As we have shared in a previous article, as of March 2023, you can now exchange your British driver’s licence for a Spanish one as negotiations between the UK and Spain finally came to an end. Click on the following link for the full article
Following on from the publication of said article, a question we have been asked a few times since is, ‘can I drive in the UK as a visitor on my Spanish licence? Once resident here, many British expats return to the UK regularly to visit family and friends and usually either hire a car, borrow a car from a friend or relative, or use their own vehicle. As we know, EU driver’s licences are valid in EU/EEA countries, but with Brexit and the UK no longer being a member of the European Union, many worry that if they exchange their British licence to a Spanish/EU licence that they will not be able to drive in the UK.
We can confirm that you can. From 1st January 2021, European licences are recognised by the UK if the driving test was passed in an EU/EEA country, and can be used both if the holder is visiting or if residing in the UK.
The DVLA currently states that you can drive in the UK on your EU/Spanish licence if the following applies:
- You passed your test in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- You passed your test in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
- You passed your test in an EU/EEA country
Please note that this information is for general use only. For accurate advice and guidance, we strongly recommend that you book an appointment with an experienced lawyer.
For further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Pellicer & Heredia on +34 965 480 737 or email us at info@pellicerheredia.com.
