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After reading some posts about Driving licences I have a question. Has anyone actualy been fined for driving with a eglish licence while being a resident here or is this all nothing but chit chat?
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Just enjoy life!
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Hi Alan
We have a house and a quad bike in Spain but are not resident. Last April my husband was stopped by police and issued with a ticket for not having a Spanish licence as they insisted he must be a resident. After several trips to Malago Traffico we were told that we had to get a Certificate of non residence from our local police station saying that we did not need a Spanish licence. We then presented this back at Malaga Traffico, along with a form explaining in Spanish why we did not have to have a Spanish licence. When I asked if the fine would now be cancelled I was told there were four options: 1. Come back in three weeks and ask. 2. They would write to us in England to tell us that the fine was cancelled. 3. They would write to us in England demanding that we still pay the fine. 4. We would not hear anything more from them. To date we have not heard anything so assume that the fine has been cancelled. Unfortunately the certificate of non residence is only valid for three months so it is already out of date. I guess if we get stopped again we will have to go through the whole process again. Great Joy!
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Hi Al,
My partner was stopped told to get his licence changed by the police or else! he did what he was told and was stopped again some time later with no probs. He wasnt fined but I hate to think what would have happened if he hadnt dealt with it.
asta pronto.
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Cheers Luv
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Well the Police in Redovan know Steve quite well.
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Just enjoy life!
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it is a European Licence which means it is valid all over Europe untill it runs out. It must then be changed for a Licence where you are resident. I have just changed for a Spanish but only because the UK one ran out. I have been stopped on the UK licence produced it and all was fine.
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Has anyone heard that a new law has been brought in very recently (I think 19.01.2013) which states that Spanish Residents with a UK driving licence have to take a medical irrespective of age and then have their UK (Eu) licence endorsed or registered by Trafico.
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Have a look at the Driving in Spain thread from the 20th Jan.
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Thank you Bob _ will search for it now.
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Fyfin
Has anyone heard that a new law has been brought in very recently (I think 19.01.2013) which states that Spanish Residents with a UK driving licence have to take a medical irrespective of age and then have their UK (Eu) licence endorsed or registered by Trafico.
According to people like David Deller author of Motoring in Spain, it has always been a requirement, that if one is driving on a UK D/L then they must have a valid medical certificate, just like those driving on a Spanish DL.
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Hi Alan63 yes is the answer to your question a friend of mine was fined 500e last year in Algorfa at a checkpoint by the Guardia because she was a resident and she was driving a Spanish reg car and she was told she should know better, I know this because I changed her UK driving licence over at Trafico at Alicante. This thread is getting boaring If you are a resident just change it its so easy and cheap then you can use it as ID as it has your NIE on it. The new law 19/01/2013 is for paper licences but why are people holding on to thier UK licences if they are residents what benefits are they to you here ? none as far as I can see. Embrace your new country Spain is so wonderful and some of you need to get out more and get a life stop moaning, be happy.
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You know it makes sense.
GJC Services.es.
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I have spoken to the Guardia Civil, a UK resident is not required to change his/her DL to a Spanish one, but they are required to have a current medical cert in the vehicle.
I know someone who was also fined, that was why I asked the Police.
It occurred to me afterwards that most (many / some) insurance policies have cover for fines. Maybe if one is affected they could try their insurance company for help-
(I changed my DL many years ago as I believed that as I lived here it would be better to part of the crowd and not ‘stand out’)
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Solwayiceman, well said and I probably will change it if the buggers ever let me have residencia (well I know it's not but it's easier to say than signing on the Registro Central de Extranjeros). I agree that it seems the easiest way and as I have no intention of going back to the UK then it makes sense especiallyt as it appears we have to have a medical anyway and take the little co-ordination test.
On the "residencia" front I had a totally different experience today, got a lovely relaxed guy who said everything was in order, why didn't I get him last week!!!!
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Johnzx "I have spoken to the Guardia Civil, a UK resident is not required to change his/her DL to a Spanish one, but they are required to have a current medical cert in the vehicle." Can I just clarify, did you mean to write a UK resident, or did you mean a resident ( of Spain) with a UK licence.
