British Driving License - Ive got a fine

Information and questions about the Law in Spain and Andalucia.
Miro
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Re: British Driving License - Ive got a fine

Postby Miro » Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:14 pm

As usual, that article raises more questions than it asks: how do you "renew" a UK licence if you're resident in Spain?
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

El Cid
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Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: British Driving License - Ive got a fine

Postby El Cid » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:24 pm

Yes, you are right. The whole situation is still very confusing. Apparently you can "renew" a UK licence in Spain, but effectively it ends up as an exchange, albeit at a different price.

This from an article on the N332.es site

• The fee is slightly different (Renewal is 23.50€ and Exchange is 27.70€)
• Both procedures have different application forms.
• In Alicante province you always need to provide a medical certificate for “Renewal”.
• For the “exchange”, at least in Alicante province, a medical is not necessary if your EU licence expires in a year or more.


The area that is getting really confusing is the question of the expiry date on EU licences. The law was changed recently and if the expiry date on your foreign license is indefinite or over 15 years then you have to exchange it. This does affect some EU licences, Belgian ones come to mind, but unless you have one of the very old UK paper licences, the assumption was that you were not affected as the photo licences have to be renewed every 10 years.

However, the requirement on the UK licence is that you renew the photo every 10 years, but the entitlement to drive remains as up to age 70, which, if you are 55 or less means that your licence comes into the category that must be exchanged. It has been suggested that as far as the police are concerned, it is the expiry date on the front which matters, however, I have seen guidance to Trafico officers that they should look at the dates on the back of the licence in assessing whether it is legal or not.

I have always been happy to explain that normally you do not need to exchange, but I have always recommended that you do so to avoid hassle. In the light of this latest development I would reinforce that advice, especially if you are under 55 years of age.

Sid

Miro
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3584
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:20 pm
Location: Merseyside, formally Torremolinos

Re: British Driving License - Ive got a fine

Postby Miro » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:51 pm

The area that is getting really confusing is the question of the expiry date on EU licences
Wouldn't it be great if there was a pan-European organisation, a sort of political meeting of the minds so to speak, that by not wasting time and money on "ideas" about olive oil dispensing in cafes, could come up with (in less than, say, 40 odd years) something truly practical and useful such as a uniform system of driving licences in order to facilitate the free movement of people within the member countries...oh, wait.... :wink:
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.


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