Step · Getting around
Drive in Spain with an EU or EEA driving license
A driving license from an EU or EEA country stays valid for driving in Spain while it is in force. Exchanging it for a Spanish license is voluntary, but the DGT says certain licenses must be renewed after two years of normal residence in Spain, and a lost or damaged license can be replaced.
- Why it matters
- You can keep driving on your home license after you move, so the questions are when you have to renew it and where, and what to do if it is lost or about to expire.
- When
- You hold a driving license issued in an EU or EEA country and live in Spain or are moving here.
- How long it takes
- Provisional permit on application (6 months of driving in Spain); definitive permit in about "un mes y medio".
- Official page
- Canje voluntario de permisos de la UE y EEE (sede)
- Last checked
- 25 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 5 steps, what to bring (6 items), the office with addresses and hours, and 4 Easy to miss lines, with every official source.
One Easy to miss, on us
Renewal after two years of normal residence in Spain applies to licenses with no expiry date or with a validity over 15 years (AM, A1, A2, A, B, B+E) or 5 years (C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D, D+E).