Spanish Driving Licence Points System: 12 Points Explained

The Spanish driving licence points system, known in Spain as the permiso por puntos, gives every driver a balance of points that goes down when they commit offences that carry a points penalty. The DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico), Spain's national traffic authority, runs the system. The maximum balance is 15 points.

The DGT's points guidance says that points are common to all the driving permits a person holds. The system is designed to encourage safe driving: a clean record keeps your balance high, while repeated offences can cost you your licence.

If you are learning the rules for the Spanish theory exam, the points system is one of the topics that is easy to misunderstand. The sections below set out what the DGT confirms and where sources still disagree.

Most drivers start with 12 points. According to a DGT news item updated on 24 August 2026, drivers who have held their licence for more than three years start with 12 points, while novice drivers (conductores noveles) and drivers who have recovered a licence after losing it start with 8.

• 12 points: standard drivers with more than three years of licence.
• 8 points: novice drivers and drivers who regained their licence after it was withdrawn.

The DGT's main points page confirms the 12-point starting balance and the 8-point start for novice and regained-licence drivers. The three-year threshold comes from the August 2026 news item, so check the current wording on the DGT website before relying on it for a formal purpose.

You lose points when you commit a traffic offence that the Spanish traffic law classifies as carrying a points penalty. The number of points deducted depends on the offence, so the same licence can lose different amounts for different breaches.

This article does not list the deduction for each offence. The point values in the sources we checked were not confirmed against an official table, and guessing them could mislead you. For the exact deduction for a specific offence, check the DGT's sanctions information or ask your local Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico (provincial traffic office).

The fine and the points are separate consequences. A fine is paid to the authority that issued it, while the points are recorded against your licence. Read the penalty notice carefully, because it should state both.

Because the balance is personal to the driver, a single serious offence can take a large share of it, while several minor ones add up over time. Keeping track of your own record, rather than assuming it is fine, is the best habit for any driver living in Spain.

You regain points by going without offences that remove points. According to the DGT, a standard driver who goes three years without such offences moves from 12 to 14 points, and after three more years reaches the maximum of 15. Novice drivers who start at 8 return to 12 after two years without point-losing offences.

The schedule above is the one the DGT's main points page describes. If you have lost points recently, the quickest route to a higher balance is simply a long period of clean driving, plus any course option that applies to you, which is covered in the next section.

The recovery periods are counted in years without point-losing offences, so the calendar matters as much as the balance. A driver who has just lost points should note the date of the last offence, because that is the date the years of clean driving are measured from for the purpose of planning. Confirm the exact start date with the DGT if it affects a decision you are making.

A driving course may add points, but the official sources do not agree on the amount. A DGT news item from August 2026 says drivers who have never lost points can gain 2 extra points by taking a voluntary safe and efficient driving course, up to the 15-point maximum. The DGT's main points page says that awareness (sensibilización) courses help you gain points, but it gives no figure.

Because of this conflict, do not plan around a specific number. Before paying for a course in the hope of recovering points, confirm with the DGT or your Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico which courses count and how many points they give.

Courses are also a useful way to refresh the rules of the road, whether or not they change your balance.

If you are considering a course for another reason, such as preparing for the theory exam or refreshing the rules after a long break, you can treat any points benefit as a bonus rather than the main reason to enrol.

Reaching zero points starts a loss-of-validity procedure, which means the licence stops being valid to drive. According to the DGT, you have 10 days to submit allegations (alegaciones) against the procedure. If the decision becomes final, you must hand in your permit at a Jefatura or Oficina de Tráfico and you cannot drive on it from then on.

Driving after the resolution has been notified is a criminal offence, not just a fine. The DGT's own magazine explains that the Spanish Penal Code covers driving with a licence that has lost validity because of total loss of points.

If you receive a notice about your points, read the deadlines carefully and act within the 10 days. A missed deadline can make the outcome harder to reverse.

The procedure is separate from any fine you may have been given. Keep copies of every notice and every response you send, because the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico will refer to the file when it decides the outcome.

You can check your points through the DGT's official electronic headquarters, the Sede Electrónica de la DGT at sede.dgt.gob.es, which offers a points-enquiry service. Use only the official site, because third-party websites that offer to check points often collect personal data without being official.

The miDGT app is the DGT's digital driving licence app. This article did not confirm whether it shows your points balance, so check the app's menu before you rely on it. If you cannot find your balance online, the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico can help.

Checking your balance regularly is worthwhile, especially after a fine, because it is the only way to confirm how the deduction was recorded.

When you check, compare the balance against your own records of fines and any courses you have taken. If the figures do not match, contact the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico with the notice numbers and dates, rather than assuming the system has made an error.

The sources checked for this article do not confirm whether a foreign licence accrues points in Spain. The DGT says that points are common to all the driving permits a person holds, but its guidance does not say whether that covers a licence issued in another country.

What is confirmed is the validity limit for foreign licences. Under Royal Decree 818/2009 (the Reglamento General de Conductores), article 21, a foreign licence stops being valid for driving in Spain six months after its holder acquires normal residence here. The DGT also states that EU and EEA licences are fully valid in Spain while they remain in force.

If you hold a non-EU licence and are unsure how the points system applies to you, ask the DGT before you assume either way. Do not treat an unconfirmed answer as settled.

In practice, this question matters most for people who move to Spain and keep driving on a licence from home for a short time. The six-month limit means that the points question and the validity question can arrive together. Speak to the DGT or your Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico early, rather than waiting until a fine arrives, so you know which rules apply to your case.

• Most drivers start with 12 points, and novice or regained-licence drivers start with 8.
• The maximum balance is 15 points.
• A standard driver who goes three years without point-losing offences moves from 12 to 14 points.
• Novice drivers who start at 8 return to 12 after two years without point-losing offences.
• The sources disagree on the points from a voluntary course, so confirm with the DGT before relying on one.
• Reaching zero points starts a loss-of-validity procedure, and you have 10 days to submit allegations.