Embassy Confirms Driving License Details For Brits In Spain. The British Embassy in Madrid has clarified the protocols for British drivers changing to a Spanish license.
Embassy Confirms Driving License Details For Brits In Spain
The British Embassy in Madrid has issued a statement to clarify the procedure for British drivers who wish to exchange the UK driving license for a Spanish driving license, before the end of the Brexit transition period.
A lack of appointments with DGT has made the process of license exchange difficult for many Brits on the Costa Del Sol. The DGT has now put a new system in place on their website, which should make it easier for British nationals to begin the process before the end of the year.
Two Step Process
It is a two-step process. The first step is to make an application to the DGT before 30 December. You can do this via their online portal if you have a digital certificate/CLAVE or by calling 060. In some provinces it may also be possible to do so by downloading the form and taking it to your local office, though you may wish to ring ahead to confirm this. You can also ask a representative (eg a gestor) to do this on your behalf. For this part of the process you do not need to have a residency certificate or TIE, but you will need a NIE.
If you do not hear anything from the DGT in the meantime, three days after submitting your application you can request an appointment with the DGT to do the exchange. This should be booked on the DGT’s website.
December Deadline
As long as your application has been submitted before 30 December, and the UK authorities have verified your licence by the end of the year, your appointment to exchange your licence can be after 1 January 2021, provided it is within the first 6 months of next year. Please note that you will need a residency certificate/TIE to do final exchange, so if you are in the process of applying for residency you may want to choose a later date for your appointment.
Irrespective of whether a UK licence has been verified for exchange by the end of the year, you will be able to drive in Spain using your UK licence for 6 months from 1 January 2021. The future rules on exchange and recognition of UK licences are still subject to negotiation.
For more information and a link to the online application form visit this link. Please note that you can change the site’s language to English by selecting it in the drop-down menu in the top right hand corner of the page.
Published: 17.11.2020
Written by Dave James.
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