Driving, vehicles, and transport
Helps you drive and get around legally in Spain.
Stay mobile legally: licence validity and exchange, buying or importing a car, insurance, ownership duties, road rules and fines, city driving, public transport and two-wheelers.
- topics
- 11
- articles
- 85
- of reading
- 8.2 hours
Begin with
Driving licence validity and exchange
You will know whether you can drive legally today, what deadline applies, and the exact route: exchange, exam or learning from scratch.
Can you drive in Spain on your foreign licence? · Which countries can exchange their licence for a Spanish one? · Why exchange can be refused if you passed your test after moving
More in driving, vehicles, and transport
10 more topics in this section, about 8.2 hours of reading in all.
Buying and selling a car
You will buy a car in Spain with the right papers, the right checks and no inherited debts, and know how to pay for and later dispose of it.
Should you buy a new, nearly new (km0), used or dealer car? · What a foreigner needs to buy and register a car in Spain · Buying a used car privately and transferring ownership
Importing your car to Spain
You will know whether to bring your car, what it will cost and how to register it legally.
How long you can keep foreign plates in Spain · Import your car or sell it and buy in Spain? · Registering a car from another EU country in Spain
Car insurance in Spain
You will get legal cover at a fair price and know how claims, lapses and renewals work.
Getting legally insured to drive in Spain as a newcomer · Choosing your car insurance cover level (terceros or todo riesgo) · What sets your Spanish car insurance price
Car ownership duties and running costs
You will keep your car legal year after year and know the routine costs and rules.
Spain's roadworthiness test (ITV) and what happens if you fail · The annual circulation tax (IVTM) and why it differs by town · Your car's papers and keeping DGT records up to date
Road rules, police checks and fines
You will drive within Spanish rules and know exactly what to do when a fine or police check happens.
Spanish road rules that differ from your home country · Speed limits and speed cameras in Spain · Alcohol and drug limits and roadside tests
Accidents and breakdowns
You will know the first ten minutes after an accident or breakdown and how to follow through on claims.
What to do at the scene of a car accident in Spain · Amicable accident statement or police report: which do you need? · Claims after an accident: injuries, uninsured drivers and hit-and-run
City driving, low-emission zones and parking
You will know where your car can go, where it can park and which local rule applies.
Can your car enter a Spanish city centre (low-emission zone, ZBE)? · Getting your environmental label (distintivo ambiental) · Low-emission zones with foreign plates or no label
Public transport and getting around
You will get around your city and between cities cheaply and confidently without a car.
Using Metro, buses and Cercanias (commuter rail) in Madrid · Using metro, buses and Rodalies (commuter rail) in Barcelona · Using Metrovalencia, EMT buses and Cercanias in Valencia
Bikes, scooters and motorbikes
You will use a two-wheeler legally and safely in Spain.
Which licence you need for a moped, 125cc or larger motorbike · Buying, registering and insuring a motorbike or scooter · Riding and parking a motorbike in Spanish cities
Do you need a car in Spain?
You will decide whether to own a car and how to bridge your first weeks.
Do you actually need a car in Spain? · What owning a car in Spain really costs per year · Living car-light with rental, carsharing, taxis and trains
Other sections in Moving, documents, and setup
Identity numbers and local registration
Helps you get the identity numbers and registrations everything else needs.
Documents, appointments, translations, and apostilles
Helps you prepare usable documents and get through appointments.
Belongings, shipping, and pets
Helps you move belongings and pets to Spain and keep pets legal.
Utilities, phone, internet, and services
Helps you get utilities, phone and internet working and keep bills under control.
First month operational setup
Helps you sequence the move from leaving home to an operational first month.
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.