# Another Driving Licence Exchange Question...



## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

So I have finally decided to take the plunge and do the last outstanding bit of administration that I have been putting off for some time... changing my driving licence.

Has anyone done this?

I have got together the info, I know what I need to do but i have a couple of specific queries because I am getting mixed info even from Gestorias.

The main thing is timescales. I return to the UK a lot and hire cars, I have been told that on application I get a piece of paper (temporary licence) form Trafico which I can use if I get stopped to show that mine is being exchanged. I can't use this though to hire a car in he UK. Now I know I could get a copy of my british one (say i lost it) and then give one to traffico and one for me for use in the UK but the car hire firms now check the validity of the licences so I don't want to risk it. 

How long though until the proper one comes? I am being told anything from a couple of weeks to "up to a year" (yes thats what a Gestor told me today). She said that they have to post the British one to DVLA in Swansea and wait for it to come back verified :confused2:

I called DVLA to check on the process in reverse (if I was trying to get a british one from a spanish one), and they said that they do it in 2-3 weeks and don't send the application to Spain... they can do any checks they want electronically in an instant and they only ay 3 weeks because thats what they allays quote for all type of licence changes....so what actually happens in Spain and how long does it take?

I am scared to do this if it can take an absolute age because of the UK car hire problem but I am also told that the Guardia don't like using a british one and to be honest I want to change it as I have no plans to go back to the UK.

So, anyone who has done it, PLEASE PLEASE share your experience on timescales.. Thanks folks!


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> So I have finally decided to take the plunge and do the last outstanding bit of administration that I have been putting off for some time... changing my driving licence.
> 
> Has anyone done this?
> 
> ...


It's a difficult question to answer as things seem to take a different amount of time in each region. Here in my local town it takes about 15 minutes to get an NIE including the walk to the bank to pay the fee, but from what I have read some people have to wait for several weeks just to present their papers and then have a further wait to get the document. 
I have been to tráfico with several friends to undertake this process. First of all you have to hand in your photocopies of your driving license, certificado de empadronamiento, passport and NIE/ or residency together with the original. The originals are then returned to you (including the driving license) until they have verified this with the DVLA; this can take up to three weeks but in all cases I have rung after a fortnight and it has been verified. Then you take in your original driving license and are then issued with the temporary one which is valid for three months, but in all cases the new license has been received within 10 days by post.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

We needed to hire a car in the UK and the ordinary temporary licence wasn't acceptable to the car hire company. We went back to Trafico and they printed out a special temporary licence on pink cardboard then stuck a photo on it, which was acceptable. So just explain your situation when you go to the office.

Ours took six weeks in 2008.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I'm going to do this so any information would be most helpful.


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

Dont try and say it was lost to DVLA. They now talk to each other so DVLA will know you have a spanish licence so will not issue a replacement and could start criminal proceedings as have 2 eu licences is against the law


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2012)

I had to go to the Provincial Capital - Jaen - as the local GC-Trafico would not do it. It took 20 minutes to process the paperwork, they issued me with a temporary Spanish licence and the real one came in the post 7 days later - cost Euros 7.95. They confiscated my UK licence on the spot. I took photocopies of my Residencia, Padron, and the original UK licence. The only thing they wanted were 2 photographs of me. As someone has said, it differs greatly from province to province.


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

4tunate said:


> I had to go to the Provincial Capital - Jaen - as the local GC-Trafico would not do it. It took 20 minutes to process the paperwork, they issued me with a temporary Spanish licence and the real one came in the post 7 days later - cost Euros 7.95. They confiscated my UK licence on the spot. I took photocopies of my Residencia, Padron, and the original UK licence. The only thing they wanted were 2 photographs of me. As someone has said, it differs greatly from province to province.


The Guardia Civil tráfico _can't _ di it, it's not one of their competencies. It has to be done in the nearest subdelegación, you can get the requirements plus a list of your nearest subdelegación on the official page for the DGT: Dirección General de Tráfico : Trámites y Multas: JEFATURA VIRTUAL : Tu permiso de conducción


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks for all the info guys, looks like it won't take as long as people are saying!


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> Thanks for all the info guys, looks like it won't take as long as people are saying!


Steve if your Gestor is saying up to a year I would use another who is more clued up.
Mine took a max of 14 days from start to finish.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

playamonte said:


> Steve if your Gestor is saying up to a year I would use another who is more clued up.
> Mine took a max of 14 days from start to finish.


Yeah, well this is why i asked... i don't know where they got those timescales from!


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## welshboyinspain (Jan 2, 2012)

my advice would be to ditch the gestoria totally and go to trafico office yourself and do it. its easy its not rocket science and maximum should get you a licence within a month, it also works out a lot cheaper. I am a lorry driver and have changed all my licences over this way no problems


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## Classified (May 9, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> Yeah, well this is why i asked... i don't know where they got those timescales from!


Hi, its good to try and do things yourself, i had a similiar problem with my gestoria trying to charge me over 100 euros more than doing it for myself, eventually i transferred a car i had bought into my name on my own. Not all Gestoria's are honest.:boxing:


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Yeah... hi ho hi ho, its off to traffico i go!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

I actually found my visit to trafico the easiest and least stressful of the official offices. Very easy to deal with. Make sure you take (amongst other things) residency certificate and padron though, I didnt take mine and had to drive all the way home to get it


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

thanks stravinsky. How long did yours take until you had the final plastic card?


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

steve_in_spain said:


> thanks stravinsky. How long did yours take until you had the final plastic card?


I wasnt there for that.
I went to de register a car that had been exported to the UK 

The beauty of it is though that you enter the place and go to reception, then if necessary they send you with the right forms to a cashier, the cashier gives you a number ticket and then you wait to go to the counter.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> I wasnt there for that.
> I went to de register a car that had been exported to the UK
> 
> The beauty of it is though that you enter the place and go to reception, then if necessary they send you with the right forms to a cashier, the cashier gives you a number ticket and then you wait to go to the counter.


OOH thats better than the police for things like residencia where you have to wait to see someone only to be given a form and told to go to the bank.. where you wait another hour with all the foreigners going to do the same, then return to the police to find its too late and have to go another day !

Sounds quite smooth really! I will do this soon and let people know!


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