Exchange from UK to Spanish driving licence

[Cotillo_Tom]

I assume that the policy of the DVLA in the UK will reciprocal, that is, no Spanish driving licence holders resident more than 6 months can drive without a test!

I somehow doubt it will ever happen, but I live in hope. Yet another side effect of Brexit that no one understood.

[Pete Garyga]

I wonder what will happen to a Spanish national who moves to the UK, exchanges their licence for a UK one and at some point moves back to Spain?
Will they have to take another test when they return Spain as they only have a UK licence?

[Johnrgby]

It seems there will not be another extension to driving on a UK licence if you have residency:

https://sede.dgt.gob.es/es/permisos-de-c...itucion-uk

Important information
As of May 1, 2022 , the regime for driving licenses issued by the British authorities will be the same as for licenses issued to non-EU third countries.
Driving licenses issued by the British authorities will be valid to drive in Spain for a period of six months, from the entry of their holder or from the date of obtaining their legal residence in the country.

So if you are a resident of over 6 months and still have a UK licence you can no longer legally drive your car. However, a friend or family member can come on holiday from the UK and drive your car perfectly legally as long as you have insurance covering them. Also, if you go on holiday somewhere else in Spain you can't drive legally yet if you go there as a UK tourist you can. 
I can't see the logic in this and expect and look forward to someone challenging it in the courts. 
Surely as a resident you shouldn't have less rights than a visitor?

Yet another example of logic, You potentially have a situation where  resident with a UK licence, and has driven for 40 years 30 of them here on The Island is driving illegally, But a tourist who was 17 yesterday passes his test today, and can come on holiday tomorrow and drive here, and he is legal 

[roclite]

I took the test in English, because my Spanish is barely at beginner level. My point is that it would be better to take it in Spanish as the questions would be less confusing and obviously not need to be translated which could add more confusion. No, you do not get notified of which questions you failed so you do not know where your knowledge is weak.

[roclite]

I have been driving now for a Tad over 59 years and have probably covered over  a million miles both in the UK and overseas, and have taken some thing close to 60 dummy official DGT theory tests, and have passed abot7/8 times, mostly by making 4/5 errors which are mostly due to either me misreading the question os misunderstanding, I have a Dutch friend who lives here who took great delight in me failing until he took one and failed with 9 errors and he has been driving for 35 years +

Unfortunately John, this is the reality of taking the Spanish driving test, even for very experienced drivers. From my test experience, i reckon you need to be taking in region of 150 - 200 dummy tests before you "learn" how to answer correctly. Sometimes, there will be 2 or even all correct answers but one will be more correct than the others, as it will have the correct exception  What this means is a lot of wasted time sitting in front of a computer when you would rather be doing something more interesting 

[roclite]

I wonder what will happen to a Spanish national who moves to the UK, exchanges their licence for a UK one and at some point moves back to Spain?
Will they have to take another test when they return Spain as they only have a UK licence?

Pete,

I believe in this situation, if they held a Spanish driving licence before moving to the UK, it will be restored on returning to Spain without sitting a test. This is the same situation if/when we decide to return to UK to become resident again, our original UK licence is restored with exact same permit classifications as before.

[DavidP]

Silly scenario:
I have a car in my name only
I have a Spanish driving licence
My wife does not have a Spanish driving licence but is resident.
She prefers not to drive here but if for some reason she had to and was stopped and she only showed her passport and UK licence and not her TIE then she would not have a problem.All the traffic Police have re the car relate to me 
We both drive in the UK when we go with both licences and no problem,insurance etc all OK.
Confirm just had a weekly update from the Consul confirming the Spanish licence rules.  
As Tom says yet another Brexit legacy.

[DavidP]

My wife bit the bullet and decided to swap her driving licence.
No problem initially but now her new spanish one has not arrived.
Also no longer on DVLA records.
DGT in Puerto have advised us to wait a little longer as it is probably in their system.
Fortunately she does have the Temp they issued and no immediate plans to drive on her own.
I am sure this will be OK eventually.

[La Oliva Tom]

If she was expecting it in the post, just give up and visit DGT again. Go early morning without an appointment. Us oldies are allowed!! Press top right button before NIE to get the oldies ticket.

Tom.

[DavidP]

Morning Tom.
We only checked with Correos at the suggestion of the DGT.
Been in twice now and were asked very nicely to wait another month.
If still not there they will redo it for free as they admit the hiccup is on their side.
Ref going in as mayores works a treat. I did all my matriculation using it BUT you have to be there before 1100hrs