Driving licence in Spain: rules and how to get one
24/08/2024 
Reading time: 3 min Driving licence in Spain for foreigners: rules and how to get one
Short answer: your foreign licence works in Spain, but only for a limited time — 180 days from getting your residence permit (or from first entry as a tourist). You can't exchange a Russian, Belarusian or Kazakh licence for a Spanish one: Spain has no conversion agreement with them, so you sit the exam from scratch. And upfront: the exam can't be taken in Russian — only Spanish, English, French or German. Here's the full process and cost.
- On your foreign licence180 daysFrom getting residence; after that it's invalid in Spain.
- Exchange RU/BY/KZ licencenot possibleNo agreement — you take the exam from scratch.
- Exam languagenot RussianSpanish, English, French or German only.
- Theorywithout a driving schoolPractical exam — only via a driving school.
- Total cost€800–1,800DGT fee in 2026 is €94.05.
How long you can drive on a foreign licence
A foreign licence is valid in Spain for 180 days from the day you get your residence permit (or from first entry if you're a tourist). After that it's legally invalid. Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan aren't on the list of countries with an automatic exchange agreement — there's no conversion, so you must pass the exam from scratch. The "swap your Russian licence for a Turkish one, then a Turkish for a Spanish one" trick doesn't work: a double exchange isn't allowed.
How to get a Spanish licence
Two parts — theory and practice — which can run in parallel or in sequence.
First get a fitness-to-drive certificate (reconocimiento médico) at an accredited centre (centro de reconocimiento de conductores). They're in every town, no appointment needed, cost €35–50, and the certificate is issued the same day. Bring your passport and TIE.
Good news: you can sit the theory without a driving school — book it yourself via the DGT site (you'll need the medical certificate and your TIE). It's available in Spanish, English, French or German — not Russian. The test is 30 questions with no more than 3 mistakes; free practice tests in the real format are on the DGT site. The DGT fee in 2026 is €94.05, covering two attempts (theory + practice); fail both and you pay again. Russian-speaking driving schools exist (Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante, Málaga) — a theory course there runs €200–300.
Unlike theory, the practice can't be taken on your own — only through a driving school, which provides the car, the instructor and the booking with the DGT. The exam runs on real city streets (no test track) for about 25–30 minutes.
How much it costs in 2026
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Medical certificate | €35–50 |
| DGT fee (2 attempts: theory + practice) | €94.05 |
| Theory prep (self-study, online) | from €40 |
| Theory prep at a driving school | €200–300 |
| Practical lessons (20–30 hours at €25–45) | €500–1,300 |
| Total (realistic range) | €800–1,800 |
Practice costs more in Madrid and Barcelona, less in smaller towns. Confident drivers who know the rules often manage 10–15 hours of practice instead of 30.
Timelines and what comes after
With self-study you can pass theory in 1–2 months. The bottleneck is the practical: examiner shortages mean waits of several months for a slot in big cities in 2025–2026 — so start early, ideally before your 180 days run out. A Spanish licence is issued for 10 years, and you can get one on a full or a student residence permit. If your permit lapses, the licence isn't cancelled, but you can't renew it without valid residence.
Frequently asked questions
Official sources:
• DGT — Dirección General de Tráfico
• DGT — obtaining a driving licence (official)
