New update on licences from gov.uk

[jonathon]

just got a notification of an update for the gov.uk website. Looks like we wont be able to uk licences if we're resident now.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain?utm_source=15235468-ec6e-4308-9e51-4d120ff06e42&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate



Does anyone know how one would go about easily changing it?

[peteroldracer]

See the FAQs.....viewtopic.php?f=42&t=27787

[jonathon]

See the FAQs.....viewtopic.php?f=42&t=27787

the links seem to be dead.

[peteroldracer]

works for me.....go into Board Index/Andalucia FAQs and look for "driving licence". I appreciate that you are a newbie, anyone who has been an A.com member for a while will be well aware of this and have changed licence years ago.

[Lyric]

If that notice is followed through it leads to a PDF from traffico which explains all in English.

[El Cid]

It will probably be a problem actually doing this as I have heard stories, unconfirmed, that you might have to wait 6 months due the huge backlog building up due to the large number of residents doing this. Apparently, in some areas the same applies to people frantically applying to register for resident status.

On the other hand, as driving licence acceptance and changing one will almost certainly be covered by a unilateral agreement between the UK and Spain it will probably be OK.

Sid

[Paddy Pumpkin]

Most likely Spain will offer the same terms and conditions that they offer some non EU countries....if they can get that agreed anytime soon!

In short you can drive on UK licence for 6 months and then you must exchange it. That is if the UK has time to do deals ...given there will be 27 countries to which the UK has to arrange a deal, I wouldn't be so sure.

If they can't get an agreement in place before Sep 29th (6 months after Brexit) then all UK licence holders who are resident in Spain will lose the right to drive here and have to sit a driving test in Spain to get a Spanish licence.

[Manchesteral]

whatever the outcome In my opinion if you are resident in Spain then you should have a Spanish driving licence, I mean why not ?

[Paddy Pumpkin]

why go through the process of getting a licence if you don't have to? I have lived in 3,countries for a year at a time. Imagine the pain and cost of having to get a new licence everytime I move?

Added side benefit that you only pick up points if you get a fine in the country where the licence is issued.

[El Cid]

I don’t think that is entirely true. I understand that while Tráfico cannot affect the points on your UK licence, if you are guilty of a points offence, they create a “virtual” copy of your licence and apply points to that. If you reach the limit, while they cannot take your licence away, they have the ability to refuse to accept your licence which means you are effectively banned from driving in Spain although it would not affect your ability to drive in the UK or anywhere else.

Also bear in mind that many offences are now in the penal code so although they cannot take your licence away, you can get a prison sentence.

Sid

[Paddy Pumpkin]

Having a foreign licence has saved me from points in two occasions in two (possibly three) different countries.

I currently have a Polish licence as I was living there when my UK licence came up for renewal. Poland gave me a licence with 15 year validity which I can legally drive on anywhere in Europe (regardless if where I live) until it expires.

In Ireland I got a speeding fine with a UK licence. Accompanying the file was a letter informing me that points would be kept on file and should I ever acquire an Irish licence the points would be immediately added to that new licence and the three year period would start from that date of the new Irish licence

I was driving a car with foreign plates in Spain when picked up a speeding ticket from a machine. The ticket arrived to the address of the car two months later and there was not even a request to verify the driver or if the driver had a licence, just a multa. Even better even though it was past the period for the reduction of fine for paying quick, I paid online and got the reduction

In Spain I crossed a continuous white line. I was pulled over and they checked my residencia to see if I had a Spanish licence when they saw I did not they gave me the fine. In the space for licence it said 'carente'...lacking.

Given I have completely legally avoided points on these occasions, simply because I was on a licence foreign to the country where the offence was committed, I definitely won't be converting my Polish licence to a Spanish licence until I have to (when it expires).

Having said that, I have no doubt at some point in the future there will be a system to apply points to foreign licences Europe-wide

[Wicksey]

On the other hand, as driving licence acceptance and changing one will almost certainly be covered by a unilateral agreement between the UK and Spain it will probably be OK.

Sid

Sid you're saying that presumably the UK will still accept EU licences for car hire without any question? I guess that would have to be reciprocated by Spain.

Spain does accept a number of other countries' driving licences. Apart from the EU and EEA, I think there's a number of South American countries too. Mind you, the way Brexit is going at the moment, I wonder if they'll ever fully leave!

[El Cid]

I don’t see that hire cars are specially relevant. If the UK did not accept an EU licence there would be chaos on a number of fronts, not least of which would be all lorries.

Sid

[Paddy Pumpkin]

On the other hand, as driving licence acceptance and changing one will almost certainly be covered by a unilateral agreement between the UK and Spain it will probably be OK.

Sid

Sid you're saying that presumably the UK will still accept EU licences for car hire without any question? I guess that would have to be reciprocated by Spain.

Spain does accept a number of other countries' driving licences. Apart from the EU and EEA, I think there's a number of South American countries too. Mind you, the way Brexit is going at the moment, I wonder if they'll ever fully leave!

Spain and the UK both accept a licence from every country in the world as long as it is accompanied by an international drivers permit or is in the format agreed by the 1968 Vienna Convention. This is a separate agreement nothing go to do with the EU. Just like if you show up in Australia on holidays and want to rent a car...Brexit will not change that.

However driving on an international drivers permit (accompanied by your original licence) is only valid to drive in Spain or UK for a period of up to 6 months (driving any car, including hire cars) if you are not a resident. Once you become a resident or are here for more than 6 months then you must a have a licence from an EU country.

The problem arises is that there is no other deal then your UK licence is only valid for holidays (up to 6 months) in Spain and not residency. The UK will have the same conditions for any licence from an EU country. Effectively we revert back to Vienna Convention rules.

Conversion/Exchange of licences (from non EU countries) is a matter for each country individually. Spain sets it's own rules,and unless there is an announcement from Madrid, if you hold a UK licence post Brexit you will be unable to convert it to Spanish. Therefore any UK licence holder who wants a Spanish licence will have to sit a test etc etc.

[peteroldracer]

And will the UK continue to accept a Spanish licence for driving there?

[Paddy Pumpkin]

For stays of up to six months just about any licence in the world accompanied by an international drivers permit you will be able to drive in the UK.

''''''Spain and the UK both accept a licence from every country in the world as long as it is accompanied by an international drivers permit or is in the format agreed by the 1968 Vienna Convention. This is a separate agreement nothing go to do with the EU. Just like if you show up in Australia on holidays and want to rent a car...Brexit will not change that.''''

People arrive to the UK from all over the world on holidays. The UK does not have an individual agreement with every country. That is why there is the 1968 Vienna Convention (and a prior 1949 agreement) both of which the UK are signatories to. Basically it says come with your licence and an international drivers permit and you can drive here. The agreement has absolutely nothing to do with the European Union as was agreed upon via the UN. Spain is also party to the agreement so incoming people to Spain get the same treatment. Pretty much the whole world is....notable exemptions are China and Brazil.

For the avoidance of any doubt these rules are only for short stays and not residents taking up residency

[Manchesteral]

why go through the process of getting a licence if you don't have to? I have lived in 3,countries for a year at a time. Imagine the pain and cost of having to get a new licence everytime I move?

Added side benefit that you only pick up points if you get a fine in the country where the licence is issued.

I suppose that's an issue if you are a habitual offender, as opposed to a decent respectful person !

[Paddy Pumpkin]

People in glass houses etc....
I would hardly say that 3 offences in 24 years of driving makes someone a habitual offender, but as Sid points out the legislation does allow for serious offenders to be banned.

[Manchesteral]

Apparently you are not a conscientiuos driver then !!

[Paddy Pumpkin]

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!