Canary Islands (IC)
The Canary Islands are Spain's Atlantic autonomous community: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa.
Driving in Canary Islands
Licence exchange, road rules, fines, buying a car, and cycling.
Driving in Spain is governed by the Reglamento General de Circulación and the Ley sobre Tráfico (LSV, RDL 6/2015, revised 2022 "Ley DGT" RD 970/2020 and the 2022 reform adding new alcohol/drug rules). DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) administers licences, vehicle registry and fines. Spain uses a 12-point licence system (novatos: 8 points for first 3 years); lose all points → licence suspension + mandatory training course. Foreign licences: EU/EEA valid indefinitely (optional renewal to Spanish format after 2 years residency); some non-EU licences are exchangeable under bilateral agreement; others require the full theory + practical test.
Driving Licence Exchange
EU/EEA licences are valid in Spain indefinitely once the holder is resident (no forced exchange, but renewal must happen at Spanish validity intervals after 2 years). Non-EU licences from countries with bilateral agreement (canje) can be exchanged directly within 2 years of residency; otherwise you must pass the full Spanish driving test. The 6-month rule (post-residency driving with foreign licence) is a common misunderstanding — the actual limit is generally longer but start the process as soon as you are empadronado.
EU/EEA licences: valid indefinitely in Spain. You can optionally exchange for a Spanish permiso after 2 years residency (cheaper Spanish renewal cycles + integration with miDGT app). Renewal must follow Spanish medical + age-validity rules after 2 years: normally 10 years until age 65, then 5 years. Bring NIE/TIE + foreign permiso + reconocimiento médico-psicotécnico certificate (~€30) from a Centro Médico Autorizado.
UK licences (post-Brexit): bilateral agreement signed Mar 2023 allows exchange without test. Must be done within 6 months of TIE issue; after that, full Spanish test required.
Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Japan, South Korea, UK (post-Brexit bilateral), Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Macedonia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia (suspended since 2022), Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela
Direct exchange via canje — bilateral convenios con Spain. Required: cita previa at Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico, foreign original licence + traducción jurada, NIE/TIE, empadronamiento, passport photo, psicotécnico certificate, Modelo 791 payment (€28.70). Must be submitted within 2 years of becoming resident (empadronamiento + Certificado de Registro or TIE). After exchange your foreign licence is sent to your home country.
Philippines and Morocco are for non-professional B categories only. For C, D, E professional categories further tests may apply. Process takes 2–6 weeks.
No bilateral agreement = full Spanish test required. Steps: (1) Register at an autoescuela (driving school) — bring NIE/TIE, empadronamiento, medical (psicotécnico). (2) Theory test (examen teórico, 30 questions, max 3 errors, done in Spanish/English/French/German in many provinces) at DGT. (3) Manoeuvring test (examen de maniobras) — often combined with traffic test. (4) Practical road test (examen de circulación) with DGT examiner. Autoescuela matrícula + classes + tasas: €800–1,800 total. Fail rate on first practical attempt: 50–60%. Budget for 2–3 attempts.
Countries NOT in bilateral list: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Mexico (!), most African and Asian countries. Mexico specifically is NOT in the convenio list — a frequent surprise for Mexican expats. The autoescuela process typically takes 2–4 months.
Road Rules
Urban areas: 30 km/h default on single-lane streets (Ley 30 since May 2021) — 50 km/h on multi-lane arterials. 20 km/h on narrow shared streets. Carreteras convencionales (secondary): 90 km/h (80 km/h for heavy goods). Autopista / Autovía: 120 km/h (car), 100 km/h (van/camper), 90 km/h (heavy goods). Speed is measured by automatic fixed/mobile radars (DGT operates 2,400+ fixed cameras in 2026) + radar helicópteros.
