# Taking the Spanish Driving test



## rachelstar85

Hi all,

I am moving to the La Linea area in a couple of weeks and have decided to take my Driving test in Spain. I need to find an instructor who is either English or English speaking. I have already learned to Drive in the UK although have failed test several times on minor things. Can anyone help?

I have made up my mind that I want to do the Spanish test and won't be put off!

Thanks x x x


----------



## Guest

Oh dear. Best of luck! I've been studying since October and am just starting to get confident with the theory exam.


----------



## Sonrisa

I never managed to pass the theory test in Spain after several trials.
I passed mine in the UK, funnily enough. The Code is much more simple as is the test, it is also cheaper. 

sorry to put you off.


----------



## snikpoh

rachelstar85 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am moving to the La Linea area in a couple of weeks and have decided to take my Driving test in Spain. I need to find an instructor who is either English or English speaking. I have already learned to Drive in the UK although have failed test several times on minor things. Can anyone help?
> 
> I have made up my mind that I want to do the Spanish test and won't be put off!
> 
> Thanks x x x


You'll have to speak Spanish though, surely, to do the theory - or can that be in English as well?


----------



## Pesky Wesky

Sonrisa said:


> I never managed to pass the theory test in Spain after several trials.
> I passed mine in the UK, funnily enough. The Code is much more simple as is the test, it is also cheaper.
> 
> sorry to put you off.


I did pass the test here, a long time ago admittedly. However, you *do* have to study for the theory test; don't think that if you know how to drive you'll pass the test. You have to know what kind of questions they can ask and HOW they will ask it.
You can do the theory in English, but the driving school will have to arrange it. The practical, I'm not sure about....
The best thing is to get the yellow pages and get in touch with the schools in the area directly.


----------



## rachelstar85

Hi all, 
I know it would be easier to fly back to the UK to do it but surely it can't be legal?

Rachel x


----------



## Alcalaina

rachelstar85 said:


> Hi all,
> I know it would be easier to fly back to the UK to do it but surely it can't be legal?
> 
> Rachel x


Why not? Once you have a full British licence you can use it anywhere, or exchange it for a Spanish one if you are planning to stay here a while.

Might not prepare you for the way they drive round La Linea though ... :eyebrows:


----------



## rachelstar85

Hi, 
The rules are really clear on having your correct address on your provisional license, they even ask you to confirm your address is valid at the start of the test!

Rachel x


----------



## snikpoh

Alcalaina said:


> Why not? Once you have a full British licence you can use it anywhere, or exchange it for a Spanish one if you are planning to stay here a while.
> 
> Might not prepare you for the way they drive round La Linea though ... :eyebrows:


Surely it's the EU (not British) licence that can be used anywhere and then get exchanged?


----------



## Stravinsky

rachelstar85 said:


> Hi,
> The rules are really clear on having your correct address on your provisional license, they even ask you to confirm your address is valid at the start of the test!
> 
> Rachel x


There is an agreement that if you are living in Spain that DVLA accept that the address on your licence may not be the correct one

However ....... your UK Provisional licence is NOT valid in Spain I'm afraid, you would have to get a Spanish one to actually drive here at all

Taken from the UK IN Spain site
_
UK driving licences issued from 1990 and the photocard licence issued from 1997 are accepted in Spain. Licences issued before 1990 are only accepted if accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (available from the Spanish Embassy in London and the Real Automóvil Club de España if the licence holder is already in Spain). *UK Provisional Licences are not valid for use in Spain*_


----------



## Pesky Wesky

snikpoh said:


> Surely it's the EU (not British) licence that can be used anywhere and then get exchanged?


A British licence *is* a EU licence, isn't it?


----------



## Stravinsky

Pesky Wesky said:


> A British licence *is* a EU licence, isn't it?


In effect, but in this case it makes no difference, for as I said ... a UK provisional licence isnt valid in Spain anyway


----------



## snikpoh

Pesky Wesky said:


> A British licence *is* a EU licence, isn't it?


