Driving in Spain vs. the US: 5 Crucial Things Americans Must Know
One of the things we learned when we moved to Spain as an American, was that there are a LOT of differences when it comes to driving on the roads. I wanted to put this post together as a mini-guide for driving in Spain as an American, so you can be a bit more prepared (and hopefully a lot less stressed) than we were!
Can You Drive In Spain with a US License?
One of the most common questions that comes up for new expats is ‘Can I drive in Spain with a US license?’ The answer is yes- for the FIRST 6 MONTHS from the date you first enter the EU.
Driving in Spain with a US license is allowed for up to six months only. (Again, this is six months from the time you enter the European Union, not Spain.) For example, if you land in Lisbon, Portugal, (see our fun post about visiting Lisbon!) and then move to Spain a few months later, the time starts from when you entered Portugal.
But don’t worry! You can have this extended to up to a year by signing up for an international driving permit. If you’re a US citizen, you can check this government website to see if you will need this (and how to apply for one) for the country you’re going to. One of the most reputable sites to get an International Driver’s Permit (for American drivers) is through the AAA here. (The UK has a website for this as well, if you’re coming from the UK instead of the US.)
Having an international driving permit Spain will allow you to drive in Spain for up to a year. After that, you will need to get your actual driving license in Spain.
I recommend you file the paperwork for getting your international driving license before you move to Spain. This will make your time living in Spain as an American a lot easier! (But don’t worry the 12-month time limit on your international driving permit spain won’t start until the date you actually enter the EU.)
How To Get A Spain Driver’s License
Getting your driver’s license in Spain is one of the many bureaucratic things that take forever (we have a post coming about this- sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss it).
The minimum driving age in Spain is 18 years of age. (If you have a 16-year-old, they will have to wait two more years, which is a big difference from driving as an American).
Switching your USA driver’s license for a Spanish driver’s license.
As an American you may think ‘No problem, driving a car is like riding a bike!’ You’re right, but driving in Spain is WAY different from the USA. This is why Spain does not allow for a one-to-one swap of driver’s licenses like they do with many other countries- there are just too many differences with rules and regulations for driving in Spain vs driving in the US.
The driving requirements in Spain require you to go through a government regulated driver’s license process. This means taking and paying for driving school, taking a written driver’s test, practicing driving with a licensed instructor, and then finally taking the driving practical test with a government-registered examiner.
Getting your driver’s license as an American in Spain
Driving school in Spain
The goal of driving school in Spain is to teach you all of the various rules and regulations regarding how to drive in Spain, so it is more structured and detailed than the process of getting a license in the US. The driving school is not cheap either.
You will typically spend around 200-250 euros to sign up for the driving class. (The first part of the Spanish driving licence process.) This is a class where you learn how rules to drive in Spain.
Luckily, it is possible to go through the process of getting your driving license in Spain in English. (Yay!) There is typically a driving school in English in major cities like Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid. You just have to ask the driving school if they offer English as an option. The options are be limited but it is possible.
The driving school will give you access to 100 practice tests. And if you chose an English driving school, the practice tests will be in English also. The translation may be a bit confusing, but you should be able to understand as you get familiar with the rules for driving in Spain.
The Written Test For Driving In Spain
After you have taken all 100 practice tests and successfully passed at least 80% of the exams, you will be ready to take your test. The Spain driving school you signed up for will schedule a written test exam for you. You will also need to pay for the written exam. (Usually you pay this to your Spanish drivers license school and they handle everything for you.)
The driving test is 30 questions. You can NOT miss more than 3 questions (you need at least a 90% score). If you miss 4 or more questions you will have to reschedule and retake the exam.
When they schedule your exam, be sure to ask for your driving test in English. These questions will be the same as you saw on the 100 practice tests, so it’s important to study the practice tests in advance.
Once you successfully pass the written driving test, your driving school should let you move on to the next phase of getting your driver license in Spain- practicing driving on the actual roads.
