The Spanish Government approves the reciprocal recognition and exchange of driving licenses between Spain and the United Kingdom

Update date:  March 14, 2023 

The agreement, in the form of an Exchange of Verbal Notes between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, also establishes the exchange of information on traffic offences in matters of road safety. In this way, holders of a driving licence valid in either of the two States may request the exchange in the country where they have established their residence without having to take an additional practical or theoretical test.      

The Council of Ministers approved this Tuesday the agreement by which Spain and the United Kingdom will proceed to the reciprocal recognition and exchange of driving licenses as well as the exchange of information on traffic violations in matters of road safety.

This agreement puts an end to the successive extensions applied to the exchange of permits between both countries that had been in place since the end of the transitional period provided for in the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.      

From now on, holders of a valid and current driving licence issued by either of the two States may request the exchange of their equivalent driving licence where they have established their residence, without being subject to any additional practical or theoretical test requirement and in accordance with the equivalence tables between the licence categories of both countries.

The agreement establishes that all valid permits or licenses issued by current residents prior to its entry into force may be exchanged, while for permits issued after said entry into force, it will be an essential requirement for accessing the exchange that the permits have been issued in the country where the applicant had his legal residence.

With this agreement, British citizens residing in Spain, who had not had their driving licence recognised before Brexit, or in the successive extensions granted, will be able to do so starting on Thursday 16 March 2023 but for British residents who don't comply with the above mentioned will have to take a Spanish driving test.

To facilitate the administrative process at provincial traffic headquarters, six months has been granted during which British citizens can travel around Spain with their original permit while  processing the exchange.

In addition, Spain and the United Kingdom agree to provide each other with information on vehicle data and their owners for the purpose of investigating traffic offences related to road safety, particularly in cases of speeding, agree failure to wear a seat belt, failure to stop at a red  light, drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs, failure to wear a protective helmet, driving in a prohibited lane. British driving in Spain. Exchange licence British Spanish. British residents driving Spain.