Exchanging your driving licence for a Spanish one (canje) in 2026

Who needs canje and when

The rule is simple and strict. While you are a tourist, your national licence (with an international driving permit if required) is valid for the entire period of legal stay. But as soon as you become a resident of Spain, the countdown begins: 6 months from the date residency is granted - and a foreign licence from a non-EU country stops giving you the right to drive.

Driving on a licence that has "expired" for Spain means driving without a valid licence: a fine, a ban on continuing your journey, and problems with the insurance payout after an accident. So the licence question should be settled in the first months after the move, not "when you get pulled over".

There are two routes:

• Canje - an administrative exchange without exams, available to citizens of countries that have an agreement with Spain;
• Exams - theory and practice under the general procedure, if there is no agreement or the licence does not meet the exchange conditions.

A separate category is EU/EEA licences: they are recognised without exchange and remain valid until their own expiry date (with specific rules for indefinite licences).

Countries with and without an agreement: where the line runs

Spain has signed mutual recognition and exchange agreements with several dozen states. The key points for our readers:

• Ukraine - the canje agreement is in force: Ukrainian category B licences are exchanged without exams.
• Russia, Belarus - there is no current canje agreement: after 6 months of residency the only path is exams under the general procedure.
• Agreements also exist with a number of Latin American countries, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Morocco and others.

The list of countries and the conditions for each are updated periodically - before starting the procedure, check the current list on the official dgt.es website. Important: under most agreements only licences issued before the date Spanish residency was obtained are exchanged, and certain professional categories may require additional checks.

The special rules for Ukrainians with temporary protection

For citizens of Ukraine who have been granted temporary protection, a special regime applies under Regulation (EU) 2022/1280: valid Ukrainian licences are recognised in EU countries for the duration of temporary protection, without a mandatory immediate exchange. Spain additionally regulates this procedure through DGT instructions.

What this means in practice:

• with a valid Ukrainian licence you can drive for as long as your temporary protection status is in force;
• at the same time the bilateral exchange agreement has not gone anywhere: canje can be completed in the usual way - and it is sensible to do it in advance, without waiting for the status to run out;
• if the licence is lost or expired, the matter is resolved through the Ukrainian consulate and DGT procedures - here the process is individual.

Krepko's recommendation: do not put canje off until the last moment. Queues for a cita in the big cities and the licence verification take time, and a Spanish licence removes every question - from renting a car to insurance.

The canje procedure step by step

1. Authenticity check. Through the DGT website a request is sent to the issuing country (verificacion). The answer takes from a few weeks to a couple of months; you are notified of the result.
2. Psicotecnico. At an accredited centre (centro de reconocimiento de conductores) you take a test of eyesight, reaction and coordination. The report is sent to the DGT electronically.
3. Cita previa. You book an appointment at the Jefatura Provincial de Trafico: online at sede.dgt.gob.es or by phone on 060.
4. Paying the tasa. The state fee for canje is tasa 2.3, benchmark 28,87 euro for 2026 (paid online, at a bank or at a DGT office).
5. Submitting the documents. At the appointment: the application, TIE/NIE, padrón, the original national licence, a 32x26 mm photo, proof of payment.
6. Temporary permit and the card. The old licence is withdrawn, you receive a temporary driving authorisation (autorizacion provisional), and the Spanish licence arrives by post - benchmark 1-2 months.

If there is no agreement: exams under the general procedure

Citizens of countries without an agreement (including Russia and Belarus) must obtain a Spanish licence from scratch after 6 months of residency:

• Theory - a test of 30 questions (up to 3 mistakes allowed). It can be taken in several languages; driving schools offer preparation materials and courses, including online.
• Practice - a driving exam with a DGT examiner; even experienced drivers usually need a few lessons at a driving school to get used to the local requirements.
• Psicotecnico - mandatory on this route too.

The budget is noticeably higher than with canje: driving school, DGT exam fees, lessons. The benchmark for the full cycle is from several hundred to over a thousand euro, depending on the city and the number of practical lessons. Your driving record from the old licence does not burn for insurers - it can be confirmed with a certificate from the issuing country, which lowers the cost of the policy.

How Krepko does it for you

There is nothing complicated about canje except the details: catching a cita in your city, launching the verification correctly, getting the tasa payment form right and assembling the correct set of documents. Within our Cars practice Krepko:

• checks whether your licence qualifies for canje and picks the optimal route;
• launches the licence verification and tracks the response;
• books the psicotecnico and the cita at the DGT, prepares the documents and the payment;
• for the exam route - finds a driving school with support in a language you understand.

Legally significant actions are performed by licensed specialists - lawyers, gestores, sworn translators. Want to close the licence question in one go - leave a request - the review is free.

Sources

• DGT: countries with a canje agreement
• Sede DGT: canje for Ukraine
• Ucrania Urgente: Ukrainian driving licences in Spain