No unlimited speed sections exist — max 120 km/h on all autovías and autopistas. Autopistas (de peaje) are tolled (AP-prefix); autovías (A-prefix) are free. Most tolls removed 2021 (AP-7, AP-4, etc.) but some still paid (AP-9 Galicia, AP-53, AP-66, AP-68, AP-51, some catalan autopistas). Overtaking on the right (adelantar por la derecha) prohibited unless the left lane is stopped. Circular por la derecha obligation: use the rightmost lane when not overtaking (Reglamento General de Circulación, art. 28). Speeding 20 km/h over in urban = €100 + 0 points; 30+ over = escalating fines to €600 + 2–4 points.
General: 0.5 g/L in blood / 0.25 mg/L in breath. Novel drivers (first 2 years) + professionals + buses + lorries: 0.3 g/L / 0.15 mg/L. Above 0.60 mg/L breath = criminal offence (penal), possible prison. Drug driving: zero tolerance — saliva test kits used on roadside. Refusing test = same penalty as >0.60 + 6 points.
Using handheld mobile while driving: €200 + 6 points (doubled from 3 in the 2022 reform — most serious non-alcohol offence). Hands-free OK. Even stopped at red light counts as driving. Holding phone at the wheel (even not using) counts for the purposes of the infraction.
Mandatory for all occupants. Fine for driver: €200 + 3 points. Passengers personally fined €200 if adult.
Children under 135 cm must use appropriate retention system (SRI — Sistema de Retención Infantil) rated i-Size (ECE R129) or R44/04. Must be in rear seats unless rear seats are occupied by other SRI-required children or vehicle has no rear seats. Fine: €200 + 3 points.
ZBE (Zonas de Bajas Emisiones) mandatory in all cities of 50,000+ inhabitants under Ley de Cambio Climático 7/2021 since 2023. Madrid Central (Distrito Centro), Madrid 360; Barcelona ZBE Rondas; Valencia, Sevilla, Zaragoza, Bilbao, Palma all have active ZBE. Vehicle classification via DGT Etiqueta Medioambiental: 0 (electric/hybrid plug-in), ECO (full hybrid, LPG, CNG), C (petrol post-2006, diesel post-2014), B (petrol post-2000, diesel post-2006), A (older — progressively banned). Display sticker on windscreen. Foreign vehicles not exempt — must comply with ZBE limits or pay fine up to €200.
Traffic Fines (Bußgeldkatalog)
DGT uses a fixed points + fines schedule. Points: you start with 12; novel drivers (first 3 years) with 8, rising to 12 after clean record. Lose all → licence suspended + 12-hour reeducation course (€230) + maybe practical retest. Points restored after 2 years (minor) or 3 years (serious/very serious) clean. Discount 50% if you pay within 20 days (pronto pago). Fines enforced against foreign drivers via EU cooperation for EU plates; some non-EU drivers stopped for immediate roadside payment (otherwise vehicle impounded).
| Offence | Fine | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding 21–30 km/h over urban 50 km/h limit | €100 | 0 |
| Speeding 31–50 km/h over urban 50 km/h limit | €300 | 2 |
| Speeding 51–60 km/h over urban 50 km/h limit | €400 | 4 |
| Speeding 61+ km/h over urban 50 km/h limit | €500 + possible criminal | 6 |
| Running a red light (saltarse un semáforo) | €200 | 4 |
| Alcohol 0.25–0.50 mg/L breath | €500 | 4 |
| Alcohol 0.50–0.60 mg/L breath | €1,000 | 6 |
| Alcohol >0.60 mg/L breath (criminal) | €1,000+ + criminal record | 6 |
| Handheld mobile phone while driving | €200 | 6 |
| Not wearing seatbelt | €200 | 3 |
| Driving without ITV vigente | €200 | 0 |
| No Etiqueta Medioambiental in ZBE | up to €200 | 0 |
| Overtaking on the right on autovía | €200 | 4 |
| Parking in carga/descarga or handicapped zone | €90–200 | 0 |
| Tirar cigarrillo por la ventanilla (flicking cigarette) | €200 | 4 (fire risk) |
Buying a Car
Spain has a large second-hand market (5M+ transactions/year) mostly on Coches.net, Milanuncios, Wallapop Motor, Autocasión and dealer networks. Professional dealers (compraventa) must offer minimum 12-month guarantee (Ley del Automóvil 2020, Garantía Legal). Private sales (particulares) carry no legal warranty but car must match description (vicios ocultos clause applies). VIN + bastidor checks via DGT mandatory before purchase.