The Practice Phase Of Getting Your Driver License In Spain
Now that you passed the written exam, you get to practice with your driving school instructor. Usually, this will require about 20 hours of driving, and is often broken up into about 5 to 10 2-hour sessions. These sessions will cost an addition fee, usually charged per session. You can ask your specific school how much these cost.
It’s important to note here that you have to choose practice driving in either a manual or automatic car. You can only get a license for a manual car if you practice and take the final exam in a manual car. (If you don’t know how to drive a manual, you will be able to learn to drive a manual during these lessons.)
If you take the final exam in an automatic car, you will not be able to purchase a manual (aka a stick-shift) vehicle and your driver license in Spain will NOT be valid to drive manual cars, either. This is important to remember, because while automatic cars are gaining more popularity in Spain, a lot of the cars are still manual. This means that the selection of automatic cars is more limited and more expensive.
The Practical Driving Test For A Spain Driver’s License
After completing enough driving hours, you’ll get your driver instructor’s approval to take the final exam. Your Spanish driving school will schedule a time to take your driving license practical exam. (This is the actual driving part of the exam, and even if you did the rest of the process in English, this part of getting the drivers license Spanish.)
This exam will also have a separate fee, and you can usually pay for this at the driving school. (Your specific Spanish drivers license school should have broken all of these costs down for you at the beginning of the registration process.)
On your scheduled date and time, you will take the driving exam in a specific part of the city. You will have your instructor and the exam proctor in the car with you. (The proctor will sit behind you watching your feet and how you drive.)
If you don’t know Spanish, your instructor may be able to translate for you. This is okay and the instructor does not normally mind. You just have to pay extra attention to commands issued by the proctor and instructor.
You can spend anywhere from about 300 to 500 euros up to 1,000 euros to get your drivers license in Spain from start to finish. (This usually won’t need to be paid all at once, but throughout the process.) The number of driving lessons you need from your instructor is usually what determines the final cost of the entire driver license in Spain.
For example, since my wife was a middle-aged adult with 20+ years of driving experience from the US, she didn’t need as many lessons as a new driver would need, and the final cost was much lower. We’ve talked to several friends here in Spain, however, that needed quite a few lessons and paid much more for their Spanish driver’s license than we did.
And that is pretty much the entire process of getting your Spanish driver’s license. Driving in Spain as an American is extremely different from the United States, even when it comes to the exam process.
Autoescuelas EL CID AVAE the driving school we used. They are a fantastic couple who speak enough English to help you pass your exams.
General Driving Tips for Spain
If you are driving in Spain with a US license (before getting your Spain license) here are some things you need to know ahead of time. This is especially going to be helpful as a tourist driving in Spain or if you’re driving in Spain for the first time. These are some driving tips for Spain that stand out as different from driving in the United States.
If you live in a country other than the USA, this list of driving tips for Spain will still be helpful. You might just think that some of these driving tips are normal. This list compares United States driving rules to rules for driving in Spain.
Roundabouts or Rotonda in Spain
When driving in Spain as an American, be ready for the roundabouts at almost every intersection. This is one of the biggest differences between the two countries. And driving in Valencia Spain, not only do you have the roundabouts, but you have lights inside the roundabout. A lot of lights. (Valencia has a massive number of roundabouts, to the point where even the local Spaniards joke about it.)
When it comes to driving in Spain roundabouts (or rotondas), the main thing you need to know is that you are supposed to be on the inside lane until right before your exit. And if you are on the outside lane you are expected to exit the roundabout. What the law states and how things are done are two different things.
When driving in the roundabout, be vigilant of cars on all sides of you and accept the fact that you will get honked at. Once you get used to the honks and the cars cutting you off within an inch, you will be fine.
The best driving in Spain tip for a roundabout is to accept the fact that you will get honked at and just do another lap if needed. Better safe than sorry.
