abage22 - 30 November 2008 06:48 AM
Hi,
I have lived in Spain now for 3 months and I have a full UK Driving License. I am currently insured to drive a Spanish car in Spain however I have a few queries which I am trying to find the answer to:
1) I have seen a written somewhere that after 6 months of driving I must exchange my license to a Spanish license or get my license engraved with a spanish symbol.
2) If the 6 month rule applies and I changed my license to a Spanish one, if I ever had to move back to the UK how easy is it to transfer your license back into a UK License.
2) Is it illegal in Spain to not have insurance on a car. Someone said to me yes and someone no.
Note: I do not have Spanish residency due to being in the EU.
Thanks!
1- if you are PERMANENT RESIDENT IN ANY EU COUNTRY in compliance with EU laws you have to change plates after 6 months of residency. Your driving licence (in your case the UK one) is valid until it expires. Being a permanent resident you’d receive a notice by Spanish Traffic Authorities 3 months before expiration, explaining what to do to renew your licence. Being a permanent resident in Spain your UK licence would be changed to a Spanish one.
3- yes, it’s illegal to not have a car insurance in Spain: depending on the case, you might even end up in jail (traffic laws have been recently modified). Again, the plate/insurance problems are strictly connected. To get a Spanish insurance, you need Spanish plates. Being a ‘EU visitor’ and not a permanent resident, you can keep your UK plates, together with your current UK insurance. Since 2003 or 2004 you don’t even need the ‘green card’ inside EU; your UK insurance is valid in any EU Country.