
For the theory test, you can just buy manuals (in English and/or Spanish) that will cost you 50€ and will allow you to study for the test from home. You can also practice on websites such as http://www.todotest.com/ where all the questions for different types of driving licence can be found. If you want to use that site, then you will have to register as a user. Registration is free.
The test is multiple choice and you will need to answer 36 out of 40 questions correctly to pass it. You can choose to take it in Spanish or English depending on your Jefatura. The exam will cost 20€.
The practical test
Driving in Spain has been regarded as a challenge by many expats. Even if you are an experienced driver, you may want to take some driving lessons.
Driving lessons in Spain cost between 15€ and 30€ an hour. Many driving schools offer an abono, or a pack of five or 10 classes that when purchased together have a slight discount.
The driving test costs 20€.
While it's possible for you to take your practical test in English, this is not offered everywhere. This means that in most Jefaturas, you will need to speak at least intermediate Spanish to be able to sit the test.
Motorbikes
The minimum age for getting a licence for motorcycles between 50cc and 125cc is 16 (type A1, licencia de ciclomotor), and you will be able to drive a 125cc motorbike if you have a full driving licence for cars (type B) for over three years. If you have a vehicle that is under 75cc, then you cannot drive on the freeway.
If you're under 24 and want to ride a motorcycle with a higher cylinder (above 125cc), you will have to first pass a test for an A2 licence, which will allow you to ride motorcycles between 125cc and 400cc for two years. After this period, you are granted a type A licence, which imposes no restriction on the size of the motorcycle that you can ride.
There are two theory exams and two practice exams (one on circuit and the other one on the street/highway) for this type of licence. The theory exams can be practiced online under:
http://aplch.dgt.es/aeDGTWeb/examen/TiposExamenes.htm
Moreover, children must be over 7 to be able to sit on a motorcycle with their parents, and a specific written authorisation must be written if the driver is not the parent of the child.
Also in this section
- Driving in Spain: Street conditions, traffic and rush hours
- Car Insurance: Which insurances do you need for your car in Spain?
- Driving License for Spain: Recognition of Spanish and foreign licenses
- Importing a Car: How to bring you car to Spain
- Car rental: All you need to know to rent a car in Spain
- Exchanging your driving licence in Spain: How to get a driver's licence in Spain
