How long to swap UK licence for Spanish one?

Only just realised that my UK licence comes up for renewal at the end of this month!

I checked the DVLA website but not being resident in the UK means I have to swap it for a Spanish one.

That's fine but I have to go to UK in a few weeks and need my licence to hire a car.

So just wondering if anyone has swapped their UK licence for a Spanish one and how long the process took?

Thanks

Justin

 2 to 3 weeks.  Unfortunately, you have to hand your British one in and wait for them to get confirmation from DVLA.  This means you have a temporary licence to tide you over which might not be accepted by a UK car hire firm?  

Thanks for that.

I can handle 2 or 3 weeks but if it takes longer than that then I'm going to have to get my knee pads ready for the car hire reception desk

Justin

Justin,

Just use the address of family/friends in the UK?  Mine is due for renewal next year and I'm just going to put down my parents' address.

If you change to a Spanish licence you have to do the medical each time you renew.

Sanchez 1,

unless you have a condition that you do not want discovered, I consider it very necessary and worthwhile to have a medical each time your drivers licence is renewed?

It may indicate something you were not aware of, that could be treated.

There is enough carnage on the roads as it is!!

I do not wish to be argumentative, just my point of view, as a one time driving instructor.

I'm not worried about the medical.  I had one last year for my life insurance and passed with flying colours

My worry is just the time taken to renew....and yes, I know, I've left it very late!

I tried the DVLA online renewal but not having a UK account etc, meant I would have to lie through every orifice to get a UK licence again.

But maybe it would be less hassle than going to trafico in Malaga!

I can see myself driving to Malaga (an hour each way), hanging around for a few hours only to be told that I've forgotten to bring that one thing they don't tell you to bring on the documentation list.  Or my photos are no good (can't help the way I look really) or my NIE copy if the wrong colour....

Then they'll tell me that I should get the licence if I can pass a medical but (shrugging shoulders) are not sure when that will actually be.

Just keep wondering if committing DVLA fraud is the easier option

Justin

OK, so finally plucked up the courage to tackle this today and for anyone who has to do the same I will tell you what I have done and how it went...

First you have to find your local "Jefatura de Trafico" office on the not-very-easy-to-use DGT website.  You can search for it here.  Click the not-very-obvious "¿Done se puede solicitar?" link to get started.

I live in the Manilva area and my local office is in Malaga.  I am thus using the word "local" in its broadest of contexts

Then, on this page on their website you get a list of stuff that you need to take/ do.

I took the following:

• Passport + photocopy
• Green Residencia certificate + photocopy
• Photo card driving licence + photocopy
• Paper part of driving licence + photocopy
• 1 passport sized photograph
• Pair of scissors and ruler (in case they got funny about the size of the photo )
• Take a pen...I forgot mine.

The sat nav got me totally lost trying to find the place, wish I'd just printed off a map instead, especially as the postcode on the DGT website doesn't match that on my sat nav!

Anyway, when I got there I thought "holy sh.....", the place was packed with people, and the place is huge!

Anyway, joined the queue for "Informacion" where a very helpful guy gave me an incredibly short form to fill in.  He also let me borrow a pen (remember to take your own).

Armed with form filled in, over to the "Cajas" desk to pay the 25 Euros and get my ticket.

Being a "canje" (swap) queue it was really short and I only had to wait about 15 minutes to get to the designated checkout.

All went very smoothly and they told me that I will hear from them in 3 weeks time at which point I have to go back for stage 2.  Stage 1 is where they contact the DVLA and arrange whatever it is they do with them.

Also, as my licence will have expired by then I will have to have a medical.  They will tell me where to get this done.

All in all, it was really simple.  Everyone at each coutner was very pleasant and helpful.  Certainly not the unhelpful creatures that "funcionarios" are portrayed as most of the time.

Will update this in a few weeks when I have to return.

Justin

Yes the medical part is a problem,  that is if you can't actually see wel enough to walk into the room where they do the test !!!!

My husband is a Type 2 diabetic aged 65.  Does anyone know if he would have a problem with the medical if he changed his UK driving licence for a Spanish one? 

I don't know...but I could ask for you in three weeks time when I have to have my medical

Justin

Any one living in Spain who holds a driving licence issued in the EU, and think it has to be a card licence with photo but not sure on that point, can drive in Spain as long as the licence is valid.

You must however follow Spanish rules and complete a medical at a DGT authorised clinic. If you have not done the medical and have a accident and have to go to court, the court may find your licence invalid. There was a case a couple of years ago where this happened.

Don't forget, your UK photo licence expires after 10 years.

The medical is simple, as long as you can walk into the clinic, see, read, and ping pong game, you will pass the medical, all they want is your money.

Val,  

                         why don't you ask at a DGT authorised clinic?  That is where (in effect) the decission is taken.

Thanks Justin, I'd appreciate it if you don't mind asking.

OK, I thought I'd update this thread with the latest on my driving licence exchange.

After my initial visit to trafico in Malaga, which went very smoothly, they told me to wait 3 weeks at which point they would email me to then go back and complete the process.  During those three weeks they contact the DVLA in the UK.

Last week they sent me an email with instructions in English telling me what date and time to go to trafico again and what I needed to take with me.

One of those things was the medical certificate.

There are a few of these places dotted around outside the building so I just went into one and they did it there and then.  The price for this is €45.

The medical was very simple.  They read out a list of conditions and ask you if you have any and then they do an eye test, reading letters on a board, a bit like in the opticians.

Then someone else asks you more questions and then they do the most silliest of tests to test your reflexes.  You have to watch a dot going across a computer screen and then it goes into a tunnel and you have to press a button when you think it should be exiting it.  I was pretty rubbish at it but they passed me anyway :)

Then with medical certifacte in hand, I went round the corner back to trafico, got my number from reception, waited about 10 minutes and then a very friendly lady did lots of stamping dates and stuff and gave me a temporary Spanish licence.  The temporary licence has no photo on it but is percfectly valid.

The actual one will come through the post in around 4 - 5 weeks time.

The whole experience was pretty painless and quite efficient.  I was very impressed.

Hope that helps anyone who has to go through the same process.

Val, I'm sorry, I forgot to ask about diabetes.  It was one of the questions asked but I don't think they would fail you for that.  Maybe pop into one of these medical centres near to where trafico is near you and ask.  Most seem to speak English.

Justin

Hi Justin,

Do they test each eye individually or is it just a "stand in front of a board and read from a distannce" type test.

I know its a strange question but there is method in my madness!

Thanks

I think the moral of the story would be to read the board with either both eyes or your good eye and then remember as much as you can for when you have to cover up your good eye.

Yeah, I tried that but I forgot what the letters were after reading them out with my good eye

Still, I passed anyway so all was good in the end!

Justin

 Glad to se that some people got their Driving Licence painlessly.  It took 7 months for mine to come though and it has just took my wife 4 months and our friend who applied at the same time is still waiting for hers.