Exchange your non-EU driving licence at the DGT
Swap a licence from a country that has an exchange agreement with Spain for the equivalent Spanish licence (canje), handing over the original.
For: A non-EU resident in Spain whose licence was issued by a country on the DGT list of exchange agreements and who wants to keep driving.
Last checked
- Time
- You get a provisional licence when you file. The definitive Spanish licence arrives in about a month and a half. DGT: canje de permisos de países extracomunitarios
What you need
Steps
Check your country is on the DGT list of countries with an exchange agreement. If it is not, you cannot exchange and must get a new licence.
The list also shows whether your country needs extra tests, the fee and the date the agreement was signed.
Count your time. Your foreign licence is only valid for six months from the day you became a normal resident in Spain, so file inside that window.
Check your licence qualifies. It must have been issued before you became a legal resident in Spain, or before the agreement was signed.
Go to an authorised driver recognition centre for the medical report. Say it is for a driving licence and name the licence type you are exchanging.
The report is valid for 90 days. File your application before it expires.
Request the exchange with the DGT, online or in person, using the application form and your residence card.
On the appointment request form you can tick the box that lets the DGT check your identity data, so you do not need to bring that certificate.
Check the fee type for your case. Without extra tests it is fee type 2.3. If tests are required it is type 2.1.
The DGT page does not print the amount in the text. Look it up on the DGT fees page before you pay.
Hand over your original licence when you file. A car or motorbike licence (classes A1, A, B, B+E) is exchanged with no test.
Licences that include truck or bus classes (C, D) normally need a practical test and sometimes a theory test too.
Take the provisional licence you are given and wait for the definitive one. You can follow its status on the DGT site.
Done when: You hold the definitive Spanish licence and your foreign licence has stayed with the DGT.
Common mistakes
- Waiting past six months. After that your foreign licence is not valid for driving in Spain. DGT: canje de permisos de países extracomunitarios
- Using a licence obtained after you became a legal resident in Spain. It cannot be exchanged. DGT sede: canje de permisos extranjeros
What varies
Required documents differ by country of issue: the DGT page shows a country-specific list (for example Argentina needs an apostilled legality certificate; Venezuelan PDF licences are not accepted). Choose your country on the DGT page. Appointment booking at the provincial traffic office (Jefatura) is a JavaScript service this recipe could not read: pick the licence exchange option when booking. The fee amount is not printed in the page text.
Who can do this for you
This page is general information, not legal advice.