ARCHIVED - UK driving licences not valid in Spain from October 31
Still no agreement reached to extend validity period, meaning residents in Spain will not be allowed to use their British licence to drive from next month
Under current Spanish law, residents with valid UK licences will only be able to use them to drive in Spain until October 31 2021. While negotiations are ongoing between the UK and Spain to extend the validity period and come to a resolution, the fact of the matter is that UK driving licences will soon cease to be a valid driving document for residents in Spain.
The rules do not apply to British visitors on holiday in Spain, who may use their licence for up to six months after they arrive in the country. In theory, a UK driving licence is still permissible for hiring a rental car in Spain, though some British residents have been asked for an International Driving Permit in addition.
It is not advisable for Brits living in Spain to try to drive using their UK licence and pretend they have just arrived as tourists, especially if they are driving a car with a UK number plate. Police in Spain are expected to crack down hard on those driving illegally, and if caught can face fines of around 400 euros.
Brits in Spain were advised to exchange their driving licences for a Spanish one by giving their details to the DGT Spanish motoring authority last year, but many who missed the deadline are fearful that they will now be left with illegal driving status or having to retake their driving test in Spain.
The driving licences of UK nationals who did successfully register their intent to exchange their licence before December 30 2020 will also become invalid for driving in Spain on October 31, but they will still be eligible to exchange it for a Spanish one until December 31 2021 without having to take a practical and theory test in Spanish.
Others who tried to swap their licence for a Spanish one were left frustrated with the slow and inefficient bureaucratic system in Spain that meant they either didn’t receive their Spanish licence after handing in their British one, or got one with the wrong vehicle category.
Meanwhile, people with a Spanish driving licence are still allowed to use it to drive in the UK on a permanent basis.
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