Driving in Spain: licences & International Driving Permits

The short version

• EU/EEA licence? You're fine — drive on it, no IDP ever.
• UK licence? Fine for visits; if you live here, exchange it for a Spanish one.
• Non-EU licence (US, Canada, Australia, etc.)? Carry an IDP alongside your national licence — but get the official one from the authorised issuer in your own country.
• Never buy an "IDP" from a random website. The real one comes from your home country's authorised body.

EU & EEA licences

A licence from any EU or EEA country is valid to drive in Spain. If you become resident you can generally keep using it and simply exchange it when it expires (registering with the DGT along the way). You never need an IDP.

UK licences (after Brexit)

Since Brexit, the UK is a non-EU country — but driving rules stayed manageable:

Visiting

Tourists and short-stay visitors can drive in Spain on a full UK photocard licence. You do not need an IDP for a normal holiday visit.

Living here

If you become resident, you must move to a Spanish licence. Under a UK–Spain agreement in force since 2023, UK holders can exchange without sitting a test — do it within the deadline after you register as resident.

Non-EU visitors: the IDP

If your licence is from outside the EU/EEA and not written in the Latin alphabet — or you just want to be safe when renting a car — carry an International Driving Permit. An IDP is only ever a translation that accompanies your national licence; it is not valid on its own, and it's a visitor document (typically valid one year), not a route to driving here long-term.

Where to get a genuine IDP

Get it from the authorised issuer in the country that issued your licence, ideally before you travel:

• United States — only AAA and AATA are authorised.
• United Kingdom — the Post Office issues them over the counter.
• Canada — the CAA.
• Australia — the state automobile clubs (NRMA, RACV, RACQ and so on).

Watch out for fake "IDP" sellers

Plenty of websites sell official-looking "International Driving Permits" or "International Driver's Licenses", often at inflated prices. Many are not the UN-recognised document and may not be accepted by police or car-hire firms — some governments actively warn about them. If it's not your country's authorised issuer, don't buy it.

If you're becoming a resident

An IDP won't cover you long-term. Once you're resident you're expected to hold or exchange to a Spanish licence:

• EU/EEA and UK holders exchange without a test.
• Holders from countries with a reciprocal agreement with Spain (several Latin American countries, and others) can also exchange.
• Everyone else generally has to pass the Spanish test (theory and practical) — a local autoescuela will guide you.

Hiring a car

• Bring your physical licence (and IDP if your national one isn't in Latin script), plus your passport and a credit card.
• Minimum age and young-driver surcharges vary by company.
• Check whether the rental needs the IDP before you arrive at the desk — it's awkward to sort on the spot.

A few tips

• Sort your IDP at home, from the authorised issuer, before you fly.
• Carry your national licence with the IDP — one is not valid without the other.
• If you're moving here, start the licence exchange early — there are deadlines once you're resident.
• When in doubt, a local autoescuela or gestor can confirm exactly what your nationality needs.