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Date Published: 20/10/2023

Did you know there is a specific licence for driving automatic cars in Spain?

This variant of the traditional B licence can often be a good alternative for drivers in Spain

There’s no getting around it: Spanish driving tests are notoriously hard and once you have your shiny new licence in your hand, there’s the issue of navigating tricky roundabouts, swarming motorways and traffic signals without number.

But what if you didn’t have to worry about changing gears, managing the clutch or cutting out on a hill? That’s the beauty of automatic transmissions and in Spain, drivers have the option of obtaining a licence specifically to drive automatic vehicles.

It’s essentially a variant of the traditional B licence that carries the code ‘78’, which stipulates that it doesn’t cover the driving of cars with a clutch or gears.

Are the tests for an automatic car licence different?

No, they are the same as if you take the license exam with a manual car: you will have to pass the psychophysical exam, a theory test and a practical driving test.

So, what’s the difference between having an automatic licence and a manual one?

The distinction is important: while with a manual car license you can drive any type of car weighing 3,500kg GVW, whether it has a manual or automatic transmission, with an automatic driving license you cannot drive vehicles with a manual transmission.

If you are stopped by the Traffic Police with only an automatic car licence, they will fine you 500 euros and deduct up to 4 points from your licence. Additionally, in the unfortunate event you are in an accident with the wrong licence, there’s a good possibility your insurance company may refuse to cover the damages.

With an automatic car license, can I drive an electric or hybrid car?

In a word, yes. In an electric car, you only need to accelerate or brake with your right foot so, since it doesn’t have a manual gearbox, it’s not necessary to have a manual B licence.

With hybrid vehicles, once they don’t have a manual gearbox, and regardless whether it’s a petrol engine or electric motor, you should be able to drive on an automatic car licence.

How to get an automatic car driving licence

Not all driving schools offer the course for automatics, so you’ll need to do your research. Furthermore, you can only take the test in an automatic vehicle.

At them moment, only around one in every 100 requests the automatic only test.

The automatic licence is actually more expensive than the traditional one and by it’s very nature quite limiting, so it’s always a better idea to obtain a manual licence if at all possible.

Find all the latest motoring and travel news here or join our Driving in Spain Facebook group for regular updates

Image: Freepik

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