Spanish government extends period of grace for British residents with UK driving licences

Anyone who registered their intention to swap their UK licence with Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic before 30 December 2020 but has not yet done so, now has until 30 April to request an appointment.

The British Embassy in Madrid says that negotiations with the Spanish authorities are continuing and it is committed to reaching a long-term agreement so that UK licence holders can exchange heir licences without taking a driving test.

In a post on its Brits In Spain Facebook page, it said: “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. This involves taking both a practical and a theory test. You can find out more about the process on the DGT site, where the information is also available in English.

It should be noted that this information is only for UK nationals who live in Spain. Visitors can continue to use their UK licence to drive in Spain without the need for an International Driving Permit