Exchanging Your Driving Licence in Spain: UK, US and Irish Rules

Whether you can swap your home driving licence for a Spanish one - and whether you need a test - depends entirely on where the licence was issued. If you hold a UK licence there is a bilateral UK-Spain exchange agreement (no test), but only for a short window after you become resident. If you hold a US licence there is no agreement and you must sit the full Spanish exam. If you hold an Irish or other EU/EEA licence, it stays valid and you simply register it with the DGT. Here is what each group needs to do in Valencia.

UK licence holders: the six-month window that closes

Since 16 March 2023, a reciprocal UK-Spain agreement lets British residents exchange a UK photocard licence for a Spanish one with no theory or practical test. It is a purely administrative canje. But there is a catch that trips up a lot of newcomers: you can only drive on your UK licence for six months from the day you become resident (counted from your empadronamiento or TIE, whichever comes first). After those six months the exchange channel closes and, if you have not applied, the only route left is the full Spanish theory-plus-practical exam. Do not sit on this.

The process:

• Book a cita previa (appointment) with the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) at the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico in Valencia, via sede.dgt.gob.es.
• Obtain a medical certificate (the psicotécnico) at an authorised Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores - roughly €30-50.
• Bring your NIE, your empadronamiento, a photo, and your valid UK licence, which you surrender.
• Pay the fee: Modelo 790, código 011, about €28.85.

You will drive on a temporary authorisation while the definitive card is posted to you. In Valencia, be realistic about timing: appointment waits typically run four to twelve weeks, so start well inside your six-month window, not at the end of it.

US licence holders: no agreement, full Spanish test

There is no exchange agreement between Spain and any US state, so a US licence cannot be swapped administratively. As a short-term visitor you can drive on your US licence (an International Driving Permit is recommended) for up to six months. But once you are a Spanish resident, to keep driving legally you must pass the full Spanish driving test - theory and practical, the same as a first-time learner. In practice that means enrolling with an autoescuela, and note that the theory exam can be sat in English in many provinces. Budget time and money accordingly.

Irish and EU/EEA licence holders: just register

If you hold an Irish licence - or any EU/EEA licence - it remains valid in Spain for as long as it is in date, with no test. You are not obliged to exchange it to drive day to day. Once resident, the sensible step is simply to register your licence with the DGT so your details are in the Spanish driver register; the exchange becomes relevant mainly when the licence expires and needs renewing under Spanish medical rules.

Arriving with your own car?

Re-registering a foreign-plated car (matriculación) is a separate procedure from the licence. We cover it, along with low-emission zones and parking, in our guide to driving a car in Valencia.

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Sources

• DGT - cita previa and licence exchange (canje)
• DGT - driving licences
• GOV.UK - exchanging a UK licence abroad

Information verified in July 2026. Rules, fees and waiting times change: always check the official source (the DGT) before you start. The Daily Valencia is an AI-assisted publication with human review; our editorial team verifies and takes responsibility for every article. Spotted an error? Write to us and we will correct it.