# Medical for Driving Licence Renewal



## GallineraGirl

Has any one taken the medical test for a Spanish Driving licence renewal recently? If so, can you tell me what I will have to do and what documents I need to take? Will I be informed by letter that I must go for an appointment or must I go to the centre to arrange it? I believe that my nearest centre is Pego, Alicante. Thanks for any help.


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## JaneyO

GallineraGirl said:


> Has any one taken the medical test for a Spanish Driving licence renewal recently? If so, can you tell me what I will have to do and what documents I need to take? Will I be informed by letter that I must go for an appointment or must I go to the centre to arrange it? I believe that my nearest centre is Pego, Alicante. Thanks for any help.


My husband has to do his next week. You have to make an appointment at the centre, they seem to have been privatised here in the Balearics. Take everything as usual in Spain, last year he needed his green residencia form and his existing licence, probably best to take passport as well. You see a doctor who takes your blood pressure and asks you about any illnesses you have and medications you take. You do a sight test, reading a card like at the optician but distance vision only, then go in a booth and do a hearing test, you have to indicate when you hear the noise. Then you go onto a simulator, I asked if I could have a practice run first! You hold a joystick in each hand and a road appears on the screen, there are two black dashes on it and you have to keep both of them on the road, which moves around, at the same time. You are apparently allowed a 50% error rate so don't worry if you run off the road a few times. It goes on for what feels like ages but is probably about 3 minutes! They take your photo you pay the fee and they give you a paper to say the licence is on its way, it comes in the post after a couple of weeks. If you have any medical conditions which may affect your ability to drive you have to get a letter rom your consultant to say it is ok for you to drive, (my husband has sleep apnoea). They only gave him one year last time hence the renewal, but he might get 4 years this time fingers crossed as its not cheap think it was about 70 euros. It's really not as bad as it sounds. Good luck!


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## gus-lopez

It varies everywhere. Here you just need your licence. Attend medical centre, eye test, photo , that's it. same as previous reply, new licence arrives shortly. 70-75€ appears to be the average.


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## xabiaxica

GallineraGirl said:


> Has any one taken the medical test for a Spanish Driving licence renewal recently? If so, can you tell me what I will have to do and what documents I need to take? Will I be informed by letter that I must go for an appointment or must I go to the centre to arrange it? I believe that my nearest centre is Pego, Alicante. Thanks for any help.


I don't know if you can use the one in Jávea - but it's Thursday evenings. no appointment required & 50€


Policlínica Cume

the test is as described by JaneyO


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## CapnBilly

In Pego you can go to Clinica La Pau ( near the tourist office). They hold them every Friday from 5pm. You don't need an appointment, but get there about quarter to, so your first or second in the queue. They do do questions, blood pressure, eye test etc similar to where Gus lives. Think it cost me about €55.


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## 90199

It varies, we had to go to the Chemist and purchase the forms that the examining Doctor had to complete, then to a private health centre, a really strict and thorough examination, sight, hearing, blood pressure, heart, lungs, reflexes. limb count. cannot remember the cost, but I think about 40€ 

On the other hand Renewal of licence in the U.K., no medical, no foto, no fee, all done online and received in three days!!!!.


Why do the Spanish make life difficult.


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## VFR

Hepa said:


> It varies, we had to go to the Chemist and purchase the forms that the examining Doctor had to complete, then to a private health centre, a really strict and thorough examination, sight, hearing, blood pressure, heart, lungs, reflexes. limb count. cannot remember the cost, but I think about 40€
> 
> On the other hand Renewal of licence in the U.K., no medical, no foto, no fee, all done online and received in three days!!!!.
> 
> 
> Why do the Spanish make life difficult.


Well if and *when* the UK introduce medicals I fancy it will be a damn more expensive & time consuming than it is in Spain.


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## 90199

playamonte said:


> Well if and *when* the UK introduce medicals I fancy it will be a damn more expensive & time consuming than it is in Spain.


They daren't, too many in positions of power would fail


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## GallineraGirl

Thank you all for your very helpful replies.


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## GallineraGirl

This is just to let you know that we had our medicals at Clinica La Pau in Pego yesterday. We booked appointments in advance. All that was needed were our Spanish Driving Licences. The cost was a hefty 70€ each but the staff we saw were all very pleasant and helpful and patient with our poor Spanish. We were asked a few questions about our health and medications and we were asked our height in centimetres, and how much we drove, and whether we drunk alcohol. Our blood pressures and photos were taken and we were asked to read a few letters from the bottom two lines of an eye test chart (with glasses, if worn). We came away with a document giving us temporary permission to drive (3months) and a promise that our new licences would be delivered in 2-4 weeks. Mine will last 10 years (I am 58) and my husband's 5. He is 64. It was all very easy and straight forward and no computer reaction test was involved. There did seem to be a machine which might have administered such a test but perhaps only those they have doubts about have to do it?


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## el romeral

I have recently received a new Spanish driving licence for the first time. It took about 4 months to arrive (but that is another story). I was never asked to do a medical. Is this normal?
Sorry for mini hijack.


