No. You cannot drive on an expired licence in Spain: article 12.4 of the General Drivers Regulation (Reglamento General de Conductores) says that a licence past its expiry date does not entitle you to drive, and if you are stopped the officers take it off you on the spot. According to the DGT (the Spanish traffic authority) it is a serious offence with a €200 fine. The good news: you renew it without a test, just a medical check, however long it has been expired.
In this article
What is the fine for driving with an expired licence?
The DGT puts it plainly: driving with an expired licence is a serious offence (infracción grave) carrying a €200 fine, based on article 12.4 of the General Drivers Regulation. That is the amount the Spanish Traffic Act sets for serious offences (article 80.1). It is also very common: the National Road Safety Observatory recorded 52,234 cases in a single year.
If you pay within 20 calendar days of being notified, the fine drops to €100, because early payment halves it (article 94 of the Traffic Act). In exchange you give up the right to contest it.
On top of the fine, the officer seizes the licence and sends it to the Provincial Traffic Office (article 12.4 of the Regulation). In practice, someone else with a valid licence will have to drive the car that day.
What it is not: a crime. Article 384 of the Spanish Criminal Code punishes driving without ever having obtained a licence, driving after losing all your points, or driving while banned by a court. An expired licence is none of those. If your problem is points, that is a different story, covered in how to get your licence points back.
Is there a grace period?
No. From the day after the expiry date shown on the card you may not drive. Not even to the medical centre to renew it.
How long a Spanish licence lasts, by age and category
Article 12 of the General Drivers Regulation sets it out:
| Licence category | Up to age 65 | From age 65 |
|---|---|---|
| Car and motorbike (AM, A1, A2, A, B, B+E) and other licences | 10 years | 5 years |
| Lorry and bus (C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D, D+E) | 5 years | 3 years |
Two points to bear in mind. First, if the medical check finds a condition that does not stop you driving but could get worse, you can be given fewer years (article 12.3). That is why some people have a licence valid for two or three years. Second, for professional drivers: renewing a lorry or bus licence also renews your car licence, for the period that applies to it (article 13.1).
How to renew it, step by step
1. When
You can apply from 3 months before it expires without losing a single day, because the new period runs from the expiry date of the old one (article 13.1 of the Regulation and the DGT website). There is no reason to leave it to the last day.
2. The medical check
You take it at an approved driver medical centre (centro de reconocimiento de conductores). You get a fitness report that is valid for 90 working days, according to the DGT.
3. Where to apply
- At the medical centre itself. Approved medical centres can file the renewal with the DGT, so you never have to set foot in a traffic office.
- At a DGT traffic office, with an appointment booked online or on 060. In Valencia, that is the Provincial Traffic Office.
- Online, through the DGT electronic registry with an electronic ID, digital certificate or Cl@ve.
You need your valid DNI or passport (foreign nationals, their residence document) and the medical report. If you do it yourself at the DGT, also the official form and proof of payment of the fee.
4. What it costs
DGT fee 4.3 is €24.58. If you are over 70 it is free (article 5 of Law 16/1979 on traffic fees). If for medical reasons you are renewed for fewer years, the fee is lower: from €4.92 for one year to €19.67 for four. The medical centre charges separately for the check.
5. The temporary licence and the card
When you finish you are given a temporary licence valid for 6 months, but only for driving in Spain. The new card is posted to your home in about a month and a half. Make sure the DGT has your current address: if you have moved, see how to change your address with the DGT.
What if it expired years ago?
You renew it the same way. Article 13.3 of the Regulation allows the holder of an expired licence to apply for its extension, and the DGT says so clearly on its website: you can renew it no matter whether or when it expired. There is no test to retake. Same medical check, same fee, same procedure.
There are two exceptions that do change things:
- If you have lost all your points. The licence has lost its validity for a different reason and cannot be renewed (articles 12.5 and 14.2 of the Regulation). You have to take the road safety awareness course and pass the tests again (article 71 of the Traffic Act).
- If you no longer meet the medical requirements. The medical check has to come out favourable.
If you are abroad, or your licence is not Spanish
You hold a Spanish licence and it expires while you live abroad. If you live in another EU country, the DGT says you must renew it there. If you are outside the EU, you apply through the Spanish consulate: the medical report is signed by a local doctor and stamped by the consulate (article 13.4 and annex III of the Regulation).
Your licence is from another country and you live in Spain. A foreign licence is only valid here while it is in date (article 21.2 of the Regulation). If it expires, you cannot drive on it either. And if it was issued outside the EU, it also stops being valid 6 months after you become resident. Everything about swapping it for a Spanish one is in how to exchange a foreign driving licence in Spain.
If you are travelling right after renewing, remember that the temporary licence is no use outside Spain. That is what the international driving permit is for.
Common mistakes
- Taking the car "just to get to the medical centre". It is still driving on an expired licence.
- Leaving it to the last day. From 3 months before you lose no validity, so there is nothing to gain by cutting it fine.
- Not updating your address. The new card is posted to the address the DGT has on file.
- Mixing up expired with no points. The first is a fine; driving with no points is a crime.
- Leaving Spain with the temporary licence. It only works inside the country.
When it makes sense to get help
When you already have the fine and think there is something to argue (you have 20 calendar days, and we explain how to appeal a traffic fine in Spain), when you are abroad and do not know where to start, when your licence is foreign, or when you are not sure you still have points. For an ordinary renewal the medical centre is enough. For the rest, our office is right next to the Valencia traffic office.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fine for driving with an expired licence in Spain?
€200. It is a serious offence according to the DGT (article 12.4 of the General Drivers Regulation), and if you pay within 20 calendar days it drops to €100. The officer also takes your licence.
Is there a grace period to drive after my licence expires?
No. There is no grace period: from the day after the expiry date the licence does not entitle you to drive.
Do I have to retake the test if my licence expired years ago?
No. It is renewed with just the medical check, however much time has passed (article 13.3 of the Regulation). The exception is if you have lost all your points.
How much does it cost to renew a Spanish driving licence in 2026?
€24.58 in DGT fees (fee 4.3), plus the medical check at the centre. If you are over 70, the fee is waived.
Can I drive while I wait for the new card?
Yes. You get a temporary licence valid for 6 months, in Spain only. The card arrives by post in about a month and a half.