British expatriates living in Spain will be banned from driving after the two countries failed to reach a post-Brexit agreement on British drivers’ licenses.
Every other European country has agreed to a post-Brexit protocol for UK licenses. -Getty
From May 1 thousands of Britons in Spain will not be able to use their British driver’s license on Spanish streets, although tourists will be exempt from the ban.
The new restrictions are to take effect after the British and Spanish governments failed to reach a consensus on DVLA-issued licenses by the April 30 deadline and Conservative MP Sir Ian Duncan Smith pointed the finger at European authorities.
Until May 1, Britons living in Spain could use their DVLA-issued driver’s licenses, but now could face weeks of chaos as alternative arrangements are made to reach an agreement. Meanwhile, all other European countries have signed a post-Brexit protocol regarding British driver’s licenses.
A source in the U.K. government said: “This could go on for a week or maybe longer. It should be temporary, but we don’t know how temporary. In the meantime, British people living in Spanish mountain villages will not be able to drive.”
A foreign ministry spokesman added: “An agreement to exchange British driver’s licenses for Spanish ones has not yet been reached.
“As of May 1, British license holders who have lived in Spain for more than six months and who have not exchanged their license during the transition period will no longer be able to legally drive in Spain. We have agreed to speed up negotiations and call on the Spanish government to take interim measures.”
Anyone affected by the ban is advised to take immediate steps to apply for a Spanish license, which will include both theory and a practical test.
The change does not apply to vacationers, who can still use their British driver’s license while in the country.
Meanwhile, Spain continues to fight anti-social behavior by limiting vacationers to six alcoholic drinks a day at hotels in parts of Ibiza and Mallorca, with guests having to pay extra if they want more.
The official guide on the U.K. government website for British expatriates in Spain says the following:
“If you have a valid British driver’s license:
As of May 1, 2022, if you lived in Spain before January 1, 2021, your valid UK driver’s license will no longer be valid for driving in Spain.
If you moved to Spain after January 1, 2021, your valid UK license will be recognized for 6 months from the date of your residence permit.”
