UK driving licence holders now have until April 30th to change their licence

The Spanish Government confirmed an extension of the current grace period for the recognition of UK driving licences yesterday, which means that those people living in Spain before 1st January 2021 can continue to drive in Spain and the Canary Islands with a valid UK driving licence until 30th April 2022.

However, if you moved to Spain after 1st January 2021, your licence will be recognised for six months from the date your obtained residency, or until 30th April 2022, whichever date is later.

Those people who registered their intention to exchange their licence with the DGT before 30th December 2020, but have not yet done so, now have until April 30th to request an appointment.

The British Ambassador, Hugh Elliott, said, “negotiations are continuing and we are committed to reaching a long-term agreement with Spain to enable UK licence holders to exchange their permits without taking a test.”

“However, we recognise that this two-month extension is not as long as we would have liked and does not resolve the ongoing uncertainty as negotiations continue. Therefore, if it is essential for you to drive, you may not want to wait for the outcome of the ongoing negotiations and you may decide to apply for a Spanish driving licence now.”

Applying for a Spanish licence involves taking both a practical and theory test, and you can find out more about the process on the DGT website, where the information is also available in English, by clicking here: https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/permisos-de-conducir

Don’t forget that this situation only applies to UK Nationals living in Spain, visitors and holidaymakers can continue to use their UK licence to drive in Spain without the need for an International Driving Permit.