Can you have BOTH a Spanish Driving Licence and UK Driving Licence

[Archer]

Another licence related query. Can you have BOTH a Spanish Driving Licence and UK Driving Licence or are they mutually exclusive?
Thanks

[Sam]

Another licence related query. Can you have BOTH a Spanish Licence and UK Licence or are they mutually exclusive?
Thanks

Simple answer :NO.

You have to surrender your UK driving licence to get the Spanish one.

[Spitfire58]

The only way I suppose would be to hold onto your U.K. license & just do the Spanish test, depending on how difficult it is language wise etc

[Sam]

The only way I suppose would be to hold onto your U.K. license & just do the Spanish test, depending on how difficult it is language wise etc

Honestly, I have never heard of anyone who would go such a length just to obtain and keep the same licence in two countries. It's years ago I've done mine but I believe they're asking if you have any driving licence for other vehicles, don't they?
Also, there's a possibility that they are connected to the DVLA and will check with them to make sure you're not banned, for example. At least, that's what I would expect.

[Archer]

I'm looking to break the rules. Just asking if it is acceptable.
In the US we held a US licence, at the same time as we held a UK one. Perfectly legal.
Thanks

[TrickyFox]

I understand there is a way to do it but you have to tell a lie and I'm not sure it is 100%.

[Sam]

In the US we held a US licence, at the same time as we held a UK one. Perfectly legal.

There's no option to exchange your UK driving licence for US, that's probably the reason why you're able to keep your UK licence (once you manage to pass the test for US one).

Things are a bit different in the EU. We have directives here
In this case it's the Directive 2006/126/EC.

EU driving licence network (RESPER)

RESPER (RESeau PERmis de conduire), the EU network for the exchange of driving
licence information was established by the 3rd DLD. This network acts as a EU-wide
hub for information exchange between the Members States’ driving licence issuing
authorities. All Member States are obliged to connect and to use RESPER. The main
purpose of this platform is to ensure the ‘one person one licence’ principle, ensuring
that drivers only drive vehicles in categories they are qualified for and assisting in
combating document fraud by allowing Member States to verify the validity of licences
issued by other countries.

RESPER is probably making sure that nobody can exchange their driving from a cereal box for a real Spanish one too. There's also EUCARIS (EUropean CAR and driving licence Information System) in place that works the same way as RESPER and I believe both systems are now linked together.

You might be lucky but I'm not sure if that's worth the consequences because I don't think this is legal anywhere in the EU/EEA

RESPER simplified the administration processes for checking driving licence validity
since it allows for a quick exchange of information between Member States. The vast
majority of Member States indicate that RESPER facilitated the application of the ‘one
person one licence’ principle. RESPER has made it easier to detect if one person has
more than one driving licence. However, the benefits of RESPER could be better
exploited since most Member States mostly use it to check for licences presented for
exchange and not for the first issuing of driving licences.

Found it here! Since 26 March 2015, holding more than one EU/EEA driving licence in the UK is an offence and punishable by a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction. I'm sure the Spanish law will be similar.

[Archer]

So basically. You don't need a Spanish one. Any EU licence will do! So no problem then (at the moment) 
But maybe different when we leave.

[Spitfire58]

Not sure what the timescale is (I am sure someone on here will though) but you do (are supposed to) change your U.K. license for a Spanish one if you are on the island for an extended period. I did think it was 6 months but not sure on that one. 
Would an alternative not be to get a U.K. license updated to an EU license. Presumably when we leave this would still be valid until it was due for renewal ? Just thinking out loud 

As an additional comment, I was told yesterday by our local post office that from next month they were updating to issue IDP’s. Up to now in Scotland they were only available in Edinburgh & Dundee for my side of the country.

[Sam]

Not sure what the timescale is (I am sure someone on here will though) but you do (are supposed to) change your U.K. license for a Spanish one if you are on the island for an extended period. I did think it was 6 months but not sure on that one...

Everyone can use their own national driving licence to drive in Fuerteventura for either the first six months after gaining official residency (non-EU citizens) or for the first two years of residence (EU/EEA nationals).