Canje de Permiso de Conducir Extranjero (DGT) — Foreign Driving Licence Exchange in Spain

Step-by-Step

1. 1

   Confirm your DGT tier and resident status

   1. Identify which tier applies: Tier 1 EU/EEA (including Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein); Tier 2 país con convenio (consult the DGT countries-with-agreement table for the canonical 34-jurisdiction list); Tier 3 país sin convenio
   2. Confirm legal residency in Spain — TIE en vigor for non-EU residents, certificado de inscripción en el registro de extranjeros for EU/EEA residents
   3. Tier 2 only — confirm the foreign licence was obtained before you became legally resident in Spain (Korea exception: licences from the República de Corea may be obtained after Spanish residency)
   4. Note the under-60 age threshold and other eligibility caveats published on the DGT subpage relevant to your tier

   💡 Tip: DGT publishes the Tier 2 sequencing as: "1. Acredita tu residencia y cuando obtuviste el permiso. 2. Obtén un informe de aptitud psicofísica. 3. Solicita el canje de tu permiso." The three ordered steps are the official procedural shape — follow them in order.

   ⚠️ Watch out: Without resident status, the canje is not eligible. Tier 3 holders skip this guide and enrol at a Spanish autoescuela for the new-licence path.

   DGT — Canjes de permisos extranjeros (hub page) (dgt.es ↗) DGT — Países con convenio de canjes (countries-with-agreement table) (dgt.es ↗)
2. 2

   Obtain the informe de aptitud psicofísica (Tier 2 only)

   Informe de aptitud psicofísica

   Tier 2 — países con convenio holders only; EU/EEA voluntary canje does not require this step

   1. Locate a Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores autorizado near your residence
   2. Attend the appointment; the centre performs the medical and psychological assessment and submits the informe electronically to DGT
   3. Pay the centre's fee at the appointment — set per centre, not DGT-published
   4. Note the 90-day validity — coordinate the centre visit with the Jefatura Provincial cita-previa date

   💡 Tip: Most provinces have multiple Centros de Reconocimiento near each Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico — your local Jefatura's information page typically lists nearby authorised centres.

3. 3

   Book the cita previa with your local Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico

   Cita previa DGT

   1. Open the DGT Sede Electrónica and locate the cita previa flow for your local Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico
   2. Select the canje de permiso de conducir extranjero trámite
   3. Pick a date and time slot; appointment availability varies by province
   4. Save the cita-previa confirmation — bring it on the day of the appointment

   💡 Tip: Cita-previa availability at the Jefatura Provincial varies meaningfully by city. If your local Jefatura has no near-term slots, check sister Jefaturas in your autonomous community where eligible — confirm with the local office which Jefaturas accept canje submissions for your residence.

4. 4

   Pay the DGT tasa

   1. Tier 1 EU/EEA and Tier 2 Group 1 (motorcycles and cars): pay Tasa II.3 (= tasa 2.3) of 28,87 €
   2. Tier 2 Group 2 (trucks and buses) where exams apply: pay Tasa II.1 (= tasa 2.4) of 94,05 €
   3. Pay via the DGT Sede Electrónica online payment flow, or at a collaborating bank using the DGT payment slip
   4. Keep the justificante de pago — bring it to the cita-previa appointment

   💡 Tip: DGT renders the fee codes as both Tasa II.3 / II.1 (Roman + decimal, on the canje subpages) and TIPO DE TASA: 2.3 / 2.4 (Arabic decimal, on internal DGT operator references). Both notations refer to the same statutory fees — 28,87 € and 94,05 €.

5. 5

   Submit the canje request in person at the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico

   1. Attend your cita-previa appointment with the original foreign licence, residency proof, photograph, justificante de tasa, and (Tier 2) confirmation that the informe de aptitud psicofísica has been submitted
   2. DGT retains the original foreign licence: "te será retirado el permiso original"
   3. DGT states: "En el momento de realizar el trámite te entregaremos un permiso provisional" — the permiso provisional is your driving authority until the definitive Spanish licence arrives
   4. Tier 2 Group 2 with required exams: schedule the circulación or examen específico per your origin country's row in the countries-with-agreement table

   💡 Tip: The canje covers all categories you already held abroad — DGT: "si en tu país tenías permiso de moto, coche y autobús, al hacer el canje tendrás estas mismas autorizaciones en tu permiso español. No es necesario que hagas un canje por cada tipo de permiso que tengas."

   ⚠️ Watch out: If the original foreign licence is no longer valid (expired, seized, suspended, or revoked) at the date of submission, the canje is rejected. Renew the foreign licence in the issuing country first, or fall back to the autoescuela path for a Spanish licence by examination.

6. 6

   Receive the definitive Spanish licence

   1. DGT states: "Lo normal es que lo recibas antes de un mes y medio desde que se solicitara" — the published average is approximately 1.5 months from submission
   2. Track status via the DGT Sede Electrónica → Consulta del estado de tramitación tool
   3. If the wait exceeds the permiso provisional validity, visit the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico in person to request an extension
   4. Receive the definitive Spanish permiso de conducir at your registered address or collect it at the Jefatura Provincial, depending on local procedure

   💡 Tip: Drive with the permiso provisional during the wait — it is the official DGT driving authority until the definitive card arrives. Confirm with your motor insurer that your policy treats the permiso provisional as a valid driving credential.