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The Spanish government has approved the reciprocal recognition and exchange of driving licences between the country and the UK in an attempt to further facilitate the rules for citizens of both countries.
The decision to recognise and allow the exchange of driving licences between the two countries was approved by the Ministers Council on March 4, and the move means that holders of valid driving licences issued by Spain and the UK may request to exchange their documents with one another without having to undergo additional requirements, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
According to the Ministry of Interior of Spain, the request for the exchange can be made in the country where the holders have established their residence without being required to take a practical or theoretical test.
“From now on, holders of a valid and current driving licence issued by either of the two States may request the exchange of their equivalent driving license where they have established their residence, without being subject to any additional requirement of practical test or theoretical,” the Spanish Ministry of Interior stated.
In other words, this means that a UK citizen holding a UK-issued driving licence can exchange their document with a Spanish one if they are residing in Spain, and vice versa.
The Ministry stressed that this agreement puts an end to the extensive rules that have been applied to citizens of both countries when exchanging their driving licences since the UK left the EU.
“The agreement establishes that all valid permits or licences of current residents issued prior to its entry into force may be exchanged, meanwhile for permits issued after said entry into force, it will be an essential requirement to access the exchange that the permits have been issued in the country where the applicant had his legal residence,” the Ministry added.
It further noted that with the newly made decision, Britons residing in Spain who had not had their driving licences recognised before Brexit will be able to do so from today, March 16.
In order to facilitate the processing of the documents, Spain has granted a period of six months for Britons, during which the latter will be able to use their current driving licences while their request is being processed.
In addition, Spain and the UK have also agreed to share with each other data on vehicles as well as on their owners with the aim of investigating traffic offences related to road safety in general, including here speeding, failing to stop at a red light, and not wearing a seat belt, among others.
Spain and the UK have been in talks for the recognition f driving licences for months now. Back in 2022, the UK required that Spain recognises the driving licences of Britons without requiring them to undergo the practical test.
Moreover, the authorities said that the previous rules represented inconveniencies and called for facilitated requirements.
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