British to Spanish Driving licence- Alicante Region, Orihuela/Elche area

I will still maintain that if you become a resident in Spain, the best course of action is to exchange your licence for a Spanish one. Just my opinion, perhaps, and I can't be bothered to go on about it. Maybe you don't need periodic medicals with a UK licence, but why chance it?

Real Decreto 772/1997, de 30 de mayo.

Artículo 22. Aplicación de la normativa española a los permisos expedidos por los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea cuando su titular haya adquirido la residencia normal en España.

El titular de un permiso de conducción expedido en uno de los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea que haya adquirido su residencia normal en España quedará sometido a las disposiciones españolas relativas a su periodo de vigencia y de control de sus aptitudes psicofísicas, que serán los mismos que se establecen en el artículo 16 para los permisos expedidos en España.

 To all you wonderful people who have been so helpful ... Andy and I both passed the medical and driving proficiency test in Albatera yesterday!  On to Alicante and Trafico next week!  -One last thing... does anyone know if we can hire a car in the UK over Christmas when we go back if we don't have our new Spanish licences?  Thank you again, Donna 

Hi Donna

Just received a letter from Traffio telling me to go to Alicante and pick up my new Spanish driving licence so it has only took 4 weeks  so you shoud be okay if you do it now

  Hi can anybody help please.  I am in the process of changing my uk licence for a spanish licence - Alicante Trafico.  The whole process started on the 10th March and trafico say they wrote to DVLA on 15th March.  As yet Trafico have not heard back from DVLA.  We got the certificate (little green one) from trafico but the problem we have now is that we are going touring at the end of May and thought we would have enough time from beginning of March to get everything sorted and are now getting worried.  The UK photocard has now expired hence the change to a spanish licence - will we be legal to go on holiday with just the receipt from trafico as proof of exchange processing.  Tried contacting DVLA who seem to be denying all knowledge of trafico contacting them but trafico insist they did on 15th March.  Help has anybody any suggestions!!!!!