# Changing to Spanish driving licence



## jimllshiftit (May 24, 2009)

Seasons greeting everyone, 

Im wondering what the benefits of a Spanish driving license are and if its worth surrendering my UK license for one. 

The reason im thinking of doing this is that I have some endorsements on my UK license that prevent me hiring a car when in the UK. Would my UK endorsements be transferred to the ES license. If I was convicted of any other offences in the UK would points then be accrued on the ES license?


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

jimllshiftit said:


> Seasons greeting everyone,
> 
> Im wondering what the benefits of a Spanish driving license are and if its worth surrendering my UK license for one.
> 
> The reason im thinking of doing this is that I have some endorsements on my UK license that prevent me hiring a car when in the UK. Would my UK endorsements be transferred to the ES license. If I was convicted of any other offences in the UK would points then be accrued on the ES license?


I think that they will transfer across as Trafico will require your paper part of the licence to check just what you have been up to. 

So in your case ? :juggle:


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Be careful, I have heard that theory tests are being considered in addition to the medical for renewal of a Spanish driving licence. I am therefore keeping my U.K. licence.

One other thing, if your U.K. licence was obtained by exchanging it for an Australian licence, you will have to take a full test to obtain a Spanish one.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

I see no benefit in unnecessarily changing your UK licence to Spanish. No one has given me any good reason. The UK one is happily accepted on a day to day basis as ID, with the exception of official business.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> I see no benefit in unnecessarily changing your UK licence to Spanish. No one has given me any good reason. The UK one is happily accepted on a day to day basis as ID, with the exception of official business.


The difficulty that one can experience is that of renewing a U.K. licence. It either means a trip to the U.K. or reliance on relatives or friends addresses, that is because it cannot be renewed if you do not have a U.K. address.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Hepa said:


> The difficulty that one can experience is that of renewing a U.K. licence. It either means a trip to the U.K. or reliance on relatives or friends addresses, that is because it cannot be renewed if you do not have a U.K. address.


So if you supply an address of a friend or relative where you are not normally resident....you have made a false declaration! You have committed an offence... That is made clear on the licence renewal form.

If we are unhappy at British immigrants breaking or bending Spanish laws, we should be equally condemnatory of those who break UK laws, no?

I no longer reside in the UK.I have no property in the UK. My home is in Spain. Therefore I changed to a Spanish licence. It was a painless procedure, took two short visits to Trafico, cost around 30 euros.

No medical, no theory test. Just a plastic card which functions well as an ID proof too.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> So if you supply an address of a friend or relative where you are not normally resident....you have made a false declaration! You have committed an offence... That is made clear on the licence renewal form.
> 
> If we are unhappy at British immigrants breaking or bending Spanish laws, we should be equally condemnatory of those who break UK laws, no?
> 
> ...


No not necessarily, return to the U.K., rent a house, you are then resident. 

I no longer reside in the U.K., my home is in the Canary Islands, I did consider changing my driving licence, here the procedure is different. I decided to keep my U.K. licence and by doing this I am saving money and not breaking any law.


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## agua642 (May 24, 2009)

I recently saw a Spanish companion of mine with the plastic Spanish driving licence, which I also have, but they also had an International paper licence which I had never seen before is this new??


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Hepa said:


> No not necessarily, return to the U.K., rent a house, you are then resident.
> 
> I no longer reside in the U.K., my home is in the Canary Islands, I did consider changing my driving licence, here the procedure is different. I decided to keep my U.K. licence and by doing this I am saving money and not breaking any law.


Renting a house isn't the same as being resident, though, is it?

As I read it, the question on the form relates to residency and not property ownership.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

agua642 said:


> I recently saw a Spanish companion of mine with the plastic Spanish driving licence, which I also have, but they also had an International paper licence which I had never seen before is this new??


I have the plastic Spanish driving licence, and I get an International paper licence every year for my annual visit with family in the States. European licences aren't valid in the US, but an international licence is. 

I've been doing this for years. It's not something new.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> So if you supply an address of a friend or relative where you are not normally resident....you have made a false declaration! You have committed an offence... That is made clear on the licence renewal form.
> 
> If we are unhappy at British immigrants breaking or bending Spanish laws, we should be equally condemnatory of those who break UK laws, no?
> 
> ...


How long did yours take Mary? I have been meaning to do it for ages but after my UK one got stolen I decided to do it by the book and get a Spanish one. I applied to DVLA for a certificate of entitlement and submitted it all on 4th December. I was given a green paper temporary one and told it will probably take about a month... I do hear horror stories though of people waiting a year for them


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Renting a house isn't the same as being resident, though, is it?
> 
> As I read it, the question on the form relates to residency and not property ownership.


If I rent a house in the U.K. for a month or so, I will be residing there, and when I drive a car in the U.K. I will need a driving licence, and if my U.K. driving licence is about to expire, to comply with the U.K. legislation, I will have to renew it.

I cannot see any problem with such a situation.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

steve_in_spain said:


> How long did yours take Mary? I have been meaning to do it for ages but after my UK one got stolen I decided to do it by the book and get a Spanish one. I applied to DVLA for a certificate of entitlement and submitted it all on 4th December. I was given a green paper temporary one and told it will probably take about a month... I do hear horror stories though of people waiting a year for them



From first visit to Trafico to receiving plastic licence, nine weeks. From getting provisional to receiving full licence, three weeks.

Total number of visits to Trafico, two. Total time spent in Trafico offices, about ten minutes.
Cost: around 30 euros.

And all worth it for the photo on my card alone...it makes me look a good twenty years or more younger...I may have problems convincing cashiers that it's me -I wish..
Admittedly rather blurry, soft-focus....not a David Bailey job....


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Hepa said:


> If I rent a house in the U.K. for a month or so, I will be residing there, and when I drive a car in the U.K. I will need a driving licence, and if my U.K. driving licence is about to expire, to comply with the U.K. legislation, I will have to renew it.
> 
> I cannot see any problem with such a situation.


Well no, you're not a criminal or terrorist or anything undesirable. So it's not a problem.

But it wouldn't count as 'residency' under Spanish rules, would it? Is there a set number of days you have to be continuously in the UK to qualify as resident, do you know?

I was pushed into changing mine because I lost my UK licence...TWICE!! The first time I was naughty and applied from my son's address but I decided to be 'honest' the second time and change, which I'd been thinking about doing for four years....

But as I said above, I get a warm glow each time I look at the flattering photo on my brand-new Spanish tarjeta...


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> From first visit to Trafico to receiving plastic licence, nine weeks. From getting provisional to receiving full licence, three weeks.
> 
> Total number of visits to Trafico, two. Total time spent in Trafico offices, about ten minutes.
> Cost: around 30 euros.
> ...


The only problem that I had, was that they wanted to restrict me to an 80KPH speed limit, because I have a minor defect in my left eye. I decided that I would not change my licence to a Spanish one. Boss Lady is worried that when she renews her Spanish licence, under the proposed new legislation, she will have to take the theory test which of course will be in Spanish and because of this she might fail.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

I actually said that I see no reason to change a licence *unnecessarily *. If you live full time in Spain then its necessary I guess, but the problem arrives when you spend a whole lot of time in *both* countries. You have to be resident in Spain after 90 days but what happens if you then spend 90 days in the UK, then another 90 days in Spain???

As it happens I have been in the UK now for 120 days or so and my licence is due for renewal. As a homeowner and tax payer in the UK ... what do I do?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Strav, renew it in the U.K.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Hepa said:


> Strav, renew it in the U.K.


It was a rhetorical question really, and just making the point that its not always black and white in these situations.


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