Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence in Madrid: Who Can and How
When your foreign licence stops being valid in Spain, which countries can swap it without tests, and how the DGT exchange works in Madrid.
A non-EU driving licence is valid in Spain for at most six months after you become a resident. To keep driving, exchange it (canje) at the DGT if your country has an agreement with Spain, which includes the UK and most of Latin America; otherwise you must pass the Spanish theory and driving tests. EU and EEA licences stay valid while they are in date.
How long can you drive in Madrid on a foreign licence?
It depends on where the licence was issued and on your status.
- Visitors: non-residents can drive with a valid foreign licence. If it is not in Spanish or in the international format of the Geneva or Vienna conventions, carry an International Driving Permit or an official translation.
- New residents with a non-EU licence: the DGT says the licence is valid for a maximum of six months from the date you acquire normal residence in Spain. After that it is no longer valid for driving here.
- EU and EEA licences: valid in Spain as long as they are in date. You do not have to exchange them, though you may choose to.
The six months usually start with your residence permit or registration, so plan the exchange as soon as you have your TIE card. Our guide to the TIE card in Madrid explains that step.
Which countries can exchange without a test?
The DGT’s list of exchangeable licences, checked in November 2026, includes the EU and EEA countries plus these countries with an agreement:
| Region | Agreement countries (non-EU) |
|---|---|
| Europe | United Kingdom, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, Serbia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey |
| Latin America | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay |
| Africa | Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia |
| Asia and Pacific | Japan, South Korea, Philippines, New Zealand |
Countries not on the list, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico and India, have no exchange agreement as of November 2026. Their residents must get a Spanish licence from scratch, usually through a driving school (autoescuela). The list changes when new agreements are signed, so check the DGT page of agreement countries before you decide.
What conditions does the DGT set for an exchange?
- You must be resident in Spain.
- You must have obtained the licence before becoming a legal resident in Spain, or before the agreement was signed.
- A licence that was itself an exchange from a non-agreement country cannot be swapped.
- Car and motorcycle licences (A1, A, B, B+E) are exchanged without tests. Truck and bus classes (C and D) usually need a practical test and sometimes a theory test.
- Venezuelan licences issued as PDFs are not accepted; only plastic cards issued in Venezuela can be exchanged.
- Argentine licences need a certificate of legality and seniority from the issuing municipality, legalized with the Hague Apostille.
How do you exchange your licence in Madrid?
- Get the medical certificate. Go to a licensed driver medical center (Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores) and ask for a report for a licence exchange. The psicotécnico checks sight, hearing and coordination and is valid for 90 days. The center sets its own price.
- Gather your documents. Your valid residence card (TIE or EU registration certificate), your foreign licence, the application form and a recent photo. You must show that you were not resident in Spain when the licence was issued; your residence card or a certificate from the foreigners’ register usually does this.
- Book an appointment. Request a cita previa for canje de permisos on the DGT’s electronic office. In Madrid the main office is the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico on Calle Arturo Soria; the booking system shows the offices that handle exchanges.
- Pay the fee. The exchange uses DGT fee type 2.3 (type 2.1 if tests are needed). Check the current amount on the DGT page when you pay.
- Attend and hand in your licence. The DGT keeps your original licence. You get a provisional permit on the day, and the DGT says the plastic card arrives in about a month and a half.
Appointment slots in Madrid can be scarce. Keep checking the booking page, and do not pay third parties who resell appointments.
What if your country has no agreement?
You will need a Spanish licence through the normal route: a medical certificate, the theory test at the DGT, and then the practical test, normally with a driving school car. Once the six months have passed you cannot legally drive on your old licence, so start well before the deadline. The cost and time depend on the driving school and on exam slots.
Bottom line
Put a reminder in your calendar for month four of residency, not month six: you need the medical report, an appointment and sometimes documents from home. If you plan to bring a car, read our guide to Madrid’s low-emission zones before choosing which one.
FAQ
Can I exchange a US driving licence in Spain?
No. The United States is not on the DGT’s list of agreement countries as of November 2026, so US residents in Spain must pass the Spanish tests.
Do I get my foreign licence back?
No. The DGT keeps the original when you exchange it. Ask your home authority whether you can get a replacement there.
Do EU citizens have to exchange their licence?
No. EU and EEA licences are valid in Spain while they are in date. When an EU licence expires, it is renewed in Spain.
Is an International Driving Permit enough for residents?
No. It supports a foreign licence for visitors. For residents the six-month limit applies either way.
