Validating your driving license in Spain is essential if you want to circulate through the streets of emblematic cities like Barcelona or Madrid. Although the process changes depending on your country of origin, it is quite simple. Let’s go over how to validate your driver’s license in Spain as a digital nomad.
To begin with, you should know that driving licenses issued in countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area are valid in Spain, as long as they comply with the requirements that we will explain later. In addition to licenses from EU and EEA countries, those listed within the General Directorate of Traffic are also valid.
Benefits of validating your driving license in Spain
Although it may seem like an unnecessary task, validating your driving license in Spain is essential to make the most of your stay in this country. In addition to allowing you to circulate freely on the streets and highways, it brings more advantages compared to what it would be like to process your Spanish driving license from scratch.
Among these advantages, the most notable is the savings in time and money represented by validating your original license compared to getting it from scratch. To obtain the Spanish license, you must take courses and pass theoretical and practical exams to prove that you are fit to drive, a process that can take several months.
On the contrary, validating your driving license in Spain, although it may take a couple of weeks, grants you special permission to drive during the process, making the wait more tolerable. Furthermore, the required documentation is considerably simpler, avoiding the accumulation of bureaucratic procedures typical of obtaining a Spanish driver’s license from scratch.
Validating your driving license in Spain simplifies mobility within the country and makes international travel easier. Once you validate your license, it gains broader international recognition, so countries with mutual recognition agreements with Spain will more easily accept your new driving license.
Requirements to validate your driving license in Spain
Now that you know the advantages of validating your driver’s license in Spain, how do you go about this process? It is important to keep in mind that it is not the same for all countries, since the requirements change depending on your country of origin.
To provide you with a complete guide, we will focus on common requirements and processes by region, especially in those countries with special agreements or mutual recognitions with the Spanish authorities. We will also address the procedure if your country is not among those mentioned, making sure to provide you with the necessary information so that you understand how to validate your driver’s license in Spain without setbacks.
How to validate your driving license in Spain if you are traveling from a country in the European Union
If you hold a license issued in European Union countries or the European Economic Area (EEA), including Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, you can drive in Spain legally, as long as you meet certain requirements.
The first of them is that the permit must be within its validity period and that the holder is the required age to obtain a Spanish equivalent. Additionally, for residents, the exchange is mandatory after six months of obtaining residency.
If you do not comply with these conditions, it is necessary to exchange the foreign permit for the Spanish one, which involves going through the corresponding tests, including the psychotechnical examination in medical examination centers.
It is important to highlight that, since Brexit, UK driving licenses are no longer valid in Spain. Therefore, this country enters another group and, therefore, has other requirements and processes to comply with.
When traveling from countries with an exchange agreement
Even if your country is not in the EU or EEA, you can still exchange your license in Spain. There is a second group of countries with an exchange agreement. If you come from one of these countries, you can easily exchange your license for a Spanish one.
However, some applicants may need to take additional tests. Others may simply present their license and have it validated.
Countries that do not require additional proof for the exchange include Switzerland, Andorra, Korea, Japan, the UK, Northern Ireland, and New Zealand.
Countries with exchange agreements and tests to be carried out
To learn how to validate your driver’s license in Spain and whether you need to take any additional tests, check the following table:
| Countries with exchange agreement | Permissions that require testing |
| Argentina | Only circulation for permits: C, C+E and D |
| Colombia | Circulation and theory for permits: C, C+E and D |
| Ecuador | Circulation and theory for permits: C, C+E and D |
| Uruguay | Only theoretical for C1 permits. Only circulation for permits: D. Circulation and theory for permits: C and C+E. No test necessary for D1 |
| Peru | Only traffic for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Morocco | Permits A1, A, B, B+E: exchange without evidence. C, C+E, D, D+E permits: circulation test |
| Chile | Only circulation for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1 and D. No test is necessary for D1+E and D+E |
| Algerian | Circulation and theory for permits: C1+E, C, C+E, D and D+E |
| Dominican Republic | Circulation and theory for permits: C1, C, C+E, D1 and D |
| Paraguay | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Bolivia | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Filipinas | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Guatemala | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Brazil | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Serbia | Circulation and theory for permits: C, C+E, D and D+E |
| El Salvador | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Türkiye | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Ukraine | Only traffic for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Tunisia | Circulation and theory for permits: C, C+E, D and D+E |
| North Macedonia | Circulation and theoretical for permits: C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E |
| Nicaragua | Circulation and theory for permits: C1, C, C+E, D1 and D |
| Panama | Circulation and theory for permits: C1, C, C+E, D1 and D |
| Costa Rica | Only circulation for permits: C1, C, C+E and D |
What happens with countries outside the convention?
If your country is not in either group, you must go through the process to obtain a new license in Spain. This means you’ll need to prove your ability to drive and your knowledge of traffic rules to local authorities.
This process is slower and more complex than validating your license, but it is still achievable. The costs will be higher, as you’ll need to pay for the theoretical exam, driving school, practical exam, and fees.
