# Driving in Spain



## wobby (May 1, 2005)

Has anyone come across this:-

EU DRIVING LICENCES IN SPAIN - Medicals
New laws have been recently introduced and these state that if you hold an EU driving licence, you need to hold a medical certificate, the same as a Spanish national. For drivers aged between 18-45, your medical examination is every 10 years. From 45-70 years, every 5 years and for 70 years of age upwards, every two years. If you are caught for ANY driving offence and your medical examination is not current, you will be deemed to NOT HAVE a driving licence.

Got it off of this site:-

http://www.idealspain.com/Pages/Information/DrivingSpain.htm

Wobby


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Is this a futuristic posting as the time is only 12:05 on my comp. :wink: :wink: 
Apart from that I cannot imagine that this would affect a licence holder with one issued in the UK, as nothing has been screamed about in the news.I believe that we state we are physically fit when we apply for the licence over here.self certifying as such. :roll: :roll: 

cabby


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## PeterandLinda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi

I'm not convinced that this is correct. I have just seen this from 'arrive in Spain. com' :-

"Holders of *non-EU *driving licences require a medical certificate to obtain a Spanish driving licence. The medical examination is carried out in designated clinics (centros de reconocimento médico para conductores), which are open from 10am to 2pm and from 4 to 8pm Mondays to Fridays. The examination includes eyesight, hearing, pulse and blood pressure tests, and tests for speed of reaction, judgement of the speed of other vehicles and acuteness of visual identification. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you're tested with them and your licence with be annotated to indicate this (note also that you must carry a spare pair when driving). The medical certificate is valid for 90 days, during which time you must make your application for a licence (or a renewal). Three passport-sized photographs are required . "

Methinks further research needed before medical.

P&L


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I have always been under the impression that if it was legal for you to drive in your own EU country then it was also legal for you to drive in any other country in the EU.

If this new law did apply to tourists I would have thought that hire companies would be asking for medical certificates to be produced because if you are deemed not to be in possession of a driving licence their insurance cover would be deemed to be invalid.

In an endeavour to obtain formal clarification I have contacted the Spanish Embassy in London and when I have their response I will post it on the forum.


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## PeterandLinda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi

More research reveals the following:-

"The law in Spain requires you to have a medical check as required by all drivers. So after a little hunting around and a lot of time spent on reserch on the internet and talking to the local police, I discovered that all EU Driving Licence holders That are RESIDENTS of Spain, must comply with the law of Medical Checks. This means you if you are Ex-pat living or working here in Spain.

For standard cars that means people under 45 years old need to take the medical tests every ten years, from 45 to 70 years old it's every five years and when you're past 70 it's every two years. For anything over 3,500kgs, minibuses and most things with trailers its a medical every five years up to 45, every three years between 45 and 60 and every two years from then on."

This is the best summary of dozens of webpages, the indications are also that you need to do all this if you are in Spain for more than six months, otherwise not. Relax, Portugal ain't far away!

P&L


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

The law only applies to ex pats who are residents but of course if you are in Spain for than 6 months you should take out residencia in fact any EU country where you stay for more than 6 months.Be warned taking up residencia opens a whole can of worms like registering your vehicle etc don't go there unless you live in Spain


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