ARCHIVED - Approvals for UK driving licence exchange in Spain are underway: Dec 2 update
Drivers wishing to exchange their UK licence for a Spanish one will now have to undergo a psychophysical test
Following the recent update by the ambassador on the driving licence exchange issue for British nationals living in Spain, the authorities have reiterated that the final legal and political approvals are being ironed out and should soon be published in the official Spanish state bulletin (BOE).
No concrete date has yet been given, but the embassy has assured that once the agreement is signed, citizens who hold a valid UK licence will once more be allowed to drive in Spain. From the date of publication, residents will have six months to swap their licence for a Spanish one without having to take a practical driving or theory test.
After the six month grace period, anyone who fails to exchange their UK licence for a Spanish one won’t be able to drive.
The Spanish government will exchange any valid licence issued by the DVLA (Great Britain licensing authority), DVA (Northern Ireland licensing authority) or Gibraltar licensing authority.
‘Psicotecnico’ Test
Those wishing to swap their licence will have to undergo a psychophysical aptitude test, a process which has just recently been updated by the traffic authorities in Spain. This short exam is designed to test drivers’ eyesight, hearing and reactions, among other things.
A list of test centres can be found on the DGT website here. Drivers will have to produce a certificate showing they have passed the test in order to exchange their licence. Test certificates are valid for three months.
Third country licence exchanges
Another problem that may arise concerns British nationals who took their driving test in another country and then exchanged the licence for a UK one. Drivers should be able to swap a UK licence obtained as a result of exchange with a third country as long as Spain also has a driving licence exchange agreement with that country.
Many countries, such as Australia, are excluded, however, so motorists who took their driving test in one of these countries and converted their licence to a UK one won’t be permitted to exchange it for a Spanish licence.
Licence categories
Finally, the embassy has clarified that right now, the only licences that are being considered in the exchange agreement are for category B cars. While the authorities “expect” that many other licence categories, such as those for motorcycles and mopeds, will also be included, the details won’t be known until the official document is published.
Find all the latest motoring and travel news here or join our Driving in Spain Facebook group for regular updates.
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