Exchange a foreign driving licence in Spain (canje)
Now a resident of Spain and want to keep driving on a foreign licence? It is only valid for a limited time. If your country has an agreement with Spain, A/B categories are usually exchanged without an exam; C/D categories may require additional tests. If there is no agreement, holders of ordinary licences usually need to obtain a Spanish licence by passing the required exams, although separate routes exist for some professional licences EU/EEA licences are valid, no exam. Below: who gets what, the (important!) deadlines, documents and the step-by-step process at the DGT.
What licence exchange (canje) is
Licence exchange (canje) is exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Spanish one without starting from scratch.
It is possible if the issuing country has an agreement (convenio) with Spain; the DGT keeps the list and it changes.
EU/EEA licences are valid in Spain while they remain in force, and they can be exchanged at the DGT without an exam..
Without an agreement, ordinary A/B licence exchange (canje) is usually not possible — you must obtain a Spanish licence by passing the theoretical and practical exams; professional licences may follow a separate DGT procedure
Who this applies to
- Residents of Spain with a foreign licence (non-EU and EU).
- People whose issuing country is on the DGT agreement list (many Latin American countries and others).
- People whose country has no agreement — ordinary licences usually require obtaining a Spanish licence through the relevant exams, while professional categories must be checked separately..
- People who just became residents: a foreign licence is valid only for a limited period.
NAVICheck my licence — can it be exchanged and what are my steps
NAVI checks whether it can be exchanged and shows your steps and deadlines.
EU, agreement or exam
- EU/EEA licences: valid; registration/exchange at the DGT with no exam.
- Agreement country: A/B categories are usually exchanged without an exam; C/D categories may require additional tests.
- No-agreement country: ordinary licences usually mean getting a Spanish licence by exam (theory + practical); professional licences may have a specific DGT route.
- A driver medical fitness check (psicotécnico) at an authorised driver-assessment centre may be required as part of the process
- The right to appeal a DGT refusal within the set period.
Deadlines
- A non-EU foreign licence is usually valid to drive for the first 6 months after you become a resident.
- After 6 months, driving without exchanging / getting a Spanish licence is an offence.
- Plan the DGT route, the cita previa if that route requires it, and the medical early — queues and requirements depend on the country and category.
- EU licences are subject to separate validity and renewal rules; check which rules apply to your licence after establishing residence in Spain.
Documents
- The foreign driving licence (with a legalised translation if required).
- The identity/residence document requested by the DGT (NIE/TIE, EU certificate, passport/ID) and address/residence proof if your route requires it.
- The psychophysical fitness report (informe de aptitud psicofísica / psicotécnico) from a driver-assessment centre and a photo.
- Payment of the DGT fee (tasa) and the completed exchange application (solicitud de canje).
How to exchange
- Check the DGT list to see whether your country has an agreement (convenio).
- Do the driver medical check (psicotécnico) and get the photo.
- Open the DGT page for your country and licence category: it shows whether you need to apply online, book a cita previa or take additional tests.
- Pay the fee (tasa) and file the documents: licence, identity/residence document, address/residence proof if required, and medical check (psicotécnico).
- Get a temporary permit, then the Spanish licence; the foreign one is usually handed in to the DGT.
A real case: the suspension was not applied to him — and the exchange was refused anyway
He applied before the agreement was suspended — and the court agreed with him on that. The exchange was refused anyway. The application to exchange a Venezuelan licence was filed with the provincial Tráfico office on 8 February 2021. The office refused, relying on a Guardia Civil investigation report of 19 August 2021: on the findings of the forensic document examination by the Servicio de Criminalística, the licence presented was held not to be authentic. The administrative appeal was dismissed, the first-instance court in Pontevedra upheld the refusal, and the case reached the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Galicia.
What was not obvious — and there are two layers here. He won the first one. The administration relied on the suspension of the Spain–Venezuela Canje de Cartas: notified on 31 March 2021, effective from 15 March 2021, published in the BOE on 22 July 2022. The court held the suspension did not apply to this application, because it was filed on 8 February 2021 and treaty provisions take effect only from entry into force — they do not operate retroactively. So this particular suspension was not applied to this particular application, because it took effect later. That is a case-specific conclusion, not a general rule: filing does not by itself freeze the legal regime — it depends on the norm and its transitional provisions. He lost the second layer: the refusal stood not because of the agreement but because the authenticity of the document itself was not established. And the most unexpected part — the criminal proceedings for document forgery were discontinued and that order became final, yet discontinuing a criminal case is not the same as proving a document authentic in an administrative dispute. The practical takeaway when exchanging a licence: it can be worth arguing which version of the rules applies to you — but that depends on the particular norm and its transitional provisions, it does not follow automatically. And no argument about dates substitutes for a document that survives an authenticity check.
Outcome: the exchange was refused and the appeal dismissed. The applicant was left without a Spanish licence more than three years after applying — from February 2021 to the judgment in May 2024.
