From today, March 16, holders of a UK Driving licence, resident in Spain before Brexit, have six months to exchange it for a Spanish one.
The announcement was published yesterday.
During the six months grace period drivers with a current driving licence can drive on the UK one while waiting for the exchange to go through.
The decision still has to be published in the state bulletin BOE, when all the details will be clear. This should happen in the next 24 hours.
This decision means that holders of a valid and current driving licence issued in the UK or Northern Ireland can apply to exchange it for a Spanish one, if they are officially resident, without having to take a test.
The agreement recognizes the validity of driving licences held by current residents, that were issued prior to this agreement and they may be exchanged.
Driving licences issued after today, March 16, must be issued in the country where the applicant has official residence.*
So British citizens with residency in Spain, who had not exchanged them for Spanish ones before Brexit or during the chain of grace periods after that, will be able to exchange their licences from today March 16.
A period of six months has been established to facilitate the administrative process of the exchange, during which UK driving licence holders can drive in Spain while the exchange is being processed.
In addition, Spain and the United Kingdom undertake to provide each other with information on the data of the vehicles and their owners for the purpose of investigating traffic offences related to road safety, especially in cases of speeding, not wearing a seat belt, failure to stop at a red light, driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, not wearing a crash helmet, driving in a prohibited lane, or illegal use of mobile phones”
This is the link for the full text in Spanish.
https://www.interior.gob.es/…/El-Gobierno-aprueba…/…
Editors Note
* So anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must take the tests applicable in their country of residency.
According to the information published yesterday, those with an expired UK driving licence may not drive during this six months exchange period but can exchange their licence for a Spanish one. However, more information on this situation should be clarified once the full details have been published in the BOE.
