European Union
Driving license
Possession of a driving license (also colloquially called driving license), accredits the holder to be able to drive most vehicles. The permit is approved with all those of the European Union, as they all have common characteristics. Possessing a driving license will nullify any driving license, since it allows the driving of the vehicles accredited by said license.
The AM, A1, A2, A, and B permits will have to be renewed every ten years until they turn 65, and every five years from that age onwards. The rest must be renewed every five years until they turn 65, and from that age every three years.[11].
Currently, to renew the driving license it is no longer necessary to go to traffic, they process the renewal electronically at the same medical examination center.[12].
The driving license is subdivided into classes. The class regulates the type of vehicle you are authorized to drive:.
Authorized to drive:.
The minimum age to obtain it is 15 years old.
Enables driving on public roads for:.
You can also drive this type of vehicle if you have had a B permit for 3 years, although in that case you can only drive within Spanish territory.
Minimum age to obtain it is 16 years old. The granting of this permit implies also obtaining the AM permit.
To obtain it, the law requires passing 2 exams:
Enables driving on public roads for:.
Minimum age to obtain it is 18 years old. The granting of this permit implies also obtaining the A1 permit.
To obtain this class, the law requires passing 2 exams:
Enables driving on public roads for:.
Minimum age to obtain it is 20 years. The granting of this permit implies also obtaining the A2 permit.
To obtain this class, the law requires passing 2 exams:
The practices must be carried out with motorcycles with engines no less than 600cc and power no less than 40 kW.
Enables driving on public roads for:.
Driving License
Possession of a driving license entitles the holder, during its validity period, to be able to drive the following types of vehicles:
Driving licenses will have to be renewed every ten years until they turn 65. At this age the driver must appear for renewal every five years from that age onwards. The driving license, whatever its class, will lose its validity when its holder obtains a class B permit.[4] The license must be delivered by its holder to the Traffic Headquarters, which will issue the permit at the time of delivery.[4].
Responsibility
The responsibility for infractions will fall directly on the perpetrator of the act, except in the case of passengers of the vehicles who are required to wear a protective helmet, in which responsibility will fall on the driver.[4] Likewise, the driver of the vehicle will be responsible for the non-use of child restraint systems, except for taxi drivers.[4].
When the authorship of the acts committed corresponds to a minor under 18 years of age, his or her parents, guardians, foster parents and de facto legal guardians will be jointly and severally liable with him/her, in that order.[4] The joint and several liability will refer strictly to the pecuniary liability derived from the fine imposed.[4].
Validity
Ordinary driving license (classes A and B):.
The ordinary driving license has different renewal periods depending on the age of the holder:
Professional driving license (classes C and D):.
If you have a professional driving license, such as that for transporting goods or passengers, you must take the following into account:
En ambos casos, pueden existir restricciones en cuanto a los tiempos de vigencia, que pueden ser establecidos en la renovación realizada en los Centros de Reconocimiento de Conductores.[13].
Spain
In the case of Spain, the driving permit and the driving license are different documents and they are frequently confused with each other. There is also the circulation permit, which is a document applied to the vehicle and not to the driver.
Any driver must be in possession of the document and carry it with them when driving, although it is also valid to carry a duly certified photocopy of the original or the National Identity Document "Documento Nacional de Identidad (Spain)"), and it is mandatory to show it to the authority or its agents when requested.
If the driving permit or license has been issued in Spain, it will be valid throughout the European Union. If the permit has been obtained in another country outside the European Union, it must be exchanged as appropriate at the corresponding Traffic Headquarters.
Every driving permit or license has a maximum validity date, upon which the driver must renew it and take a psychotechnical exam (similar to the one he/she took when he first obtained it), on which its renewal will depend, since it evaluates whether the driver continues to be physically capable of driving.