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I have no doubt that even Kathyslad understood it was UK citizens (and other EU citizens) who are resident in Spain.
“None so blind as those that will not see.”
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And I think the different driving licenses are confusing people. According to the manager of trafico in Alicante
Not all residents have to renovate their UK driving licenses. All resident who have the European driving license, that is the plastic card with the date of expiry on the front of the card, don't have to renew their UK driving licenses. Their driving license is correct. But those residents who have the old format UK driving license, that is a paper, they need to go to Trafico to renovate their licenses.
He also stated that all European residents who have been living in Spain for more than 2 years, and had not got the European driving license, had to be inscribed in the office of Trafico in Malaga. The inscription means that they have to renovate their UK licenses. For doing that, they need to go to Trafico and hand in the following documents: application form of renovation, pay taxes of renovation (less that 30€), medical certificate, and a photo. In case the residents don't update their UK licenses in Trafico, they will be fined with 200€.
And I'd have thought the previous link to europa eu with law 10-3 would have explained all this and avoided the confusion as it is pretty self explanatory.
(Although I did have the new style UK license with the photo and stars, I did change my license to a Spanish one. The only drawback was that DVLA took over 3 months to process it and send it back)
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And as that Spanish licence is of course an EU licence, it is equally valid in the UK and everywhere else.mmsp I can see no reason NOT to change, even for those of us who visit the UK regularly.m yes I understand that the new regulation confirms that we don't HAVE to. But all logic says that however good our language skills in normal settings, when explaining the complexities of why we still have a foreign licence to a police officer who isn't 100% up to speed on the detail, I'm more confident explaining my Spanish licence to an English police officer, than trying to explain a UK licence to a Spanish one!
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Blog about settling into a village house in the Axarquía. http://www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/tamara.aspx
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And I think the different driving licenses are confusing people
Anyway, as from 19th Jan 2013 there should be no problem, as we will all be issued with an EU D/L.
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/behavior/driving_licence_en.htm
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I would be very wary as the info that Trafico in Malaga are saying is incorrect.
This ;
" Not all residents have to renovate their UK licenses. All residents who have the European driving license, that is the plastic card with the date of expiration in the front side, don't have to renew their UK licenses."
Is utter nonsense.
A UK licence does not expire until the age of 70. The 'expiry' shown on the front is when the photo requires renewing. If you do not renew the photo the licence is still valid. The licence will always be valid until renewal at age 70 .
Remember , in the UK there is no requirement to carry your driving licence therefore unless you are stopped & given a producer no one will ever know your licence photo is outdated.
Regardless of what Trafico say the onus is on you to be correct & in the event of a death/serious injury accident that results in a court case the second thing they will ask for, after your licence, if you are a Brit; German or Norwegian , is for a current medical certificate.
All ins.co; lawyers know that the BRits, Germans & Norwegians who are residents, require a certificate to keep their home country licences legal in Spain.
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Todos somos Lorca.
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The letter on Brian Dellers website from Trafico, confirming what Gus says about needing the medical is dated October 2004. I've had a copy in my glovebox for about 5 years , together with my medical certificate.
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Those who drive using a non Spanish licence need a valid medial certificate, which complies with the rules for those with Spanish Licences.
This varies according to age and whether it is the first or subsequent DL. Thus for a person aged under 65 the cert (and the DL) must be renewed after 5 years, After that it is every 10 years. Over 65, 3 years and 5 years.
Note., The fact that it says on the cert that it is valid for only 3 months, is in relation to applying for a Spanish DL. That is:- It must be applied for within that period.
This is the (I hope up to date) info.
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Menores 65 años
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5 años
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10 años
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Mayores 65
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3 años
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5 años
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PS there was some confusion about how long the Spanish DL lasts for 65 year olds and over. My friend got 5 years whenI applied, a couple of months later, in Nov 2011, I got 3 years, (God bless Spain !!!! )
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