- 1.Search on Coches.net, Autocasa, Milanuncios, Wallapop. Compare prices on eurotaxglass.com for fair market value.
- 2.Request Informe de Vehículo DGT (€8.67) from sede.dgt.gob.es — shows ownership history, kilometres declared, cargas (liens), seguros, multas, ITV status. Essential.
- 3.Verify seller is the titular on Permiso de Circulación (green card). If not, requires poder notarial.
- 4.Commission a pre-purchase inspection (~€80–150) at a taller mecánico or Centro ITV voluntario. Covers structural, engine, electronic scan.
- 5.Negotiate price. Private sale: contract de compraventa (compraventa.org has free templates). Mandatory: DNI/NIE of both, matrícula, VIN, kms, price, fecha, firmas.
- 6.Payment: bank transfer or cash (limit €1,000 per transaction for private consumers since 2021 Ley Antifraude). Dealer sales often have financing options.
- 7.Transfer ownership (cambio de titularidad) at Jefatura DGT within 30 days. Note: in the Canary Islands, used vehicle transfers are subject to IGIC (Impuesto General Indirecto Canario) at 6.5% — NOT the mainland ITP (4–8%). Required: Modelo 700 IGIC declaration, Modelo 08 transfer form, old permiso de circulación, both DNIs/NIEs, ITV card, proof of address (empadronamiento). Cost: €54.50 tasa DGT + IGIC 6.5% of agreed/fiscal value.
- 8.Update your insurance before driving the car; seguro obligatorio de responsabilidad civil mandatory.
- 9.Pay annual IVTM (Impuesto sobre Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica) to Ayuntamiento — €50–250/year depending on CV fiscales.
- •ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos) — must be vigente. Sticker on windscreen shows next date. Frequency: new car 4 years, then every 2 years (every year after 10 years). Cost: €35–50 per ITV.
- •Seguro obligatorio (compulsory third-party insurance) active at time of transfer.
- •No cargas/embargos in DGT informe — liens prevent transfer.
- •Matrícula consistency between physical plate + permiso circulación + bastidor (VIN).
- •Ficha técnica (technical sheet) current — must match current configuration (no illegal modifications).
Budget: purchase + IGIC 6.5% (Canary Islands transfer tax, not ITP) + tasa DGT €54.50 + insurance €300–700/year + ITV if due €35–50 + IVTM €50–250/year. Total transaction overhead: ~8–10% of vehicle price. Running costs: gasolina 95 ~€1.10–1.30/L (2026, significantly cheaper than mainland Spain — no fuel excise tax in the Canary Islands), diesel ~€1.05–1.25/L; parking in Las Palmas/Tenerife city centres €1.00–2.50/hour.
Registration, Insurance & Tax
All vehicles must be registered in the Registro de Vehículos DGT via a Jefatura or Oficina de Tráfico in your province. Initial registration (matriculación) of a new vehicle handled by dealer. Used-vehicle transfer (cambio de titularidad) online at sede.dgt.gob.es with Cl@ve or certificado digital, OR in-person with cita previa at Jefatura. Required: Modelo 620 ITP stamped by Hacienda Autonómica, Modelo 08 transfer form, previous permiso de circulación, ficha técnica, ITV card (current), buyer + seller DNI/NIE, proof of empadronamiento, €54.50 Modelo 791 tasa. Online transfer: 10 working days; in-person: 1–3 days.
Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil Obligatorio (third-party liability) legally mandatory before driving (Ley sobre Responsabilidad Civil y Seguro en la Circulación de Vehículos a Motor). Coverage: personal injury €70M per claim, material damage €15M per claim. Optional extensions: terceros ampliado (+robo/incendio/lunas), todo riesgo con franquicia, todo riesgo. Premium factors: age, experience, puntos restantes, zona de estacionamiento, uso, historial de siniestralidad (bonus-malus). Shop via Rastreator, iAhorro, Acierto.com. Typical premium: €250–450 terceros, €500–900 third party + fire/theft/glass, €700–1,500 todo riesgo. Bonus accumulates: after 5 claim-free years, discount up to 65%.
IVTM (Impuesto sobre Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica) is a municipal tax. Amount depends on CV fiscales (fiscal horsepower, computed from engine + CO2). Example: hatchback 8–12 CVF = €50–100/year. SUV 12–16 CVF = €150–200/year. Pickup/large = €250+. Paid annually via padrón (direct debit from bank or via Ayuntamiento). Many municipalities offer 75% discount on electric vehicles; historical vehicles 25+ years old also discounted.
ITV mandatory: first inspection at 4 years (new car) or immediately for imports; then every 2 years until 10 years old; annually thereafter. For motorcycles: every 2 years from year 4, annually from year 10. Stations: public Applus+, Atisae, Sensara plus CCAA-concessioned private. Book online at the station's web. Cost €35–50. Check: brakes, suspension, lights, emissions, tyres, chassis, seguridad pasiva. Fail outcomes: defectos leves (reinspection within 2 months, free); defectos graves (drive only to repair + reinspect within 2 months); defectos muy graves (vehicle immobilised). Driving without vigente ITV: €200. Sticker on windscreen shows next date.
Cycling
Spain has a strongly growing but uneven cycling infrastructure. Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastián have excellent cycling networks; Madrid caught up significantly 2020–2024 with BiciMAD expansion. 8M+ bikes in daily use nationwide. Helmet rules are STRICTER than many other countries: helmet mandatory outside urban areas (carreteras convencionales) for ALL ages; within cities only for under-16s. Bike lanes (carril bici): mandatory to use if present. VMP (Vehículos de Movilidad Personal, e-scooters) regulated since 2021: max 25 km/h, helmet recommended (mandatory for under-16s), insurance recommended 2024+.
- •Helmet mandatory outside urban areas (carreteras) for all ages. Inside cities only for under-16s. Fine: €200.
- •Lights mandatory at night / poor visibility: white front, red rear. Reflective vest if outside city at night.
- •Bell (timbre) mandatory.
- •Cycling under influence: same limits as cars (0.5 g/L). Criminal at >0.60 mg/L. Points deducted from car licence.
- •Bike lanes: mandatory use when marked. Fine €100.
- •Sidewalk cycling prohibited for adults unless marked "acera-bici".
- •Mobile phone use while cycling: €200 fine + 3 points on car licence.
- •Running a red light on bike: €200 fine + 4 points on car licence.
- •Two abreast allowed on urban roads; outside cities must be single-file if traffic conditions demand.
- •Car drivers must leave 1.5m minimum when overtaking cyclists; cross into opposite lane if necessary.
- •Register bike with Registro Nacional de Bicicletas (Biciregistro.es) — free, reduces theft and helps recovery.
- •Lock: U-lock (candado en U) through frame + rear wheel to fixed structure. Theft very common in Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla.
- •Buy second-hand on Wallapop or at specialist stores (Doctor Bike, Probike). New commuters €400–1,500.
- •Public bike sharing: BiCiMAD Madrid (€25/year abono + per-trip fares), Bicing Barcelona (€50/year), Sevici Sevilla (€34/year), Valenbisi Valencia (€30/year). Most have e-bikes.
- •Many companies now offer renting de bicicleta tax-advantaged under flexible retribution.
- •Transport on Cercanías: free with bike at off-peak, some restrictions peak hours; Metro Madrid allows weekends + after 20h weekdays.