There is a transition period for CURRENT residents to exchange their UK driving licence for a Spanish one As of January 1, 2021 , the general regulations on licenses from third countries (non-EU countries) will apply and the licenses issued by the British authorities will enable you to drive in Spain for six months from the entry of the holder in Spain or from the date of obtaining legal residence. source:
Irrespective of whether a Spanish Resident’s UK licence has been verified for exchange by the end of the year, you will be able to drive in Spain using your UK licence for 6 months from 1 January 2021. The future rules on exchange and recognition of UK licences for visitors are still subject to negotiation.
In addition to the countries of the European Union, European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), there is an agreement to exchange driving licenses for residents of Spain that have been issued by the countries listed here. At the time of writing the UK is NOT one of those countries.
- If your permit is not from the European Union, European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and does not appear in the list of countries with an agreement (Países con los que España tiene convenio de canjes (dgt.gob.es), it is not possible to exchange your permit, Spanish Residents will have to obtain a new permit .
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To carry out procedures at all Trafico offices, it is necessary to request a prior appointment online by calling 060. If you are representing the interested party, please notify us when reserving the prior appointment.