It is considered an offence in the Basque Country to drive without an official driving licence.
When they have obtained some kind of Residence Permit, they have a further six months during which they may continue to use the driving licence issued in their country of origin.
They must then obtain a Spanish driving licence, after checks of the requisites have been carried out and they have passed a theoretical test and a practical test.
Holders of driving licences from European Union member states or the European Economic Space (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) do not have to sit a driving test.
Driving licences from non-EU countries can be exhanged. To do this the holder must have a valid Residence Permit, Residence and Work permit or a Student visa. Driving licences from the folowing countries may be exchanged:
- Andorra
- Algeria
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- South Korea
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Philippines
- Guatemala
- Japan
- Macedonia
- Morocco
- Monaco
- Nicaragua
- New Zealand
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
- The Dominican Republic
- Serbia
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- The Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Official application form available from Provincial Traffic Departments.
- Photocopy of National ID card, valid Passport or Residence Card. These must be originals and will be returned once validity has been checked.
- Psycho-physical aptitude test issued by an official Driver Acknowledgement Centre in Bizkaia if the application is made in Bizkaia, with a recent photograph of the applicant.
- Two recent photographs, 32 x 25mm.
- A declaration stating that the applicant has not been banned by law from driving motor vehicles and motorcycles, and has not been suspended.
- A declaration stating that the applicant does not hold any other driving licence or permit, issued in Spain or in another EU country, of the same type as that for which he or she is applying.
- A statement by the holder taking responsibility for the authenticity, validity and term of the permit.
- The permit to be exchanged, a copy or photocopy.
- A fee stipulated in law.
For further information, or to apply for permits or to exchange permits, interested parties must consult:
Bizkaia Provincial Traffic Department (Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico de Bizkaia).