United Kingdom authorities have announced that starting from May 1, all British citizens who have been residing in Spain for over six months will no longer be permitted to drive with their UK-issued driving licences.
The news was announced last night by the British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott.
Ministers have been trying to reach an agreement over the mutual exchange of driving licences for some time now. The Spanish authorities extended the validity period of the UK driving licences for the fourth time in February. However, it seems like this time, and there will be no extension.
Through a video that has been shared on social media, the British Ambassador to Spain said that the UK and Spanish governments are still negotiating and have agreed to accelerate talks next week in the hope of reaching an agreement as soon as possible.
However, it will be impossible to reach an agreement in time for the end of the current grace period, which is set to end today, April 30.
The British Ambassador has explained that since the two countries have failed to reach an agreement in time, British nationals who have been residing in Spain for more than six months will no longer be able to drive with their driving license that has been issued in the UK.
“What does this mean for you? It means that if you have been resident in Spain for longer than six months, your UK-issued licence will no longer be valid to drive here from May 1,” the statement of the Ambassador reads.
