The short answer: you ask the DGT (Spain's traffic authority) for a duplicate online with a digital certificate, by phone on 060 or with an appointment at the Provincial Traffic Office in Valencia. The fee is DGT fee 4.4, which the DGT currently sets at €20.81. When you finish you get a provisional licence valid for 6 months in Spain, and the new card arrives by post in about a month and a half. Meanwhile you can drive with the digital licence in the miDGT app.
In this article
Can I drive while the duplicate is on its way?
Yes, in two ways. Spanish law requires you to carry your licence and show it to an officer on request (article 59.2 of the Traffic Act and article 3.2 of the General Drivers Regulations). Since March 2022, though, the licence can be shown in physical or digital form (article 59.1, as worded by Law 18/2021).
- The miDGT app. According to the DGT, the licence shown in the app has the same legal validity as the card for driving in Spain. You log in with a digital certificate, with Cl@ve (Spain's online ID system) or a code sent by text to the mobile number registered with the DGT.
- The provisional licence. You get it when you apply and it is valid for 6 months, in Spain only. The Regulations say these temporary authorisations have the same effect as the licence they replace (article 1.3).
Not carrying your licence is not listed among the serious or very serious offences, so it is treated as minor (article 75 c of the Traffic Act): a fine of up to €100 (article 80.1). Driving without holding a licence is a very serious offence (article 77 k), with a €500 fine. And if you never had one, lost it through penalty points or had it taken away by a court, it is a criminal offence (article 384 of the Criminal Code). Losing the card puts you in none of those situations: you have lost the proof, not the licence.
How to request the duplicate
One condition first: your licence must still be valid. If it has expired, you need a renewal, not a duplicate, and an expired licence does not allow you to drive (article 12.4 of the General Drivers Regulations). We cover it in expired driving licence: can I still drive?.
1. Online, on the DGT e-office
The quickest route with a digital certificate. Cl@ve is not enough: you sign at the end with your certificate using AutoFirma. First you pay fee 4.4 and note the 12-digit number on the receipt. Then open the application and choose the reason (loss, theft or damage) and the language. When you finish, click «Aut. Temporal» and save the provisional licence: it can only be downloaded at that moment.
2. By phone, on 060
They check your identity with a few questions and you need the fee already paid. The provisional licence is sent to your email. It is not available if your licence has been withdrawn or suspended, and the holder must make the call personally.
3. With an appointment at the traffic office
In the province you can book at the Valencia or Alzira traffic offices, online or on 060. Bring the official application form, your original ID in force and the fee, which you can pay there by card, never in cash. You get the provisional licence at the counter. Unlike the car's registration certificate, the final card is not issued on the spot: it comes by post.
Documents, fee and timeframes
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fee | 4.4, currently €20.81 according to the DGT e-office (also if stolen) |
| ID | Spanish ID card or passport; EU citizens, residence document or national ID (or passport with the Central Register of Foreign Nationals certificate); non-EU citizens, a valid residence permit |
| Old card | Handed in if damaged; not needed if lost or stolen |
| Provisional licence | 6 months, Spain only |
| New card | By post, in about a month and a half |
| Validity | Same dates as the original |
The duplicate does not extend validity: if your licence expired in 2028, so does the duplicate. Check the current amount on the DGT e-office before paying, as it can change.
If it was stolen
Same procedure, same fee. The DGT does not require a police report for the licence, but if your ID and cards went too, a report gives you a dated record of what was taken. If the original turns up later, you must return it to the traffic office (article 11.3). If you are stopped with both, the original is taken and, if the reason given for the duplicate turns out to be false, a judge is informed (article 11.4).
What if I drive outside Spain?
This is the catch. The provisional licence and miDGT are only valid in Spain, and the DGT recommends carrying the physical card when driving abroad. If you have a trip before the new card arrives, the DGT says you can apply for an International Driving Permit at a traffic office by appointment. On its own, though, it does not replace your Spanish licence: the DGT requires you to carry it with your valid Spanish licence and your passport. Check with the traffic office before treating the trip as sorted. We explain it in the international driving permit.
Address, foreign licences and other cases
Out-of-date address. The new card is posted to your home, and the DGT application shows the address it has on file. If you moved without telling them, it may go to your old address. Updating it is compulsory within 15 days (article 10 of the General Drivers Regulations), and that is also where fines are notified (article 60.1 of the Traffic Act). How to do it: changing your address with the DGT.
A licence from another country. If you hold an EU or EEA licence and normally live in Spain, the DGT offers to replace it with an equivalent Spanish one at its offices in case of theft, loss or damage. If your licence is from outside the EU, the route is usually different: see exchanging a foreign licence in Spain.
If you also lost the car papers. That is a separate procedure: the duplicate registration certificate is covered in this other article.
Common mistakes
- Trying online with Cl@ve only. The duplicate application needs a digital certificate and AutoFirma.
- Not paying the fee first. Online and on 060 you need the number of a paid fee.
- Closing the screen without saving the provisional licence. It cannot be printed again later.
- Asking for a duplicate of an expired licence. You need a renewal, with a medical check.
- Travelling with the provisional licence. It is not valid outside Spain.
If the card does not arrive within a reasonable time, tell the traffic office via the General Electronic Register or in person.
When to hand it to an agency
With a digital certificate and a valid licence, you can do it yourself in ten minutes. Online and by phone, only you can apply. At the traffic office, however, someone else can go for you if you authorise them in the DGT's Register of Powers of Representation. It is worth delegating if you have no certificate or time to visit the office, if your licence expires soon, if you have moved, or if you are a foreign national unsure whether you need a duplicate, a replacement or an exchange. To talk it through, book an appointment with us in Valencia.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive without the physical card while I wait for the duplicate?
Yes. With the provisional licence you get when you apply (6 months, Spain only) or with the digital licence in miDGT, which in Spain is as valid as the card.
How much does a duplicate driving licence cost?
DGT fee 4.4, which the e-office currently lists at €20.81, also if it was stolen. Check the current amount there before paying, as it can change.
How long does the new card take to arrive?
About a month and a half, by post to the address the DGT has on file. Also if you apply at the traffic office: there you get the provisional licence, not the final card.
What is the fine for driving without carrying my licence?
Not carrying it is treated as a minor offence, with a fine of up to €100. Driving without holding a licence is very serious, with a €500 fine, and in some cases a criminal offence.
Can I get a duplicate if my licence has expired?
No. The licence must be valid; if it has expired you need to renew it, and you cannot drive until you do.