# Renewing a driving license



## Susanita001 (May 28, 2012)

Hello!
Hubby and me are in a bit of a fix, we both have british driving licenses that are in a lamentable condition ( green paper ones) and need to renew with the Spanish ones now. We did try to get hubby's one done and they didn't say there would be a problem but it was returned from the office saying that they need proof of residency for 150 days when license was issued. He was out of work at the time and not claiming dole and living with parents. Seeing as this was back. 93 we are coming up against a brick wall and don't know how to prove he was in the uk. Has anyone come up against this or have any ideas as to how to sort it out as it feels like a catch 22 at the mo.
Thanks!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Susanita001 said:


> Hello!
> Hubby and me are in a bit of a fix, we both have british driving licenses that are in a lamentable condition ( green paper ones) and need to renew with the Spanish ones now. We did try to get hubby's one done and they didn't say there would be a problem but it was returned from the office saying that they need proof of residency for 150 days when license was issued. He was out of work at the time and not claiming dole and living with parents. Seeing as this was back. 93 we are coming up against a brick wall and don't know how to prove he was in the uk. Has anyone come up against this or have any ideas as to how to sort it out as it feels like a catch 22 at the mo.
> Thanks!


I'm not sure what's going on here .... you don't need proof of residency in the UK to swap to a Spanish licence normally.

Or are you talking about renewing a UK licence in the UK? You cant do that if you live in Spain as you have to be a UK resident at the time of renewal.


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## Susanita001 (May 28, 2012)

It is because the license is in such a bad condition. We have been resident in Spain for about 13 years and that is where the problem lies.
Any thoughts?


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Susanita001 said:


> It is because the license is in such a bad condition. We have been resident in Spain for about 13 years and that is where the problem lies.
> Any thoughts?


Well, contact the DVLA and ask for a certificate of entitlement. It will cost you about £5 iirc but then you can use that to get a Spanish licence.


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## tonyinspain (Jul 18, 2011)

To renew your uk licence in the uk you need to be resident and able to verify 3 yrs address
If you have been here for well over ten yrs you will be on the uk computers as living over here and by law you should have exchanged the paper licences for photo cards as unless the paper licence has EU you have been driving here illegally
You will have to contact dvla 
You can do it on the internet but be aware your driving licence is now tied to your passport which ever you renew first and they are now tied to DWP and inland revenue as they are trying to catch expats that are claiming benefits and medical facilities in the uk 
Alternative as posted here earlier is go spanish just change it as normal have medical and let them sort it
Either way good luck 
Ps just for info my son returned to uk last year and the dole office had his address and details about him here in spain which was quite a shock not that we had anything to hide but i didnt think they caught on that quick as he wasnt claiming and only went in there for info to get his Ni number to work there


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## Susanita001 (May 28, 2012)

tonyinspain said:


> To renew your uk licence in the uk you need to be resident and able to verify 3 yrs address
> If you have been here for well over ten yrs you will be on the uk computers as living over here and by law you should have exchanged the paper licences for photo cards as unless the paper licence has EU you have been driving here illegally
> You will have to contact dvla
> You can do it on the internet but be aware your driving licence is now tied to your passport which ever you renew first and they are now tied to DWP and inland revenue as they are trying to catch expats that are claiming benefits and medical facilities in the uk
> ...


It is the Spanish one that we are trying to get. I think the certificate of entitlement that Stravinsky suggested is a good start
Thanks


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