21-04-2025
The changes to driving licence renewals for seniors in Spain in 2025
At the beginning of 2023, Spain's General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) proposed that licence renewals should be more frequent, particularly for the over-65s, but so far, these new rules have not been implemented.
Then, at the end of 2024, more news came to light to suggest that the changes regarding licence renewals would be made at some point in 2025.
Whilst we still don't know exactly when these new changes will come into force, we do know more about what changes the DGT will be making.
There were rumours circulating about a ban on licence renewals for over-65s, but the DGT have denied this and instead have confirmed several changes to the process.
According to Spain's General Deputy Director of Training and Road Education at the DGT, María José Aparicio, 30 percent of those killed in traffic accidents in the European Union are over 65 years of age, and in Spain it's around 28 percent.
Aparicio believes that "it seems strange for a 90-year-old person to not have their driving license renewed until they're 95".
What changes are in store for senior drivers in Spain?
Firstly, the DGT plan on making the medial exams much stricter. Drivers must present their medical history and undergo a specific examination that will assess their fitness to continue driving.
This is called a ' psicotécnico ' and tests both your physical and mental abilities to assess whether you can safely carry out certain tasks, including driving a car.
The DGT has established a list of 35 conditions that could affect driving ability, and a test will be required to confirm if you can safely continue behind the wheel.
These include arrhythmias, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy and aneurisms, multiple sclerosis, strokes, acute myocardial infarction, angina, severe depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, poorly controlled diabetes, severe asthma, advanced cancer, muscular dystrophy and severe intellectual developmental disorders, as well as several others.
You will need to take a psicotécnico exam every time you renew your driver's licence. The main parts of it include a health questionnaire, a psychomotor test and an eye exam. You may also need to do a short interview with a doctor.
Moving forward each case will be evaluated individually, and your medical report will be crucial in making a decision as to whether or not your licence will be renewed.
In cases where your condition is under control and does not compromise driving safety, you shouldn't have any issues, but it should be noted that your licence may be renewed for shorter periods such as one or two years, instead of the usual five for those over 65.
Currently, those over 65 should renew their licence every five years, unless it's for a bus or a truck, in which case it's every three years.
Another new feature, which has already been introduced is a digital platform that allows for license renewals online. This means a faster process, avoiding travel and reducing wait times, as well as not having to wait and get online appointments to visit your local office.