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## Alcalaina

el romeral said:


> I have recently received a new Spanish driving licence for the first time. It took about 4 months to arrive (but that is another story). I was never asked to do a medical. Is this normal?
> Sorry for mini hijack.


Depends on your age I think, and how long you had your existing licence. I didn't have to have one either (but next year I will!)


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## CapnBilly

el romeral said:


> I have recently received a new Spanish driving licence for the first time. It took about 4 months to arrive (but that is another story). I was never asked to do a medical. Is this normal? Sorry for mini hijack.


 if it was an exchange ( which I guess it was based on the time it took), then that is normal, you don't have to undergo the medical on exchange, but you will on renewal.


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## Jsceltic

What happens if you fail driving test at 70years old in Spain, how many times can you sit it.


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## Jsceltic

How many times can you sit it at 70 years old,driving test in spain


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## Alcalaina

Jsceltic said:


> What happens if you fail driving test at 70years old in Spain, how many times can you sit it.


Do you mean the actual driving test, or the medical?


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## Jsceltic

The computer test keep 2 dots on the 2 white lines


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## Alcalaina

Jsceltic said:


> The computer test keep 2 dots on the 2 white lines


That's part of the medical. It tests your co-ordination skills. If you can't do it, you are considered not fit to drive.

I don't know if there's a limit on how many times you can retake the medical. If you think you have recovered from whatever caused you to fail it before, I'm sure you can do it again. Why not just go to the Centro Medico and ask for another appointment!


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## Overandout

Alcalaina said:


> That's part of the medical. It tests your co-ordination skills. If you can't do it, you are considered not fit to drive.
> 
> I don't know if there's a limit on how many times you can retake the medical. If you think you have recovered from whatever caused you to fail it before, I'm sure you can do it again. Why not just go to the Centro Medico and ask for another appointment!


I am useless at the dots on the lines test, always have been since I was in my 30s.

In reality, they will not fail you for this. The last time I did this, the "doctor" just got fed up with my ineptitude, sighed loudly, and said "that will do"....


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## baldilocks

The Dr. who has just dome my medical has only given e renewal for 2 years instead of 3 because of my heart attack last year and emphysema.


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## danboy20

90199 said:


> It varies, we had to go to the Chemist and purchase the forms that the examining Doctor had to complete, then to a private health centre, a really strict and thorough examination, sight, hearing, blood pressure, heart, lungs, reflexes. limb count. cannot remember the cost, but I think about 40€
> 
> On the other hand Renewal of licence in the U.K., no medical, no foto, no fee, all done online and received in three days!!!!.
> 
> 
> Why do the Spanish make life difficult.



Maybe because it´s a good idea to have fit people behind the wheel????


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## danboy20

I went for my medical in Fuengirola last week.....just a few questions, sight test, and the computer simulation tests.


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## mrypg9

I renewed my Spanish licence earlier this year. It was a joke. I did a computer test which involved determining when a line which vanished would reappear and a few questions along the lines of ‘do you wear glasses to drive’ and ‘ do you take medication?’.
My licence was renewed for five years.


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## Alcalaina

mrypg9 said:


> I renewed my Spanish licence earlier this year. It was a joke. I did a computer test which involved determining when a line which vanished would reappear and a few questions along the lines of ‘do you wear glasses to drive’ and ‘ do you take medication?’.
> My licence was renewed for five years.


I didn't do the computer test because the computer was broken (!), but I did do an eyesight and hearing test. If you take medication or have a condition that might impair your ability to drive, you need a doctor's certificate.

I don't think it's a joke, but maybe it could be a bit stricter.


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## Megsmum

Based on some of the elderly folks, getting out of cars on the way into hospital clinics, I’m pretty sure a medical would be a very good idea in the UK. I’ve seen folks who can hardly walk get out of cars. I pretty sure many of those wouldnt be able to do an emergency stop


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## Williams2

JaneyO said:


> My husband has to do his next week. You have to make an appointment at the centre, they seem to have been privatised here in the Balearics. Take everything as usual in Spain, last year he needed his green residencia form and his existing licence, probably best to take passport as well. You see a doctor who takes your blood pressure and asks you about any illnesses you have and medications you take. You do a sight test, reading a card like at the optician but distance vision only, then go in a booth and do a hearing test, you have to indicate when you hear the noise. *Then you go onto a simulator, I asked if I could have a practice run first! You hold a joystick in each hand and a road appears on the screen, there are two black dashes on it and you have to keep both of them on the road, which moves around, at the same time. You are apparently allowed a 50% error rate so don't worry if you run off the road a few times.* It goes on for what feels like ages but is probably about 3 minutes! They take your photo you pay the fee and they give you a paper to say the licence is on its way, it comes in the post after a couple of weeks. If you have any medical conditions which may affect your ability to drive you have to get a letter rom your consultant to say it is ok for you to drive, (my husband has sleep apnoea). They only gave him one year last time hence the renewal, but he might get 4 years this time fingers crossed as its not cheap think it was about 70 euros. It's really not as bad as it sounds. Good luck!



Yes that's the one thats been in existence for some years now. Next year the Spanish are evaluating possible replacements like this one.
So who says the Spanish have no sense of humour ? :lol:


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