Actually NO! but it's a moot point.

Older licences were just British (before the cards were introduced). Now, all licences issued in UK are European I think.


----------



## Alcalaina

So Rachel would have to get a Spanish provisional licence in order to take her test in Spain? 

I'm still not clear why she can't go back and take it in the UK.


----------



## xabiaxica

Alcalaina said:


> So Rachel would have to get a Spanish provisional licence in order to take her test in Spain?
> 
> I'm still not clear why she can't go back and take it in the UK.


she can go back tp the UK to take it & legally drive here on her UK licence

what she can't do is even get behind a wheel here in Spain with a provisional


I don't actually think there _is_ such a thing as a Spanish provisional - which is probably why you can only drive as a learner with a qualified instructor beside you

none of this 'going out with dad to practice

which I have to admit I'm _very_ glad about - the thought of my teenager & her dad butting heads with her behind the wheel..................


----------



## agua642

Talking of licenses, can I get a duplicate of my UK license, even tho I exchanged it for a Spanish license, I have a foto copy of my Uk license its an old one from 1985


----------



## Stravinsky

agua642 said:


> Talking of licenses, can I get a duplicate of my UK license, even tho I exchanged it for a Spanish license, I have a foto copy of my Uk license its an old one from 1985


The only way you could get a UK licence duplicate is tell DVLA that you had lost the original .... but then you would be breaking the law and you really wouldnt want to do that would you 

You have to hand in your UK licence when you are issued with your Spanish one, and in theory I guess they would then send it back to the UK


----------



## snikpoh

agua642 said:


> Talking of licenses, can I get a duplicate of my UK license, even tho I exchanged it for a Spanish license, I have a foto copy of my Uk license its an old one from 1985


If you ever go back to the UK, then you can exchange the Spanish one for a new UK licence.

You can only ever hold one driving licence - think about where the points would 'accumulate' otherwise - it would be a nightmare for the authorities to administer otherwise.


----------



## chicalteana

So I too have to take a Sapnish drivng test which looks like a pretty frightening process, I am in the Denia/Oliva area, is there any schools that anyone can recomend. I do speak Spanish but am a lot more comfortable with English, so the choice of doing the theory in English or saponish would be great.
K


----------



## gus-lopez

snikpoh said:


> You can only ever hold one driving licence - think about where the points would 'accumulate' otherwise - it would be a nightmare for the authorities to administer otherwise.


No, you can legally hold two under EU law. How & when they crept that through I have no idea . What happens to all the people who had to take & pass tests in different countries before the advent of the harmonised EU licence ? They've bought , paid for & passed tests to legally hold these licences, just liking owning a car or house in different countries only to be told they can only hold two ? Which ones ?


----------



## Stravinsky

gus-lopez said:


> No, you can legally hold two under EU law. How & when they crept that through I have no idea . What happens to all the people who had to take & pass tests in different countries before the advent of the harmonised EU licence ? They've bought , paid for & passed tests to legally hold these licences, just liking owning a car or house in different countries only to be told they can only hold two ? Which ones ?


Thats confusing. You're saying then that even though you had to hand your UK licence in when taking a Spanish one, you can still get another UK licence from DVLA? Even though, of course, you couldnt because you arent a UK resident any more


----------



## Pesky Wesky

xabiachica said:


> I don't actually think there _is_ such a thing as a Spanish provisional - which is probably why you can only drive as a learner with a qualified instructor beside you
> 
> none of this 'going out with dad to practice


Correct, there is no provisional licence in Spain, and I agree - just as well!

Although, when the time comes we will be taking our daughter out for a few trials on some deserted roads we know.


----------



## xabiaxica

Pesky Wesky said:


> Correct, there is no provisional licence in Spain, and I agree - just as well!
> 
> Although, when the time comes we will be taking our daughter out for a few trials on some deserted roads we know.


yes, we have a few of those round here, so I'm sure it must happen, but at least you don't get people who could themselves be appalling drivers passing their bad habits on, on busy roads


----------

