# Speed Limits Spain



## wug (May 19, 2011)

Just read about an expat driving a small white van with no seats in the back fined for exceeding the speed limit which it turns out is the same as for HGV's. Had there been seats in the back then it would be subject to the normal speed limits.

So I had a look at the CC website and Vicarious Books site. Quite a lot of disagreement there. But the limits on motorways, dual carriageways and other roads were all much lower than I had thought.

Does anyone know where there is a definitive statement of speed limits?


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## bigcats30 (Aug 13, 2012)

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/spain/index_en.htm


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Wow, that was quick!! Cheers.

So, if I read that right, on autovias/pistas it's 100kmh for under 3.5 Tonnes; 90 on dual carriageways, 80 on other roads and 50 in urban areas unless carrying dangerous goods like the ferocious terrier when it's 40.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

That is correct but according to what we were told when we visited last year, the speed limits are for steady speed - but you are allowed to exceed them temporarily apparently in order to overtake, but no-one could tell me by how much or for how long....

But I doubt that you could be doing 130kph all day, having overtaken a donkey cart near Gibraltar and you are now passing Barcelona...... and get away with it.....

I have NOT been able to find any documentary proof of that though......

We are over 3.5t and therefore the limits are 50 / 70 / 80 /80

Dave


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Not 80 on the Motorway Dave. I am fairly certain that up to 7.5 tons it whatever the posted limit is, Alan.


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## McGeemobile (Jun 10, 2010)

A couple of months ago I printed something off MHF which was an instruction to police chiefs in Spain about overnight parking of motorhomes. It also went on to say what constitutes a motorhome and gave various speed limits.
It was very detailed and made really interesting reading.
Over 3500 Kg motorhomes are governed by the same speed limits as lorries, 90Km/h on motorways and freeways and 80 Km/h on conventional roads.
The post linked to Instruction 08/V-74 and was from the Ministry of Interior. It was in the Spain and Portugal forum.
Kath


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Here's part of the Instruccion referred to: (from Wildcamping)

As motorhomes are “special category M1 vehicles" and different to passenger cars, it is considered justified not to apply the same speed limits, outside of town, as passenger cars, but to apply the speed limits for other vehicles of category M (destined for the transport of passengers), which would result in the following speed limits: 

- On motorways and freeways .................................................. ............. 100 Km / h 

- On conventional roads marked as roads for motor vehicles and roads with a hard shoulder of at least 1,50 m. width or with more than one lane for one of the directions of traffic .................................................. .................................................. ..... 90 Km / h 

- On the rest of roads, out of town .................................................. .......... 80 Km / h 

The following speed limits will apply to motorhomes which are driven without trailers, classified on the MOT card with the following codes: 

- 3148 (mixed vehicle/accommodation) 
- 3200 (unspecified motorhome with MMA less than or equal to 3,500 kg.) 
- 3248 (motorhome with accommodation with MMA less than or equal to 3,500 kg.) 

The motorhomes classified with codes: 

- 3300 (unspecified motorhome with MMA over 3,500 Kg.) 
- 3348 (motorhome with accommodation with MMA over 3,500 Kg.) 
- 2448 (Van with accommodation) 

will be governed by the same speed limits as for lorries (on account of the maximum permissible weight = MMA) and the rest of vans: 90 Km / h on motorways and freeways, and 80 km / h on conventional roads. 

On urban roadways, regardless of the classification code, motorhomes will be subject to the general speed limit for all vehicles of 50km / h, as stipulated in Article 50 of the General Traffic Regulations.


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## Littlebt (May 19, 2012)

*Speed Limits*

Thanks Wug,

Slight variation on the topic, I am 7.5 with trailer so I do follow the truck speed limit,however,when I see the 7.5 limit on overtaking particularly when there are 100 trucks in the right hand Lane going slow I always stay in the left Lane and overtake them.

I have been driving in Spain/France for decades and have observed other Motorhomes doing the same but have to say I am not sure if I should,I am 3348 classified ie: private with passengers.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Thanks for those posts, I must say it is still not totally clear (maybe it's me  )

those codes of;

_- 3148 (mixed vehicle/accommodation) 
- 3200 (unspecified motorhome with MMA less than or equal to 3,500 kg.) 
- 3248 (motorhome with accommodation with MMA less than or equal to 3,500 kg.) 
- 3300 (unspecified motorhome with MMA over 3,500 Kg.) 
- 3348 (motorhome with accommodation with MMA over 3,500 Kg.) 
- 2448 (Van with accommodation)_

where are they found? I may be thick (no comments please) but I have never seen those before..... Are they Spanish?

I have looked on our _Carte Grise _and _Controle Technique_ and cannot see any sign of such codes........

I cannot recall them from MoT certificates either (but that could be a memory problem......),

I suspect there is safety in driving at the lower limits and therefore not risking an on-the-spot fine delivered by a "friendly" representative of the local constabulary......

Speed is rarely of paramount importance to us - we are retired and are happy to take the extra time to drive slower and arrive happily without "co-pilot" stress...... :lol:

Dave


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

I think those codes (3148 etc) must be Spanish. The only code I can find is on the V5 (Registration Doc) which gives my van as N1 and the wife's Micra as M1. Cross-referencing with the EC document in Bigcats30's post agrees with the limits in Spanish document for under 3.5T and over 3.5T.

As you suggest, why hurry? 

Graham


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi
I am not really bothered about the speed limits on the motorways in spain or france,the reason being everything passes me I am not in any hurry, going down its part of the hols on the way back its I am p**sed off cause I am going home so I am going to drag my arse for as long as possible. :wink: 

Ron


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## seanoo (Mar 31, 2007)

so because i am 4200kg and pulling a trailer i can only drive at 80kph on the motorway in spain? if so i will spend my time being overtaken by all the lorries. not much fun. surely the trucks are a hgv with a trailer so why can they do 90 kph? confused


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

seanoo said:


> surely the trucks are a hgv with a trailer so why can they do 90 kph? confused


The writer of the article I referred to in the op (an expat of 10 years running Murcia Today website) was equally confused that because her van had no seats in the back it was classed like a lorry, (cos she might have been able to load it with concrete blocks nicked from all the abandoned building sites) but if there had been seats it would have been a car.

Of course the UK doesn't have any silly rules and regulations. :?


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