Exchanging a driving licence

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 11:45am

5 replies156 views2 members subscribed

Posts: 3

Joined: 19 Aug 2021

Hi all, I wonder if any can help. I am a bit confused about exchanging my driving licence.

We are moving to the Frigiliana area at the start of March. My husband has an Irish passport and dual citizenship. I understand he can just swap his UK licence for a Spanish one.

For me however, there seems to be conflicting info online. After the new February extension date am I still able to exchange my licence, as we move in March so miss this deadline(some info I have read still says I can drive as a visitor and then exchange within 6 months) , or will I need to retake my test in Spain to obtain a spanish driving licence?

Any help appreciated, thanks! 😊

Reply
View 5 replies

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 1:48am

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1478

556 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 1:48am

To swap a British license it needed to be handed in by December 2020, due to current delays for those who handed who don´t so far have a replacement they have extended the drive time until February. Those who have an EU Irish passport can swap theirs without a problem, you are correct people from third countries like UK can drive for 6 months, but only those from countries below can swap their licence without a new test, unless UK and Spain do a deal in the future.

Andorra, Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Croatia, Ecuador, Japan, Morocco, Peru, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Switzerland, Uruguay , Venezuela, Brazil, El Salvador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 2:02am

Quin42

Original Poster

Posts: 3

Location: Frigiliana

Joined: 19 Aug 2021

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 2:02am

Holaitsdavid wrote on Fri Dec 31, 2021 1:48am:
To swap a British license it needed to be handed in by December 2020, due to current delays for those who handed who don´t so far have a replacement they have extended the drive time until February. Those who have an EU Irish passport can swap theirs without a problem, you are correct people fro...

Read more...

...m third countries like UK can drive for 6 months, but only those from countries below can swap their licence without a new test, unless UK and Spain do a deal in the future.
Andorra, Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Croatia, Ecuador, Japan, Morocco, Peru, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Switzerland, Uruguay , Venezuela, Brazil, El Salvador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Thank you for your reply 😊 We did think it may be the case, so does this mean I will need to take the Spanish driving test after 6 months or continue to use my UK one and then exchange for a Spanish licence after 6 months? Sorry for the questions.. just want to make sure we are doing everything correctly. Thanks 😊

Reply

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:53am

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1478

556 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:53am

Quin42 wrote on Fri Dec 31, 2021 2:02am:
Thank you for your reply 😊 We did think it may be the case, so does this mean I will need to take the Spanish driving test after 6 months or continue to use my UK one and then exchange for a Spanish licence after 6 months? Sorry for the questions.. just want to make sure we are doing eve...

Read more...

...rything correctly. Thanks 😊

Right now Spain have only agreed for Brits to swap when EU citizens, hence application & needed to be made by 31 December 2020. I think being worked on, but right now us poor Brits need a New Test. hence for now I´m not driving. "Just Uber" It´s not easy, you need to be fluent in Spanish for drive test. Although you can take the written test in English (90% result from 30 questions, this is from potential 3000 questions) you need good Spanish for actual driving test, hence my very nice UK car is now back in the UK.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 10:08am

Quin42

Original Poster

Posts: 3

Location: Frigiliana

Joined: 19 Aug 2021

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 10:08am

Holaitsdavid wrote on Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:53am:
Right now Spain have only agreed for Brits to swap when EU citizens, hence application & needed to be made by 31 December 2020. I think being worked on, but right now us poor Brits need a New Test. hence for now I´m not driving. "Just Uber" It´s not easy, you need to be fluent in Spanish fo...

Read more...

...r drive test. Although you can take the written test in English (90% result from 30 questions, this is from potential 3000 questions) you need good Spanish for actual driving test, hence my very nice UK car is now back in the UK.

Thank you so much for the info, a bit of a nightmare isn't it?! I suppose we will be lucky as my husband will be able to drive out there so will have a household car but I am going to have to look in to the Spanish test. I can speak some Spanish but not completely fluent so may be an issue. Eek! Anyway thank you for taking the time to help, that's great 👍 😊

Reply

Posted: Sat Jan 1, 2022 3:11am

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1478

556 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Sat Jan 1, 2022 3:11am

Quin42 wrote on Fri Dec 31, 2021 10:08am:
Thank you so much for the info, a bit of a nightmare isn't it?! I suppose we will be lucky as my husband will be able to drive out there so will have a household car but I am going to have to look in to the Spanish test. I can speak some Spanish but not completely fluent so may be an issue. Eek! ...

Read more...

...Anyway thank you for taking the time to help, that's great 👍 😊

Good luck, let´s hope the UK and Spain do a deal in the future, it´s daft one has not been done, in my opinion is a deterrent for people not to live in Spain, further, EU citizens living in UK do not have the same problem. They can keep their licence issued in Europe/EU/EFTA/EEA and drive without a problem.