Finally¡ the exchange of UK driving licenses
The Council of Ministers of Spain has approved on Tuesday 14/03/2022 an agreement between Spain and the United Kingdom for the reciprocal recognition and exchange of driving licenses, as well as the exchange of information on traffic violations related to road safety.
This agreement puts an end to the successive extensions applied for the exchange of licenses between the two countries that had been in place since the end of the transitional period provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
It is worth noting that this agreement has been long-awaited by UK expats living in Spain. The possibility of exchanging their licenses will give them back the peace of mind they lost after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
From now on, holders of a valid and current driving license issued by either of the two states may request the exchange of their equivalent driving license where they have established their residence, without being subject to any additional practical or theoretical test requirements and in accordance with the equivalence tables between the categories of licenses of both countries.
The agreement establishes that all valid licenses or permits of current residents issued prior to its entry into force may be exchanged, while for licenses issued after said entry into force, it will be an essential requirement to access the exchange that the licenses have been issued in the country where the applicant had their legal residence.
With this agreement, British citizens residing in Spain who had not recognized their driving license before Brexit, nor in the successive extensions granted, may do so from Thursday, March 16.
To facilitate administrative processing in provincial traffic departments, a period of six months has been granted during which British citizens may drive in Spain with their original license while processing the exchange.
For those who are looking to process this exchange, it is important to note that established Spanish Gestorias, such as Gestoria Salvador, can help with the administrative process.
Gestoria Salvador has been serving clients since 1969 and has extensive experience in dealing with bureaucratic procedures in Spain. So, if you are a UK expat living in Spain, and want to exchange your driving license, you may consider reaching out to us for assistance.
