UK driving licences valid in Spain?

[Wicksey]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47412708

At the moment it would seem that Spain wishes to maintain the status quo regarding British living here, deal or no deal. Obviously they want a reciprocal arrangement which I think the UK has always offered re EU citizens in the UK.

[1bassleft]

Thanks Alpine. I didn't see any specific, but 29/3 makes the most sense. Option 3 only occurred to me after I'd posted. As posted elsewhere, Wicksey, an ES licence is the one to have - once you've dealt with your upcoming hire - as the UK has a sanguine attitude to temporary driving on licenses issued in other countries - as long as they're recognisable (which the EU one clearly is).

[casita-bonita]

Don't know about sanguine attitude. I was due to rent a car in the UK while I had a temporary paper license during the switch from UK to Spanish. Contacted the hire Co and there was no way that they would accept it. Fortunately our Spanish licenses turned up before the trip so all was well.

[1bassleft]

Sorry, my writing style. The UK allows temporary (<12 months) driving on a recognized full driver's licence (EU, US, basically readable and official) without need for an International Driver's Permit. Temporary papers are less watertight, and always worth checking validity of your licence with a hire car co, who are free to set their own conditions.

[spanish_lad]

I was talking to one of my staff yesterday about this. I dont know where the information comes from, so dont quote me.

He was telling me that post march 29, spanish residents with uk licences will have 6 months to change to a spanish licence, and then after that if they are stopped, they will be treated as "driving without a valid licence" - what fine / points / prison / car towed ? this might mean, he couldnt say.

I will laugh when my ... competition ... is stopped at the airport, with their UK licences and their "i´m never changing my stuff" attitude.

One thing that occurs to me - do they have to prove that people are living here in spain with a UK licence? ie: how would they be able to tell?

You must live here, you are paying rent? - nope you have no proof, it gets paid cash. you live here, you have electric bills? nope not in my name, it is paid cash... you must live here, you have a car? nope, its not in my name, i´m borrowing it from a friend thats gone travelling...you must live here, i´ve seen you around before ? nope i visit alot.

I can see alot of work if the guardia / hacienda / local police have to investigate people / familes ? they cant make it "nope i dont believe you, heres a fine". can they ?

[El Cid]

He was telling me that post march 29, spanish residents with uk licences will have 6 months to change to a spanish licence, and then after that if they are stopped, they will be treated as "driving without a valid licence" -

This is the official version.

The validity of driving licenses issued by British authorities during a period of a transitional period of nine months is recognized. In this period you can exchange your driving license for another Spanish permit, which will allow them to continue driving in our country, despite the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

After that period of nine months, the driving licenses issued by the British authorities would be subject to the Spanish regulations for driving licenses issued by third countries, and the exchange for another Spanish will no longer be possible until, in the future, , a bilateral agreement of exchange of driving license with the United Kingdom is signed.

Personally I think it is almost certain that there will be a bilateral agreement which will mean nothing will change from the current situation.

Sid

[alpineSi]

Well slight problem with the process here; my gestors dropped the paperwork in to tráfico last week (Wednesday) but tráfico refused to issue the temporary right to drive paperwork. Apparently they are awaiting authorisation but my gestor doesn't know if this means from something/someone here in Spain, or from the UK.

The gestors have retrieved my licence so I can still drive for the time being, and the application is still ongoing. I must resubmit the licence when tráfico are ready to issue the temporary authorisation.

Obviously one has to wonder has a 'hold' been applied on British exchanges until it's all settled.

Did everyone else who has done this exchange/canje/renewal get the temporary paperwork on the same day they submitted the licence?

[El Cid]

I think they may be waiting for confirmation of the licence validity from the DVLA.

I think it is called a Certificate of Entitlement.

[peteroldracer]

El Cid has of course got it right. Without confirmation from Swansea that the holder is entitled to the licence they will not issue a Spanish premiso. Whilst an understandable precaution it does explain why it can be a somewhat protracted process.

[gerryh]

They only asked for my UK licence when they were ready to give me a temporary paper Spanish licence.
So I always had a driving licence for Spain.
I very much doubt if a non Spanish hire car company would accept my temporary paper Spanish licence.
Cheers
Gerry

[elusive]

Yes they should only take your uk licence on the second appointment. First appointment you hand over your paperwork. They then check with dvla.when all is good you have a second one and thats when you hand over your licence and they give you the paper licence until your card comes in the post

[alpineSi]

Thank you to all of you for the information. My gestor was confused and very apologetic that they hadn't issued the temporary paper immediately so she must not have been aware of the two appointment process. This might seem negligent but I'm probably one of a handful of EU foreigners in this area, so they don't have much experience with it.

Strange that tráfico were both happy to take the licence the first time though, and not explain any further why they wouldn't issue the temporary paper immediately. Perhaps they have never done the procedure up here before either!

I included the hire car code from the DVLA website on the off chance that someone in tráfico would try it and accept it as proof of my licence validity, but unsurprisingly I guess that hasn't made its way on to their books yet. I'd think that technically it should be as good as getting a letter from the DVLA, or whatever else they do.

[Paddy Pumpkin]

I was talking to one of my staff yesterday about this. I dont know where the information comes from, so dont quote me.

He was telling me that post march 29, spanish residents with uk licences will have 6 months to change to a spanish licence, and then after that if they are stopped, they will be treated as "driving without a valid licence" - what fine / points / prison / car towed ? this might mean, he couldnt say.

I will laugh when my ... competition ... is stopped at the airport, with their UK licences and their "i´m never changing my stuff" attitude.

One thing that occurs to me - do they have to prove that people are living here in spain with a UK licence? ie: how would they be able to tell?

You must live here, you are paying rent? - nope you have no proof, it gets paid cash. you live here, you have electric bills? nope not in my name, it is paid cash... you must live here, you have a car? nope, its not in my name, i´m borrowing it from a friend thats gone travelling...you must live here, i´ve seen you around before ? nope i visit alot.

I can see alot of work if the guardia / hacienda / local police have to investigate people / familes ? they cant make it "nope i dont believe you, heres a fine". can they ?

The problem won't be the licence if the UK leaves the EU then UK passport holders will be treated the same as say US citizens or Australians are now. They will get a stamp on their passport and a Schengen Visa. If they are here after their permitted date then they will have immigration problems and if they try to leave the country they will get stopped for overstaying visas. Lots of people live in for example the USA illegally but life is difficult...just look in to the numbers who get deported from there every year for being illegal.

However if they are here legally that will mean they will have to get an EU licence (i.e. not UK)

[1bassleft]

Brief, so as not to be off-topic, but thanks, Paddy. The quickest four lines that explains how my predicament might unfold. Putting myself in Spanish Lad's roadside scenario, yes - I have an Escritura, a wodge of electricity bills, an ES-registered car in my name and I don't live here. I am UK resident and have a "when I feel like it" approach to my smidge-less-than-six-months use of the above. In future, I may have to drearily double-check myself and collect stamps like Green Shields have made a comeback. SMH.