The mechanism is in force: the exchange runs on arts. 22 and 23 of the Reglamento General de Conductores (RD 818/2009), read with point 3 of the Spain–Venezuela Canje de Cartas of 16 May 2005; what can be exchanged is a licence that is authentic, valid and in force and whose model matches those approved by the parties. One point specific to Venezuela: application of that agreement has been suspended since 15 March 2021, so today the filing date is no longer a shield — the suspension applies. A caveat on how far this carries: it is a High Court appeal binding this case only, and the note states expressly that the judgment is not final and a cassation appeal is available.
Above is how the exchange works. But before counting deadlines it is worth making sure your document will survive an authenticity check: that is where these disputes usually end.
Check my situationCommon mistakes
- Driving after 6 months of residence on a foreign licence without exchanging.
- Assuming your country has an agreement without checking the current DGT list.
- Skipping the driver medical check (psicotécnico) — the licence exchange (canje) is not processed without it.
- Letting the foreign licence expire before starting the exchange (canje).
- Thinking an international permit (IDP) replaces licence exchange (canje) for a resident — it does not.
- Trying to exchange a licence obtained in the country of origin after you were already a legal resident in Spain: the DGT usually excludes it, except specific exceptions.
No agreement / refusal
- With no agreement, ordinary A/B licences usually require the Spanish licence exam at a driving school (autoescuela); check professional licences through the specific DGT route.
- A licence-exchange refusal (canje) can be appealed: file an appeal (recurso) within the set period.
- For disputes over category equivalence, check with the DGT and attach the documents.
- Keep your appointment, payment and medical-check (psicotécnico) proof (justificantes).
Get help exchanging your licence
Tell us your situation (issuing country, category, how long you’ve been a resident): NAVI tells you whether there is an agreement, whether your category needs tests, which documents and medical you need, and which DGT route to use.
✓ Free · ✓ No account · ✓ A few minutes
Related guides
Key terms in this guide
Frequently asked questions
How long is a foreign licence valid?
A non-EU licence is usually valid to drive for the first 6 months after you become a resident; then you need licence exchange (canje) or a Spanish licence.
Does my country have an agreement?
The DGT keeps the list and it changes; many Latin American and other countries are on it. Check the current list.
Do I need an exam?
EU licences need no exam. With an agreement, A/B categories are usually exchanged without an exam, but C/D may require additional tests. Without an agreement, ordinary licences usually require theory and practical at a driving school (autoescuela).
What is the medical check (psicotécnico)?
A driver medical fitness check at a driver-assessment centre — required for licence exchange (canje) and to get a licence.
Can I drive on an international permit (IDP)?
As a tourist, yes; as a resident after 6 months, no — you need licence exchange (canje) or a Spanish licence.
Do I keep my foreign licence?
Usually the foreign licence is handed in to the DGT during licence exchange (canje).
Do EU licences need exchanging?
They are valid; over time a registration/exchange at the DGT may be needed based on residence length, but with no exam.
My licence exchange (canje) was refused — what now?
File an appeal (recurso) within the set period; NAVI helps you read the grounds.
Official sources
- DGT — exchange of foreign driving licences
- DGT — agreement countries and required tests
- DGT — licences valid for driving in Spain
- DGT — driving with a foreign licence
- Reglamento General de Conductores, articles 21-23 — BOE
The list of agreement countries and the deadlines change — check yours with NAVI or the DGT.
📩 Foreigners are the last to hear what affects them directly — laws, rules, new fees and opportunities.
We won't forget you. Leave your email — we'll explain it simply, in your language.
Checked by the RightNOW team · Change history
- Participation in the OVHcloud Startup Program was removed; the OVHcloud mark and the membership badge no longer appear. Versions: EN, ES, RU, FR, RO, PT, AR, UK, DE, NL, PL
- The programme logos in the shared site footer were restyled; the page text did not change. Versions: EN, ES, RU, FR, RO, PT, AR, UK, DE, NL, PL
- The AI Pact programme statement now records the signed Pillar II voluntary pledges and links to the European Commission signatories list. Versions: EN, ES, RU, FR, RO, PT, AR, UK, DE, NL, PL
- Participation in EU AI Pact Pillar I was added to the programme information. Versions: EN, ES, RU, FR, RO, PT, AR, UK, DE, NL, PL
- Participation in the Google for Startups Cloud Program and OVHcloud Startup Program was added. Versions: EN, ES, RU, FR, RO, PT, AR, UK, DE, NL, PL
- Programme and certification marks were added to the shared site footer. Versions: EN, ES, RU, FR, RO, PT, AR, UK, DE, NL, PL
- Legal basis, deadlines and figures re-checked against official sources.
- Language review: wording and terms checked, corrections applied. Versions: RU, EN · Антон Белянский, QA review
- Page published.
This guide is general information about Spanish law, not a legal opinion on your case. Rules change and outcomes depend on your own facts and documents — check your situation before you act on it.
Need everyday protection, not just a one-off check?
Included: checks of Spanish documents, letters, requests and contracts before signing, Action Plans, consultation and sending your claims by burofax.