How to Pass a Driving Test in Spain

As in any country anywhere in the world, you need to pass a test if you want to drive a vehicle in Spain. It will depend on your age, your health conditions, and the paper forms you need to fill out before they even consider putting you in front of the steering wheel.

The following article will explain in detail the process of getting a driving license in Spain (in English!).

Trying to get a driving license in Spain can seem very complicated. The stress of thinking about the correct answers on the theory test, and all the restriction presented on Spanish roads can make it really difficult for some people to pass the test.

However, you don’t have to feel intimidated by thinking that it will be incredibly difficult. Plenty of people have managed to get the license with, and there are many vehicles on the roads as evidence of this.

What you need to do to get a Spanish driver’s license

If you want to compare these tests with the ones you may have taken in the U.S. (if you are an American citizen of course), you may feel overwhelmed and you will really question if you truly know how to drive. When you turned 16, you probably went to the local Department of Motor Vehicles, took a multiple choice test, and then spent about ten minutes in a parking lot for the practical test, with all the signs and painted lines to simulate a real street.

The test ended with you pulling the car up to a curb. Finally, after shaking hands with your examiner, you took that famous picture, and voila! You had your driver’s license. The whole process took about 45 minutes… well, things are a bit more complicated in Spain.

Driving school in Spain

The first step before aspiring to get your license is to join a driving school. This is very important and it doesn’t matter whether you are an experienced driver and have driven in another country or this is the first time you are getting a driving license. Practical Driving lessons at a driving school are mandatory in Spain.

This is because the examiner that approves your certificate in Spain needs a car that must have a second set of controls on the passenger side in case you forget what to do, or in case the main controls fail.

The second reason to go to a driving school is to learn the theoretical concepts you need to know before taking the exam at the Transit Department near your residence in Spain. These days, some schools offer theory material online, and a few have Spain driving theory in English online as www.practicatest.com. Most of these schools have samples of the tests that will guide you to pass them without too much trouble.

Other requirements for a driver’s license in Spain

Other important things are the medical certificate, including a vision certificate, and having a legal residence or a valid visa to live in Spain. You’ll need to get an application form to request an exam and schedule a date and time to take the theoretical test. If you want to take the driver’s theory test in English, you must indicate this when you schedule the exam. You’ll need to print a separate form to pay the application fee.

Finally, you have to be aware that you need to have at least six months of permanent residence in Spain; otherwise it will not possible for you to get a valid driving license issued in this country. That is another compulsory rule by Spanish authorities.