No Right Turn On Red When Driving In Spain
Another BIG thing that’s different about driving in Spain as an American is that you are NOT allowed to turn right on a red. You have to wait until you get a green arrow or light. This can get you a ticket fast for breaking this driving law in Spain!
If you are in a right lane that can go straight or right and you have a green arrow light but not a green light for straight, there are some special rules. If the car behind you wants to turn right and you want to go straight, you have to turn right so you don’t block them. Even if you want to go straight. As a general rule, if you are not planning on turning right, you should not be in the farthest right lane.
Here is a great resource on learning the rules for driving in Spain as an American.
Traffic Lights While Driving In Spain
In the United States, we normally put our traffic lights across the street to make it easier to see the traffic light. Not here in Spain!
When driving in Spain, the traffic light is directly above your head. The cars typically have bigger windshields in Europe so that you can see the traffic lights above your head. (For taller people, you will find yourself doing some sort of giraffe neck bend just to see the traffic light.)
A driving tip in Spain at traffic lights is to keep an eye out on the traffic light pole side light. That is what I pay attention to as the copilot.
This is important, especially in places where there are a lot of traffic lights, because you’ll often see a light ahead of you as well as the light above you- so it can be easy to get confused as to where to stop your car and what light is specifically applying to you.
In fact, there are often lights on the other side of the intersection that apply to cars turning into the intersection- this is because of the different crosswalk rules when driving in Spain. Spain has a lot more pedestrians (people walking), which means more crosswalks and more traffic lights.
Parking Spots In Spain
Living in Spain as an American can make you appreciate the little things in life. That being said, there will be a few things about American life you will miss. One of those things is parking spots. (Seriously!)
When parking in a parking lot at a store or plaza, you will notice the parking spot seems different in Spain- they will be much smaller and more narrow. While cars are often also a bit smaller in Spain, it’s still sometimes a bit tricky to get used to the smaller spaces when trying to park just due to the habit of how you usually park in the US.
The parking spots in Spain are about one and a half feet thinner and four feet shorter than what you have in the United States. This makes parking spots extremely tight. Be extra careful when opening your doors and backing out for sure!
When parking, the best driving tip for Spain is to park more towards the back of the lot. At least until you are comfortable with the reduced parking spot size.
Renting A Car in Spain As An American
When renting a car in Spain, PAY THE EXTRA FOR INSURANCE!! This insurance will save you tons of fees they magically find once you return the car. This is a small fee that covers the damage the inspector at the rental place finds upon your return. Don’t be cheap here.
Even if you have a credit card with travel coverage (or separate travel coverage), it’s usually still recommended to get the actual insurance offered by the car rental place. There have been many times we’ve heard horror stories of people being taken advantage of when they didn’t have this insurance- it’s just not worth the risk or hassle.
Also, when buying a car in Spain, I would suggest getting a used car that you are comfortable with getting dinging up or getting scratched. When driving in Spain as an American, you will probably notice that drivers act like their car is a bumper car. Car often will get dents and scratches, especially from parking. Even the most expensive cars will get scratched and dented. We have seen it over and over, it’s just very common.
The main driving tip for Spain related to cars is to accept that your car will get a dent or scratch.
Conclusion
Driving in Spain as an American expat can be challenging, but worth it in the long run. Remember, patience, defensive driving, and a willingness to adapt are key to navigating the roads of Spain. Stay safe!
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This article is super helpful! I had no idea about the 6-month rule for driving with a US license in Spain. It’s good to know you can extend it with an international one. Have any of you tried getting a Spanish license? I’m curious about the process! 😜
Thank you! I’m so glad it was helpful! 🙂 I’m fairly sure that all of EU has the 6-month driving rule, so applying for an international driver’s license can give you up to 1 year. We did go through the process to get a Spanish driver’s license, it took about 6 months of courses, driving lessons, and exams, and cost around 1,000 euros all said and done. It was quite a journey- but there’s a lot of differences to driving that I’m glad I was able to learn about from my instructor, so I think it all worked out! 🙂