Driving in Spain with a US License in 2026: Rules and Steps

Yes, but only for a limited time. The DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico), Spain's national traffic authority, allows a foreign licence to be used in Spain for six months under article 21 of the Reglamento General de Conductores (RGC), approved by Royal Decree 818/2009. After that period, a US licence no longer allows you to drive in Spain.

A US licence is a foreign permit, not a Spanish one. The rules differ depending on whether you are visiting or have become a resident, so the first question is your status. The sections below cover both situations, the exchange question, and the steps for getting a Spanish B licence (permiso B).

No. The DGT allows a foreign licence to be exchanged (canje) only when the issuing country has an exchange agreement with Spain. The United States, Canada and Australia are not on the DGT's list of countries with an exchange agreement, so holders who become residents must obtain a new Spanish permit. The DGT's own page on countries without an agreement says so directly: you will need to obtain a new driving licence.

The table compares the main countries. Check the DGT list again before you apply, because the list is updated.

New Zealand also appears on the DGT's table with no tests for car licences, but DGT pages do not agree on whether its licences need prior verification. Confirm this with the DGT before you apply.

Residents have six months from the date they acquire normal residence in Spain. Under article 21.2 of the RGC, a foreign licence remains valid only while that six-month period has not passed. Spain defines normal residence as living in the country habitually, and the EU driving licence directive (2006/126/EC) uses 185 days in a calendar year as the test.

Article 21.3 of the RGC is direct: once six months have passed, the foreign permit no longer allows you to drive in Spain. The clock starts from normal residence, not from the day you land, so the date you become a resident matters more than your arrival date. Start your medical report and exam application early, so the Spanish permit process is already moving before the six months end.

If the six months expire before you have a Spanish licence, you should not keep driving on the US licence. Stop driving, arrange lifts or public transport, and contact the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico for advice on your specific dates. Keeping a written record of the day you registered as a resident can help you prove when your six months began.

Yes. A visitor with a valid US licence can drive in Spain while it remains valid. If you cannot prove normal residence, article 21.2 of the RGC allows the foreign permit to be used for no more than six months from your regular entry into Spanish territory. The DGT's page on driving with a foreign permit confirms that after this period such permits are no longer valid for driving in Spain.

You may see online claims of a 90-day limit for tourists. We found no official source for that figure, so do not rely on it. The six-month rule in the RGC is the official period we could confirm, and it is the one to plan around. If you expect to stay longer than a short visit, check your status with the DGT before the six months end.

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a supplementary document that accompanies your national licence. An IDP is issued by the country that issued your licence, so a US visitor gets it in the United States before travelling. The DGT also issues an international permit, but only to holders of a Spanish licence who drive outside Spain (tasa 4.5, 10,51 €, valid for one year).

The DGT advises non-EU and non-EEA visitors to obtain an international permit in their own country before coming to Spain. It also says the permit should be carried together with your passport and your foreign licence. The DGT pages we checked do not state whether a US visitor is legally required to carry an IDP in Spain, so treat the advice as a recommendation rather than a confirmed legal rule. Ask the authority that issued your licence, or the DGT, before you travel.

According to the DGT's application form (Mod. 04), the theory test for the B licence is offered in Spanish, the co-official languages, English, French and German. You choose the language when you submit the application, so decide before you apply.

An easy-read version (lectura fácil) of the B theory test also exists. It must be requested in advance, through your driving school (autoescuela) or through the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico if you take the test independently, and it is only available at computerised exam centres.

The practical test is a different question. We could not confirm from an official DGT page the language of the practical exam or whether an interpreter is allowed. Ask your Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico before you book, and do not assume an English-language practical test is available.

To get a Spanish B licence (permiso B), you must live in Spain, meet the minimum age for the licence, and pass both the theory and practical exams. For foreign nationals, article 7.1.a of the RGC requires proof of normal residence or a study stay in Spain of at least six months.

The DGT's requirements page describes the process as a medical report, then an application with payment, then the exams. In practice the steps are:

1. Get a medical report (informe de aptitud psicofísica, also called a certificado psicotécnico) from an authorised Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores. The DGT says it is valid for 90 working days (90 días hábiles) from issue, so apply for your exams before it expires.
2. Pay tasa 2.1, which costs 94,05 € and covers two exam attempts.
3. Pass the theory exam: 30 questions, three answer options each, 30 minutes, and no more than three errors. A passed theory exam stays valid for two years under article 53 of the RGC.
4. Pass the practical exam.
5. On passing the last exam you receive a provisional permit, valid in Spain for three months. The final permit arrives by post in about 1.5 months.

Use the order below as a starting point, and confirm the details with the DGT or your Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico for your own situation.

1. Write down the date you acquired normal residence in Spain. The six-month limit runs from that date, not from your arrival.
2. Book your medical report at an authorised centre early, and note that it is valid for 90 working days.
3. Pay tasa 2.1 and apply for the theory and practical exams before the medical report expires.
4. Prepare for the theory exam in the language you chose on your application, and practise with mock questions until you feel confident.
5. Take the practical exam, collect your provisional permit, and wait for the final permit by post.

If your licence is from Canada or Australia, the same steps apply, because neither country is on the DGT's list. The six-month limit is the same for all three countries.

• The United States, Canada and Australia are not on the DGT's exchange list, so their licences cannot be swapped for a Spanish permit.
• Residents have six months from normal residence before a US, Canadian or Australian licence stops being valid in Spain.
• Visitors can drive on a valid licence for up to six months from regular entry when residence cannot be proven.
• The DGT advises non-EU visitors to obtain an international permit in their home country; check with the DGT whether you must carry one.
• A Spanish B licence requires a medical report valid for 90 working days, tasa 2.1 at 94,05 €, and passing both exams.