Your car's papers and keeping DGT records up to date

Terms used

• Permiso de circulación — The permiso de circulación is the car's registration certificate, which shows the owner and the registered address.
• ITV card — The ITV card (tarjeta de inspección técnica, or ficha técnica) is the car's technical data sheet, which records its roadworthiness inspections.
• DNI — The DNI is the Spanish national identity card.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number given to foreigners in Spain.
• Empadronamiento — The empadronamiento certificate proves you are registered as living at an address with your town hall.
• Padrón — The padrón is the town hall's register of residents.
• Gestor — A gestor is a licensed administrative agent who handles paperwork with public offices for a fee.
• Dirección Electrónica Vial — The Dirección Electrónica Vial (DEV) is the DGT electronic mailbox where registered users receive fines and official notices.

Key rules

• Address change: Tell the DGT about your new address within 30 days of moving; it costs nothing.
• Digital documents: The MiDGT digital licence and vehicle permit are valid for checks in Spain, but carry paper copies abroad.
• Licence as ID: Your driving licence is not ID, so carry your DNI, NIE or passport too.
• Non-EU licence: A non-EU licence is valid for six months after you become resident, then you must exchange it or pass the Spanish tests.

Which papers to carry

Carry four documents whenever you drive: your driving licence, the car's permiso de circulación, the ITV card and proof of valid insurance. You also need your DNI, NIE or passport to prove who you are if police ask. The documents list and the checklist below show each item.

Your driving licence does not count as ID. It has no legal status as an identity document, even if some private offices accept it.

Police can check the insurance register themselves, so the paper receipt is rarely asked for. Keep it anyway.

Digital versions

Digital versions are accepted in Spain. The MiDGT app holds a digital driving licence and a digital vehicle permit. Both are valid for roadside checks by traffic police and for checks by other authorities in Spain. They show a QR code and work offline once loaded, so load them before you set off.

Driving abroad is different. Foreign police may require the physical documents, so take those with you.

Your foreign driving licence

A licence from an EU or EEA country stays valid in Spain with no time limit. You renew it under the rules of the country that issued it.

A licence from a non-EU country is valid for six months after you become resident in Spain. After that, exchange it for a Spanish licence if your country has an exchange agreement with Spain. If it does not, you cannot exchange it and must pass the Spanish tests. Ask the DGT whether your country is on the agreement list.

Keep your address current with the DGT

Report a change of address to the DGT within 30 days of moving. The change itself is free.

The DGT sends fines and official notices to the address in the vehicle register. If it is out of date, you can miss the deadline to pay with the 50% reduction for prompt payment, and the deadline to appeal. The notice is then posted on the public fines notice board (TESTRA) and counts as served. Unpaid fines go to enforcement (apremio), with a surcharge and seizure of accounts or wages.

Not reporting your move is itself a minor infraction. The fine is typically around 80 euros, and less if you pay promptly.

How to do it

You can update the address in three ways:

• Online, through the DGT electronic office, with Cl@ve or an electronic certificate.
• In person at a DGT office, with an appointment (cita previa).
• Through a gestor.

Bring your DNI or NIE, proof of your new address, such as the empadronamiento certificate, and the permiso de circulación. A new permit is issued with the new address. Since 2025 the DGT can also update the address in the driver and vehicle records from the padrón. Check on the DGT website whether this applies to you.

Use the DGT electronic mailbox

You can also receive notices in the Dirección Electrónica Vial (DEV), the DGT electronic mailbox. It is optional for individuals. A notice counts as served when you open it, or after ten days if you do not. If your address is not up to date, check the DEV and the fines notice board regularly.

Timeline and deadlines

• Exchange a non-EU driving licence for a Spanish one, or pass the Spanish tests: within six months of becoming resident in Spain

• Pay any fine for not reporting the move; it is a minor infraction, typically around 80 euros, and less with prompt payment: if you miss the 30 days

• Check the DGT electronic mailbox and the public fines notice board for notices: regularly, until your address is updated

Documents you need

• Driving licence: carry it in the car, on paper or as the digital licence in the MiDGT app.

• Permiso de circulación (registration certificate): carry it on paper or as the digital vehicle permit in MiDGT.

• ITV card (tarjeta de inspección técnica, also called ficha técnica).

• Proof of valid insurance, such as the receipt or policy certificate. Police can check the insurance register, so it is rarely asked for, but it is advisable to have it.

• DNI, NIE or passport for identification on request. A driving licence does not replace it.

• For an address change: your DNI or NIE, proof of your new address such as the empadronamiento certificate (from the town hall's padrón), and the permiso de circulación.

Checklist of papers and equipment to keep in the car

• Put your driving licence in the car, on paper or as the digital licence in the MiDGT app.

• Carry the car's permiso de circulación (registration certificate), on paper or as the digital vehicle permit in MiDGT.

• Keep the ITV card (tarjeta de inspección técnica, also called ficha técnica) in the car.

• Bring proof of valid insurance, such as the policy certificate or receipt, so you can show it if asked.

• Carry your passport or Spanish ID for identification on request.

• Take the physical documents if you drive outside Spain, because foreign police may require them.

• Check that you have a connected V16 beacon in the car to replace the warning triangles.

• Keep a reflective high-visibility vest inside the passenger compartment within reach of the driver, not in the boot.

• Check that the car has a spare wheel, with jack and wheel wrench, or a repair kit with a compressor.

• Wear your glasses when you drive if your licence says you must.

What to watch out for

• Fine for not reporting a move: Not reporting your new address is a minor traffic infraction, with a fine typically around 80 euros, which can drop with prompt payment. Update your address with the DGT within 30 days of moving. The change is free.

• Missed fines and notices: Fines and official notices go to the address on the DGT vehicle record. With an old address you can miss the deadline for the 50% prompt-payment reduction or to appeal. Unpaid fines then go to enforcement, with a surcharge and seizure of accounts or wages. Update your address, and check the DGT electronic mailbox and the public fines notice board until it is done.

Where to find ITV stations, the DGT and tax offices

• Regional government industry department or the licensed ITV operator in your region: Find ITV stations, book online and check the official tariffs; search your region's name with 'ITV cita previa' or 'tarifas ITV'.

• DGT electronic office and the MiDGT app: Do online vehicle and licence procedures and see your vehicles, points and fines, using a digital certificate, Cl@ve or electronic ID.

• Provincial traffic office (Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico): Handle procedures in person; book an appointment (cita previa) on the DGT website, by phone or in MiDGT.

• Your town hall's tax office, or the provincial tax body it uses: Pay the annual vehicle tax (IVTM); the IVTM notice or receipt names who collects it, and the town hall's website or tax office can confirm.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Spanish driving licence as ID?

No, a Spanish driving licence is not an official identity document and does not replace your DNI, NIE or passport. Some private companies accept it, but it has no legal standing as ID.

How long can I drive in Spain on a foreign licence?

It depends on where the licence was issued: an EU or EEA licence is valid in Spain with no time limit, while a non-EU licence is valid for six months after you become resident. After that you exchange it for a Spanish licence if your country has an exchange agreement, or you pass the Spanish tests. Without an agreement it cannot be exchanged.

What happens if I do not update my address and a fine is sent to my old one?

You can miss the deadline to pay with the 50% reduction or to appeal, because the notice is posted publicly and treated as served.

Do I have to use the DGT electronic mailbox (DEV)?

No, the DEV is optional for individuals, though it is compulsory for companies. If you register, notices count as served when you open them or after ten days without opening them.