Exchange Driving Licence Spain: Country-by-Country Guide

Yes, but only for a limited time if your licence is from outside the EU or EEA. Under Royal Decree 818/2009, the Reglamento General de Conductores (RGC), a non-EU foreign permit stays valid in Spain for a maximum of six months after you acquire your normal residence there. EU and EEA licences remain fully valid for as long as they are current.

The DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) states on its foreign-licence page that once the six-month period has passed, these permits no longer allow you to drive in Spain. The DGT also recommends that visitors from outside the EU or EEA obtain an international permit in their home country before they travel.

• EU or EEA licence: valid while current; no exchange is needed to drive.
• Non-EU licence from a country with an agreement: valid for six months after residence, then exchange it.
• Non-EU licence from a country without an agreement: valid for six months after residence, then you must pass Spanish exams and obtain a Spanish permit.

If you are unsure which group applies to you, check your country against the DGT table before the six months run out.

A canje (exchange) is the administrative procedure in which the DGT replaces a foreign driving permit with a Spanish one. A canje is only possible when the issuing country has a bilateral agreement with Spain and appears on the DGT list. The DGT's electronic office (sede electrónica) puts it plainly: if the country of origin of the permit is not on the list, it is not possible to exchange the permit.

The date of issue also matters. According to the DGT, foreign licences issued after the date a bilateral agreement was signed cannot be exchanged under that agreement. Check the DGT page for your country and confirm the issue date of your permit before you apply.

An exchange is not the same as a new licence. A canje converts a valid foreign permit into a Spanish one, usually without tests where the agreement allows it. A holder from a country with no agreement has to start again with the Spanish exam process.

The six-month rule for foreign licences is set in article 21 of the RGC. Under article 21, a non-EU permit remains valid for a maximum of six months counted from the moment its holder acquires normal residence in Spain. Normal residence is defined by Directive 2006/126/EC (article 12) as the place where a person usually lives, which means at least 185 days in each calendar year.

If you cannot prove normal residence, the six months run from your regular entry into Spain instead. Article 21.3 then says that, after the period ends, the permits no longer allow you to drive in Spain. The period is short, so plan your exchange or exam application before it expires.

The six-month rule is linked to a second requirement. Article 7 of the RGC says that a foreigner taking the Spanish driving exam must prove normal residence or study in Spain of at least six months. Holders who want to take the exam must meet this condition as well as the rules for their licence.

According to the DGT's table of countries with an exchange agreement, last updated on 26 June 2026, the list covers 33 countries. The agreements place countries in groups, and the group decides whether verification or tests are needed. The table below names only the groups and countries that we could confirm from DGT sources, so check the full DGT table before you apply.

The two-phase group is the one most readers will need to watch. Of the countries in it, only Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia are in Africa.

Sources disagree on New Zealand. The DGT table lists it with no tests, while a DGT press item found in search results appears to place it in the verification group. We could not settle this from official pages, so confirm with the DGT before you apply.

The DGT handles all canje applications. An in-person exchange goes through your local office (Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico) and needs an appointment (cita previa). The DGT's electronic office sets out the steps for each country group, so check the sede for the exact documents before you go. The steps below follow the general sequence on the DGT pages.

1. Check your country. Confirm that your issuing country is on the DGT list and which group it belongs to.
2. Check your timing. Make sure you are a normal resident and that your permit is still inside the six-month window.
3. Book a cita previa. An in-person exchange needs an appointment, booked online or by calling 060. From outside Spain, call +34 902 887 060. You can hold only one exchange appointment at a time.
4. Complete the verification. For countries in the two-phase group, the DGT first verifies the permit with the issuing country. If you cancel your appointment, the procedure resets and a new verification from your home country is needed.
5. Check the status. Use your NIE or NIF on the DGT sede to see whether your file is PENDIENTE (pending), CONTESTADA (the verification has been answered and the file is confirmed) or RECHAZADA (rejected).
6. Pay the fee. Pay at the office by debit or credit card. The DGT pages we checked say cash is not accepted.
7. Collect your Spanish permit. Once the exchange is complete, the DGT issues your Spanish permit.

The DGT's 060 line has an automated service 24 hours a day. A human agent is available Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00, excluding national holidays.

According to the DGT fee schedule, the exchange fee depends on whether tests are needed. An exchange with no extra tests uses tasa 2.3 at 28,87 €. An exchange that requires tests uses tasa 2.1 at 94,05 €, which covers two exam attempts. Check the current amounts on the DGT sede before you pay, because fees can change.

Budget for the appointment as well. The DGT pages we reviewed do not mention a booking fee for a cita previa, so confirm that point on the sede before you book.

If your country is not on the DGT list, you cannot exchange your licence. The DGT states that you must obtain a new Spanish driving permit (permiso B). To do this, you need to live in Spain, meet the minimum age for the permit, and pass both the theory and practical exams.

• Medical report: a certificado psicotécnico (psychophysical fitness report) from an authorised centre. According to the DGT, it is valid for 90 working days (90 días hábiles) after it is issued.
• Application: apply for the exams with tasa 2.1 at 94,05 €, which covers two attempts.
• Theory exam: 30 questions, each with three answer options, 30 minutes in total, and a maximum of 3 errors to pass.
• Practical exam: taken after the theory exam is passed.
• Provisional permit: given when you pass your last exam, and valid in Spain for three months while the final permit is posted.

The DGT application form (Mod. 04) lists Spanish, the co-official languages, English, French and German as options for the theory exam for the B licence. Ask your driving school which language applies to the practical test, because the official pages we checked do not say.

If you are only visiting, the situation is different. The DGT recommends that visitors from outside the EU or EEA obtain an international permit before they arrive. You get it in the country that issued your licence; the DGT only issues international permits to holders of a Spanish licence.

UK licences are the most common question from English-speaking residents. According to a Spanish government decision publicised by the DGT in 2023, holders of valid UK and Northern Ireland permits can exchange them in Spain without any additional practical or theory test. The DGT press release says the change applies to permits held by current residents.

The exchange rules for the United Kingdom took effect on 16 March 2023. Residents who had not exchanged their licence before Brexit could start from that date. The DGT press release also describes a six-month period during which the original permit can be used while the exchange is processed.

A UK holder who becomes a resident in Spain should therefore start the exchange within that window. The UK is in the no-test group of the DGT table, so the fee is tasa 2.3.

• EU and EEA licences are recognised in Spain without an exchange.
• Licences from countries on the DGT agreement list, such as the UK, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, can be exchanged (canje).
• A non-EU licence is valid in Spain for a maximum of six months after you become a normal resident (RD 818/2009, art. 21).
• The exchange fee is tasa 2.3 (28,87 €), and the status «CONTESTADA» means your country has replied, not that the exchange is granted.
• If your country is not on the list, you must pass the Spanish theory and practical tests.