How to validate your driver’s license in Spain: step by step
Now that you know you can validate your license in Spain, it’s time to learn the steps to drive freely.
- You must make an appointment in advance on the website of the DGT (General Directorate of Transit) or by calling the number 060.
- After the appointment, you must wait for validation confirmation through the DGT website. On this web page, your request is presented in three ways (Answered, Rejected or Waiting)
- Once the request appears answered, you must present the documentation necessary on the day you have been summoned.
- Finally, the last step will be to perform the tests corresponding to the type of driving license. Remember that these tests are not always mandatory and depend on the country of origin.
Although the person validating their license must complete the process, a third party can also handle it on their behalf. When done this way, the third party must present a certified authorization document for the benefited person.
What documents should I present?
Once the General Directorate of Transit answers your validation request, make sure to have all the required documents ready. For this, we recommend you have the following:
- Copy of foreign driving license to validate.
- Copy of official application form already filled out, which will be delivered to you on the day of the appointment.
- Copy of Identification: DNI, residence card or valid passport.
- Proof that you were not residing in Spain when the permit to be validated was obtained.
- Psychophysical aptitude report, issued by an authorized Driver Recognition Center.
- Group I: If the exchange doesn’t require testing (usually for permits A and B).
- Group II: If the exchange requires some testing (generally if C and D permits are included).
- Group I: If the exchange doesn’t require testing (usually for permits A and B).
- Proof of payment for the corresponding fee. The general fee is 28.30 euros. However, if practical tests are required, the fee can increase to 92.20 euros.
- If the country of issue is Argentina, a Certificate of Legality and Antiquity must be apostilled by The Hague.
Once you submit all the required documents, the General Directorate of Traffic will issue a 3-month provisional driving license. This provisional license allows you to drive freely until your final license arrives at your residence after processing.
Categories of driving licenses in Spain and equivalences in other countries
Not all countries use the same nomenclature for driver’s licenses. Below is a table showing Spain’s license categories and their equivalents. In Europe, licenses are standardized across all countries. For example, an A1 license in Andorra is the same as an A1 license in Spain.
These equivalences help drivers understand how their home country license matches Spanish categories and those of other countries. This allows them to determine if they need to take any tests to complete the Spanish license validation process.
Driving license table in Spain
| Class | Description | Minimum age |
| AM | Two- or three-wheeled mopeds or light quadricycles | 16 years |
| A1 | Motorcycles up to 125 c.c. and motor tricycles up to 15 kW | 16 years |
| A2 | Motorcycles up to 35 kW | 18 years |
| A | Motorcycles of any power and weight | 20 years |
| B1 | Quadricycles up to 400 kg and 15 kW | 16 years |
| B | Cars up to 3500 kg and trailers up to 750 kg | 18 years |
| BE | Cars with trailer up to 3500 kg | Same as B |
| C1 | Cars up to 7500 kg and trailers up to 750 kg | 18 years |
| C1E | Cars with trailer up to 12000 kg | 18 years |
| C | Cars up to 3500 kg and trailers up to 750 kg | 21 years |
| THIS | Cars with trailer exceeding 750 kg | 21 years |
| D1 | Cars up to 16 passengers | 21 years |
| D1E | Cars with trailer exceeding 750 kg | 21 years |
| D | Cars with more than 16 passengers | 24 years |
| OF | Cars with trailer exceeding 750 kg | 24 years |
Comparison of driving license categories in other countries
| Class (Spain) | Colombia | Mexico | USA |
| AM | AM | AM | – |
| A1 | Driving License Type A1 | Type A License | Motorcycle Class M1 |
| A2 | Driving License Type A2 | Type A License | Motorcycle Class M2 |
| A | Type A Driving License | Type A License | Motorcycle Class M |
| B1 | Driving License Type B1 | Type B License | Driver’s License |
| B | Category B Driving License | Type B License | Driver’s License |
| BE | – | – | – |
| C1 | Driving License Category C1 | Type C License | Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B |
| C1E | – | – | – |
| C | Category C Driving License | Type C License | Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class A |
| THIS | – | – | – |
| D1 | Category D1 Driving License | Type D License | Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class C |
| D1E | – | – | – |
| D | Category D Driving License | Type D License | Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class B |
| OF | – | – | – |
Frequently asked questions when wondering how to validate your driver’s license in Spain
This process can take 1 to 6 months, mainly depending on how long it takes to schedule your appointment. Once scheduled, attend the appointment, present the required documentation, and receive your provisional license to drive without issues. The time it takes to receive the final card is a maximum of 3 months.
The price of validating the driving license in Spain depends on the type of process to be carried out. If you do not need to take any practical test, the total price will be 28.30 euros. If you need to take a practical test, the total price increases to 92.20 euros.
For motorcycle, car, and motorbike licenses (AM, A1, A2, A, B and equivalents), the validity period is 10 years. This applies until the driver turns 65. From that age onwards, renewal must be carried out every 5 years by law.
