How complicated is it to take a Spanish driving test to change my licence?

This week we have received an extraordinary amount of messages and questions regarding UK driving licences in the Canary Islands, as many people are worried, understandably, about driving in the Canary Islands as no agreement has yet been reached for the exchange of UK licences for a Spanish one without taking a test for anyone who was a resident before 1^st January 2021.

Many will claim they had bad advice and were told to wait, even though the British Embassy insisted you should get it swapped over as soon as possible, many will say they couldn’t afford it at the time because of the pandemic, but unfortunately, these reasons are not recognised for not changing it.

Before the UK officially left the EU, residents had the opportunity to change their licence without taking a Spanish driving test, but now that opportunity has passed and no deal is in place to do so, although negotiations are ongoing and it is hoped an agreement will be reached.

For the record, this doesn’t apply to holidaymakers who can use their UK licence, or to new residents who have 6 months to change it over after which point they will have to take a test too.

How difficult is a Spanish driving test and can you do it in English?
As in the UK, there are two parts to a Spanish test, a theory and a practical. The theory test is a 30-question multiple-choice exam, but you have to get 90% or higher to pass, which means you can only get three questions wrong. As long as you study and do lots of practice tests beforehand, you should be able to pass without too much difficulty.

Once you have passed the theory test you can move on to the practical one. Even if you have been driving in Spain for a long period of time, it is advised to have at least one lesson so that the instructor can explain the format of the exam to you, and any regulations you may not have realised.

The good news is that there is no minimum number of lessons required to take the practical test, but the bad news is if you don’t speak Spanish you will need to learn some.

To take the test you will need to be able to understand some specific commands such as left, right, stop, etc, but you don’t need to be able to have a conversation. You will pass or fail depending on the number of faults committed during the exam.

According to the DGT, up to 10 minor faults are allowed but you will fail the exam with just one major fault, but your driving instructor will explain these to you.

Do I have to display the green "L" sign after passing?
No. these only have to be displayed when the vehicle is being driven by a new driver, not somebody who has changed their licence.

Documents needed:
- Application form.
- Medical form from driving health centre.
- Passport.
- Proof of residence.
- Current valid driving licence.
- Two recent photographs.
- Declaration that you haven’t been banned or suspended from driving.
- Declaration that you don’t hold another driver’s license in another country as you have to hand in your UK one.

Do I have to renew my Spanish driving licence?
Yes. You have to get a new one every 10 years if you are under 45 years old, and then every 5 years thereafter. No test is required but a medical certificate is.

Can I use my Spanish licence in the UK?
Yes, you can still use your Spanish licence in the UK for short visits for up to 12 months. If you relocate back to the UK you can exchange it back again without taking a test.