New law re UK driving licence - January 2008?

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Jool
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New law re UK driving licence - January 2008?

Postby Jool » Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:14 pm

Found this online, anyone know if its correct?

Under new Spanish laws that came into effect in Jan 2008, you need to replace your UK license to a Spanish one as your UK license is invalid if you are a resident in Spain. If you don`t you face a 3,000 Euro fine and 3 points deducted from your remaining total. As you are resident in Spain, you are now a EU citizen, of UK origin, living in Spain, so no your UK license is now invalid and you are breaking Spanish laws. If your a UK resident on Holiday in Spain or visiting your second home, your legal to drive on your UK license.


If it is correct does anyone know the name of this new law that applies? Is it legla under EU rules (not that Spain takes any notice of what it does not want to know about....) I have a spanish licence but OH does not.........

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Trooperman
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Postby Trooperman » Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:37 pm

I can't believe this is an authorative statement because the language is so grammatically poor.
nil illegitimum carborundum

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gerryh
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Postby gerryh » Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:37 pm

No it is not true. Seen it on other mailing lists as well. I thought this had already been discussed under the heading of medicals for driving licences, or some such topic?
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Jool
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Postby Jool » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:08 pm

I know its been done to death before for previous years but not seen anything about it in reference to a new law of last month?

It was not an official statement just a post from a forum user on expatica.

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gerryh
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Postby gerryh » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:38 pm

Jool wrote: It was not an official statement just a post from a forum user on expatica.
Only looked at expatica a few times. All I've seen appear to be scare stories. :(

You do not need to change an UK licence for a Spanish licence, unless it is one of the very old paper licences.

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Gerry
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Postby El Cid » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:47 pm

As Gerry says, it's been covered ad nauseam before and no new laws have been introduced this year related to licences. The original Poster on Expatica is spouting rubbish!

The law changed in Jan 2006 to comply with the EU directive and since then you do not have to endorse or exchange your licence.

It also introduced some highly ambiguous rules about needing a medical even if you had a UK licence.

That said, "local wisdom" still recommends exchanging your licence as the only 100% legal and unambiguous option.

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Postby Lavanda » Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:05 pm

Checked the situation with the Guardia Civil a few weeks ago. UK licences are fine. We are all EU citizens. Everything's OK until you get to be 70. Then you have to take a test or change the licence or something. Didn't really register that bit too well as we are nowhere near 70 ... yet.

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Postby Retro P » Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:25 pm

[quote="Lavanda"] We are all EU citizens. Everything's OK until you get to be 70.

I'm not resident in Spain so I don't know the full legal situation (I doubt anyone does)

However I know for a fact, that if you are RESIDENT in Sweden or Finland and several other EU countries, you are legally obliged to change your licence for one of that country and those countries (stated above) require you to take low level medicals once you reach the age of 55 and every five years beyond that, why do we expect Spain to be any different??

Hopefully the entire EU will adopt a common policy in this respect.

Personally I don't understand why any individual would want to retain an english licence when RESIDENT in another country!
Ah! the full english!!

Don

Postby Don » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:31 am

It is EU law that an "EU model" driving license from one EU country must be recognised in any other EU country, residents and tourists alike. That is EU common policy enshrined in law. Spain tried to "enforce" the change to Spanish licenses for non-Spanish residents but were taken to court and lost. UK driving licenses have been "EU model" for some time now so even the old paper ones are valid. However any country can insist that a national of another EU country ordinarily resident in the country complies with any conditions which would be imposed on a national of that country, which in the case of Spain requires the routine eyesight/hearing/coordination test which holders of Spanish licenses have to do at each renewal.

What is about to change in Spanish law with effect from 1 May is that driving without a (fully correct) license becomes a criminal offence as it has been a minor misdemeanour in law up til now and there are said to be thousands of drivers on the roads without correct licenses, which in extreme even invalidates your insurance. All part of the reform of the Spanish penal code.

And as for retaining your driving license from your own country even when resident (maybe for the time being) in another country, it is a matter of personal freedom of choice and again enshrined in EU law. Anyone not resident in Spain, ie a tourist when here, is hardly qualified to comment regarding those who are resident.

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Retro P
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Postby Retro P » Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:47 pm

You are quite wrong, As hasbeen explained many times, there is no such lregulation "enshrined in EU law, there is no such thing as EU law, there are directives, As I have already told you though you it apparently hasn't penetrated, you are not allowed to retain your original driving licence if you exchange it for a new one in your adopted country, try going to Finland (one of the most law abiding and law conscious countries in the EU) and tell them you want to keep your original licence and they will reply "take it or leave it".
Your petty dig at me being a tourist is quite normal for you , it doesn't bother me, I've been a tourist in Spain (and numerous other countries) for many years, but then, I can well afford it, I have owned two properties in Spain for more than twenty years and am about to buy a third, My opinions are as valid as yours, and from my own experience I know a **** when I meet (or read one) when you first came on this forum, I believe less than a year ago you posted something like three hundred posts in about two weeks, (attention seeking perhaps?).
Ah! the full english!!


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